…Home to Custom Guided Upper Bay of Fundy Ocean-floor Tours Tours .
Just before the “big rain” arrived this week I got out to capture some contemplative images of the peonies in the front garden bed. My timing was excellent as the blossoms were flattened by the deluge. Enjoy the images… imagine the scent! Happy Thursday, Anna
When you have a confirmed booking for a lobster boil you can’t let rain get in the way. The Pleasant Street Inn received a request for my services along with a room reservation some time ago. We were watching the weather carefully for days and it looked promising for tonight. The rain was supposed to stop during the afternoon but, as we all know, the weatherman is not always able to predict what’s actually going to happen. I began setting up at 5:45 pm and thanks to my new raincoat I was able to stay dry.
The lobster was as fresh as can be! We lucked out with today’s delivery and the crustaceans cooked up beautifully… there were only the shells left to clean up! And yes, the rain stopped as soon as I carried the lobster inside to be served.
Lobster season on our shore is nearly over. I still have a few openings in my calendar if anyone is interested in booking a daytime or evening event.
Lobster boil in your backyard? I need 48 hours notice. What does it entail? One lobster (approx 1.5 lb) per person, home-baked sourdough baguette, sweet melted butter, lemon and a seasonal dessert. I supply everything from plates, bib/napkins, tools for cracking the hard shells, bread basket, cutting board and bread knife. I remove any waste. No dishes to do for you and your guests. What more do you want? All you need to do is bring your own drink of choice. What’s the price? Just $39 per person will get you a fully catered meal. I am able to accommodate up to eight guests.
Lobster season on our shore comes to an end on July 31st or when supply runs out!
…or your vacation in the heart of the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark is more soggy than you bargained for stop sitting in your B&B! No matter how comfortable it may be and how wonderful the hosts are… and how many cups of tea or coffee and goodies they keep supplying, there comes a time where the walls start to close in!🤪
Tide Rollers & Mudlarkers has the guaranteed antidote to cabin fever: we have a rain coat or poncho for you! Experience the sandstone cliffs at their best! The wet weather and flat light creates dramatic back drops for photography or just to experience something more exciting than streaming an action movie on the TV in your B&B. Set the board games and puzzles aside, they will still be there tonight when it gets dark.
Let’s start planning your tour! Text 1-306-631-8539 or email annahergert@me.com and get the conversation going! Cheers, Anna
You know it’s bad when Ottawa House-by-the-Sea Museum closes for the day due to inclement weather. Our home borders onto the Farrells River which feeds into the Aboiteau. Due to the moon phase we are also experiencing spring tide conditions. We can expect this lake to last several days longer, especially if the rain doesn’t slow down soon! According to one Parrsboro rain gauge we had 5” of rain overnight! With additional heavy downpours during the day today I am sure we are closer to 7” by now.
Everyone in Nova Scotia prayed for rain and moisture during the forest fires less than a month ago. The fires are out. Cape Chignecto is closed to hikers till further notice! One person remarked on the closure notice: “ Chiggy is closed – it must be bad!” I think it’s unanimous: we are ready for sunshine!
And that’s the news from Parrsboro, Nova Scotia on this July 3rd! Have a lovely evening, Anna
Following all the rain we have had my mushrooming buddy and I gathered our collecting baskets, knifes and soft brushes and set out for our favourite stand of trees to check on the growing phase of chanterelles. Verdict: wait another week or two and check back then.
This afternoon I took the puppy to the beach as the tide was on its way out! I have a small pet carrier pack that I strap to my chest. Tillie weighs just 1.5 kg and it was no trouble at all walking across the rocky terrain. She was a trooper! Our destination was Clarke Head where we had our own little photo shoot below the arch.
Look at that tiny little munchkin turning around and climbing deeper into the arch! I had to scramble to retrieve her. She was moving swiftly up and over the rocks. Enya, my friend’s dog, was watching with interest.
The beach excursion was just what we needed. The sky added drama but the rain held off till we were safely back at home. A lazy summer Sunday well spent! Hope you are relaxing wherever you are! Anna
… we had sun, some cloud, and at times heavy downpours! But as the saying goes: wait five minutes and it will change!
Our family started this Canada Day by taking the almost eight-week-old puppy out for her first walk in nature!
It was a bit of a challenge: Six steps and half a meter later I ended up carrying her home. The afternoon romp in the backyard with her parents went much better. She ran and jumped and promptly fell asleep when she came back inside.
Next, we participated in the Ottawa House Canada Day festivities. The Parrsboro Citizens Choir shone. We performed “Down to the River to Pray” (from Oh Brother, Where Art Thou), Oscar Peterson’s “Hymn to Freedom”, our own choir director’s, Dr. Paul Aitken, composition “Peace Flows Into Me”, “We Rise Again”, the unofficial Nova Scotia Anthem by Leon Dubinsky, and last, but not least, “Oh Canada” in both official languages.
Federal provincial and municipal representatives addressed the crowd from near and far! We met a couple from Swift Current, SK and chatted while the cake auction was in full swing.
