And a video to add to these tranquil impressions:
Enjoy, Anna
Contemplative Beach Walk Impressions
A weekend well spent!
The primary reason for spending time in Pictou County was to attend the Hike NS organized OCC course for using maps and compass. We had a dynamic group and an excellent, passionate instructor!
I learned a lot! I passed the course! Ready to tackle the wilderness… no more getting lost in the woods while foraging for mushrooms!
Visiting the beaches and Cape John was a bonus!
Pictou Impressions
Pictou has come a long way over the past five years! We enjoyed our weekend in the area to learn more about its deeply-rooted Scottish history. If you have not visited I highly recommend doing so. The “Hector” Museum and Reproduction is well worth the time. There is a choice of restaurants and drinking establishments for the foodies among the readers of this blog. Perhaps you are more into experiencing golden hour… put a harbour stroll with camera in hand on your must do list!
Happy Sunday, Anna
A New to Me Beach Near Sunset…
Autumnal equinox golden hour moments brought to you from Nova Scotia’s north shore!
My exploration of Pictou County beaches continued. After a long day in a map and compass course which involved a fair amount of bushwhacking it was high time for some sandy beach walking.
Enjoy your weekend with this beach moment!
Soley Cove With Explorers from B. C.
The weather could not have been more perfect for our Soley Cove Tour. The brief was for “red cliffs” and Tide Rollers & Mudlarkers delivered!
I was able to throw in a few sea stacks for good measure…
… and the reward were smiles all around
Shifting Season
Wednesday is NS Walks day in Parrsboro. Today was the first time that the air was cool enough that jackets or long sleeves were required.
An afternoon woodland excursion reminded me that autumn is upon us…
Abundance!!!
It has been a stellar year for mushrooms! The rain, high humidity and warm temperatures created the perfect environment for various mushrooms. While I am only confident to pick three varieties for consumption I am busy preserving my last haul of close to 20 lbs (cleaned) chanterelles and Hydnum sp., otherwise known as hedgehogs.
The chanterelles are dehydrating and the hedgehogs are made into a delicious soup! what are you having for dinner tonight?
Lace up your hiking boots and join us for several free guided hikes this fall!
Here is a direct link to the guided fall hikes offered in conjunction with the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark:
Cliffs of Fundy Geopark Joint Events
Our first hike takes place on Tuesday, September 26th. We are heading to Clarke Head. Space is limited, register soon! Hope to see you there, Anna
Soley Cove Haiku
Algae covered rocks
Along aeolian cliffs –
Such vivid contrasts.
Hurricane Lee – Images and Videos from Parrsboro
First stop: First Beach
Second stop: The end of Park Street
Third stop: Lighthouse Road
Fourth stop: Ottawa House Beach
Fifth stop: Two Islands at High Tide (note the complete lack of beach!)
Sixth and final stop: Two Islands Road with the best view of Clarke Head in the mist
We still with power, the wind is warm and rain not as heavy as predicted. Lee’s path shifted toward New Brunswick and we are hopeful that heavy damage can be averted.
Check for an update tomorrow, Anna
Waiting for Lee…
Hurricane Lee is steadily advancing. With most of our preparations completed I felt the need to head to the beach. I was amazed by the calm that awaited. Diligent River Beach was approaching low tide and the light was soft and magical.
It had been a while since my last visit. I could barely believe how much erosion had taken place since earlier this spring. Once again whole cliffs had crumbled and I wonder how the predicted storm surge this weekend will impact this and all the other beaches in the Bay of Fundy.
For now all we can hope for is that the heavy rain and strong winds don’t wreak too much havoc.
Wishing safe harbour for all my friends in Atlantic Canada. Everyone else, enjoy the weekend! Anna
Kelp Study
The season is changing… an abundance of kelp is beginning to wash up on the beaches again!
Drama in the Sky around Clarke Head
We are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Lee. There is only so much one can do, eventually you sit back and wait. My way to get ready is to head to the beach to survey and anticipate changes. I was treated to some stunning textures in the sky that seemed to intensify the colours of the cliffs.
Clarke Head is still standing…
…and Gull Island, the Little Brother, with the Five Islands in the distance were eye-catching in the ever changing light.
So much to explore! Best of all: I was all alone! Nobody ahead of me, nobody behind. The footsteps in the sand were mine…
In the heat of the day…
…passing a shaded pool with moisture dripping from cave walls.
It’s Dahlia Season at the Halifax Public Gardens
The predicted rain held off for the time we spent in Halifax. There was a 2.5 hours window for me to set out exploring. I decided to revisit the Public Gardens since it had been well over a year since I last walked the winding paths.
