Back to the Beach

I decided to drive back to the beach in Cherry Hill that the owner of the nature store told us about. This time I took the fast highway, packed a lunch and left much earlier in the day. Hurray for Ally, my GPS, there were no alley oops on this trip. I found the fire hall and the road to the beach and so did several others. They were all on the sandy side and since I didn't see any shorebirds I went the other way. The other way was cobblestones--larger rounded stones that seemed to be above the high tide mark. The sun was shining, the view was beautiful and the insects were hungry for me! There are numerous marks on my legs that would blend in with freckles if they weren't quite so red. I watched gulls fly, gulls swim and gulls walk on the sand; cormorants swim, cormorants fly and cormorants spread their wings and shake them dry. All of this I could see without the binoculars but as this was meant to be a test of the binoculars I used them and I like them. Not too heavy around my neck, very easy to focus and no distortion or lost viewing area with my glasses.After walking down the beach for about a kilometre I decided to remove myself from this buggy paradise.

 

I took the slow road along the coast, stopping whenever the scenery demanded a photo and detouring when the view required a different perspective. In one tiny hamlet I met Isaac, a thirteen year old in Junior High. Isaac wants to be a lobster fisherman and plans to start out like his older brother is by helping to empty the boats when they come in. Given that lobster licences are only obtainable by buying one from another fisherman and that Isaac's father is a carpenter not a lobster fisher this is the only way he can get started. He was very friendly and quite content with life in his very small community.

I continued along the oceanside route until I saw a long crescent shaped beach at right angles to the highway. I turned down the road and watched as the cars in front of me drove right onto the beach parallel to the road until they found their friends or an empty spot. There was a wind surfer in the water and families everywhere. Not really being a crowded beach person I went back to the causeway and drove to the other end of it. On the left side of the causeway was a lagoon with various species of unidentifed birds. I really wish they wore name tags. I later found out that this is a very popular area called... Crescent Beach.

The oceanside route included a cable ferry as the alternative to a long drive up one side of a long inlet and down the other side. The short ride was $5.50 which is most likely less than the gas required to take the land route not to mention the time involved.

I met up with Ruth in Lunenberg and we admired the historic houses and enjoyed the quaint shops. 

 

Ruth had learned of the whereabouts of the Bluenose II and we set out to find her. She is currently in dry dock and our dreams of getting to go out on her, whatever the cost, will remain a dream. When Bluenose II was built the builders followed the specs and plans for the original Bluenose. Those plans called for a wooden rudder but in 2013 a wooden rudder is not Up to current code. So there she sits, in dry dock, until the issue is resolved either through beauracracy or with money. Either way I will not be sailing on her this year. However it was fun tracking down her dry dock location and taking pictures. It was wonderful to see others seeking her out as well. 

 

We also walked along the waterfront and I tried to get that perfect dory picture. Not yet but I 'll keep trying.