September 14-18

Thursday 9/14

Come From Away Bed and Breakfast in Digby, NS

The drive from Pictou to Digby was tense. Drove 40mph through torrential rain with the four-way flashers on – fortunately behind a road maintenance truck with a huge yellow and black chevron back bumper – easier to see and follow with very limited visibility.

Checked in at Come from Away Bed and Breakfast in Digby, where my room was on the 2nd floor in a newer building with large windows and a balcony facing the bay and the harbor. The room was newer with plenty of space and a table and chair to sit and read or write. Very nice.

The main building was a lovely old mansion. There was no place to sit inside after hours and visit with other guests, but there was seating in the backyard overlooking the harbor. Dinner at the Crow’s Nest wasn’t great, but I had a nice conversation with other guests in the backyard afterwards.

Due to the expected arrival of Hurricane Lee sometime Saturday morning, there would be no whale boating until Monday, when I had to drive back to Halifax for an early-morning flight on Tuesday. I stopped and bought some books at a secondhand shop in case we lost power, although the B&B owners, Joe and Barb, reassured us that they are on the same grid as the hospital, so we would have power restored the fastest if it did go out.

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Friday 9/15

Annapolis Royal Historical Gardens

A nice drive to the Annapolis Royal Historical Gardens. Lots of native plants, a restored cottage with a thatched roof, and a dyke walk with tall gates at each end to keep deer out of the gardens. A flax garden and beautiful viburnum with red berries. Purchased a star map in the gift shop – optimistic about Sunday night stargazing…

Lunch at the cafe was a wonderful roasted squash and leek soup with cheddar herb biscuit and tea. One of the best meals of the trip. A couple of volunteers cook homemade soup and bread every day.

Sandy Cove Beach

Drove west on Digby Neck to a really nice beach where I walked the whole beach barefoot and back.

Went as far as I could to the ferry, then took the back road into Digby and yikes a bit rough but fun to drive — and such pretty little houses.

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Saturday 9/16

Hurricane Lee

Hurricane Lee arrived at 3am with very strong winds and heavy rain, about what we’d see here during a bad thunderstorm, but sustained over many hours. Waves in the harbor were high, but didn’t reach the backyard, and the bay was muddy-colored. The photos don’t do it justice. Walked to the main house for breakfast with another couple who are next door – not too bad. A quiet day inside reading, napping and writing. Not feeling great.

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Sunday 9/17

beach hopping

It’s not COVID… Joe brings breakfast up to me, which is nice. After buying cold meds and supplies, I’m off toward Yarmouth, intending to visit every beach along the way and then the Yarmouth lighthouse and stay till dark for stargazing.

Savary Provincial Park is closed (as are all the rest) due to the hurricane, but a nice Canada Parks ranger said he wouldn’t do anything if someone were to walk down to the beach like they do in the winter. 🙂 So I did. Amazing views of the bay through birch trees and a walk down to a small rocky beach with lots of flotsam and jetsam from yesterday’s storm.

Gilbert’s Cove Lighthouse is cute, with plenty of souvenirs and such. Climb to the top was challenging, with barely enough room at the top for me to stand.