I was immediately struck by how lush the gardens were. The Halifax Gardens is Canada’s oldest Victorian Garden with numerous trees well over 150!years old.
It’s not difficult to enjoy several hours exploring the well laid out garden. Despite several tour groups and it being lunch hour, with many enjoying their lunch on of the benches, the park never felt crowded. The current feature plantings are the dahlia beds.
While I expected more dahlia display beds my time at the gardens did not disappoint.
Make sure to stop into the Halifax Public Gardens the next time you come to the city!
Soley Cove Solo Hike Turn Contemplative Photo Excursion
Two days ago I shared a summary of this hike in the form of three videos. I seldom get the opportunity to walk the ocean floor by myself these days. It was a magical time! I accessed the beach just two hours after high tide and as a result had several waits at various pinch points which made for some amazing photo opportunities.
Due to the tide level I walked close to the cliffs for most of the way. I soon became aware of the many, never before seen treasures!
I discovered openings, windows, tight and wide open spaces…
…brightly coloured sea lettuce still dripping with moisture, sandbars slowly emerging from the receding waters and coloured pebbles in sea water puddles.
I always marvel at Nature as the Artist. Wind, rain, temperature changes and the relentless wave action of the highest tides in the world offer up new discoveries with each beach excursion.
When I finally reached the highlight of the beach hike I felt elated!
There, before me the Old Wife Formation spread out larger than life. I had only seen the formation in images, one of them on the cover of the first edition of the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark Sites publication. I had spotted it from a view point next to the Old Wife Rock but never did I have a full on view of this key geological site.
“Located within the boundaries of Five Islands Provincial Park this site offers one of the most significant coastal vistas in Nova Scotia and one of the best exposures of a monumental event in Earth history, the breakup of the supercontinent Pangea 200 million years ago. As Pangea ripped apart, the most extensive outpouring of lava in Earth history gave rise to one of the five (or six) mass extinction events in the history of life, wiping out the competitors of the dinosaurs and ushering in the true reign of the famous reptiles. The dark rocks are basalt (cooled lava) and the red rocks below are the sediments swept by rivers and winds in the rift valley.” – from the Cliffs of Fundy GeoSite Guidebook
Old Wife Rock was my next destination but the basalt chunk covered beach made the approach of the imposing rock seem much further away. It was nearly 30C and the tide was about to turn. I forged ahead. Once I reached the area dividing the basalt beach and the red mud Five Islands Beach I took some time to look around realizing that high tide completely submerges the area I was standing on.
I scrambled down to the beach and suddenly felt tired. Each step demanded tremendous effort as I slowly walked toward the Day-use area at Five Islands Provincial Park.
While this was not my longest day hike I have completed it certainly was among the more demanding. Looking back I am glad I did it. The images gathered will be a wonderful source of inspiration. I hope you have enjoyed today’s recap. Wishing you all a fantastic week, Anna
Spicer’s Cove in the Mist
Spicer’s Cove is on the way to the Eatonville Day-use Area. I stopped here recently during a private tour for a visitor to the area and vowed to return soon. It’s Colin’s birthday today and we decided to meet up with a friend and take the pups to the beach.
The colours and textures of the rocks are stunning and appear even more intense on a misty day!
The fog lent an air of mystery and I walked as far as I could before the rocky beach became too slippery. It was my goal to reach the arch barely noticeable in the mist.
Instead I turned back and took another close up look at the rockfall along the beach. The huge rock piles reminded me of tumbling blocks knocked over by a giant!
At one point the sun was trying to push through the fog but by the time we found a place to make coffee and enjoy some birthday cake the fog was dense and the wind had picked up! I think the guys still enjoyed the birthday cake!
The sun greeted us as we rolled into Parrsboro which helped warm us up.
Despite the mist we enjoyed our excursion. I do have to go back when the sun is shining. This beach deserves a lot more time and attention.
Happy Saturday, Anna
Hot and Humid Beach Hike: Summary in Three Videos
Soley Cove approximately 2 Hours and 15 minutes after high tide
I started on familiar territory, the sandy, easy to navigate Soley Cove beach and finished at Five Islands Provincial Park Day-use Area. There was sand, red mud, seaweed hiding some quicksand-like sections that sucked my legs in to well above my ankles and, just when I thought I had reached the Old Wife Formation, my balance was challenged by clambering over seaweed and barnacle covered basalt rocks. Four hours well spent! I won’t lie, this was a challenging solo-hike despite careful preparation. Would I make this into a tour? The answer is a firm “no”.
Wishing you all a fantastic weekend! We look forward to another day of warm weather tomorrow.
View from Ottawa House Veranda Tonight
Tide Rollers & Mudlarkers... 