This is already our third Canada Day in Nova Scotia! Where did the time go??? We are still finding new ways to celebrate. This year we finished the day out with a lobster boil for two. Not many people we know like lobster and the two friends we invited cancelled out at the last minute. So, we had a feast!!! It was pouring rain outside but the hot lobster on our plates let us quickly forget about the wet conditions outside.
Sending Canada Day Greetings to all our friends and family across the country! Enjoy your local festivities! Anna
How fast a year passes! It’s Canada Day Eve 2023 and our house was a flurry of activity all day. Puppy Tillie got us up before 5 a.m. …
… and I started baking by 9 a.m.
Ottawa House is a privately funded museum and without the tremendous efforts of countless committed volunteers the Parrsborough Shore Historical Society could not operate. I witnessed the incredibly successful live cake auction last year on July 1st where some of my baking contributions reached unheard of bids! Remembering that frenzied atmosphere from last year fuelled me with energy and determination to once again provide some special treats.
From artisnal sourdough bread, butterscotch pecan sticky buns, flakey cranberry orange custard buns to coconut raspberry white chocolate cookie bars and a Swabian Apple Cake (always a hit at my Kaffee Klatsch) I was glued to the oven till 3:30 p.m.
The house is hot and humid (our new ducted heating and cooling system sits idle… till NSPower comes to inspect, estimated date is July 27th) but my contribution for the major fundraiser has been delivered to Ottawa House where I enjoyed a nice cool breeze that helped to cool me down just a little. Fingers crossed there will be a good cake hungry crowd again this year.
If you are in Parrsboro check out Ottawa House! The cake auction goes live after the Parrsboro Citizen Choir finishes their performance with “Oh Canada” at approximately 1:30 pm.
We had an opportunity to join Caleb Grant, geoscientist from the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark, and Sandra Currie for a tour of the FORCE research center on energy and its beach in Westbay, just outside of Parrsboro, this afternoon.
The Center is well worth a visit. Put it on your list for a rainy day. There is a lot of information to absorb and explore! And just have a look at this amazing view across the Bay of Fundy toward Cape Split! We joked that this constitutes the best office view by a long shot!
This afternoon was all about the highest tides in the world and how 100 Billion liters of water move in and out of the Bay of Fundy’s Minas Basin with each tidal cycle.
Time well spent with like-minded people! This free tour will be offered again at the end of August! Make sure to look for it on the Cliffs of Fundy Geopark website in case you plan to participate. Happy Thursday, Anna
Yesterday evening I had the opportunity to participate in an online seminar centred around the Seven Leave no Trace Principles offered by the Outdoor Council of Canada. The hour long presentation was one of the more enjoyable workshops I have attended via Zoom.
If you are not familiar with Leave no Trace, check out some of the resources on line. I decided to sign up as a member. I am already actively practicing the Seven Principles when I roam the trails and I share the information with hike participants. It’s time to raise awareness further. My next goal is to organize an Awareness Workshop locally. Stay tuned for more info! Hope your Wednesday was not as wet as ours! Have a great rest of the evening, Anna
Adjacent to The Redhead (in the first image) we find the Old Wife Formation. It is located immediately to the left of The Redhead . The scientific cross section here provides the best visual of this significant geological formation found in Five Islands Provincial Park. Is is one of the best graphics I have come across.
Remember the travel influencer family known as “Keep Your Day Dream” from Florida? Tricia, Marc, Caleb and I spent an afternoon together exploring Soley Cove on June 17th. Their video featuring the Parrsboro area dropped on YouTube last night. Click here to check it out. Tide Rollers & Mudlarkers shows up at roughly minute 8 of the 22-minute-long video.
Enjoy! It’s a wet Monday here, a perfect time to update my website and get the house tidied up after the last ten busy days. Wishing everyone a fabulous week, Anna
Just a reminder that lobster season is over at the end of July. I have limited dates still available for a rustic lobster boil for up to 8 people.
Your backyard or the beach? $ 39/person (minimum 48 hours notice). L
obster boil includes: 1 lobster (at least 1.5 lbs) per person, home-baked crusty sourdough baguette (gluten-free option: steamed rice), butter and lemon.
We supply the equipment, including napkins and plates. don’t miss out – book soon!
Text 1-306-631-8539 to reserve your 2023 Season Lobster Boil in Parrsboro!
Guiding a tour in Soley Cove is always a highlight in my schedule. Leading a photo tour is even more special because I get to don my photographer’s hat and view the cliffs through a different lens. J. and L. contacted me from their home in Alberta several weeks ago to inquire about the availability of a photo tour. After checking the tide schedule I proposed several options and we settled on a morning tour of Soley Cove.
We woke up to dense fog today . Luckily it did not rain and eventually the fog lifted.
Photo tours are a nice change from guided hikes and rock hunting excursions as I get an opportunity to explore and discover changes along the cliffs and beaches. We took our time, made our way between sea stacks, along steep cliffs, across vast expanses of the exposed ocean floor and we ventured in and out of multiple coves.
…and then the fog burned off and the sun pushed through the clouds for even more glorious colour!
Soley Cove never disappoints and if you only have one night in the Parrsboro area it is THE choice for a guided hike or photo tour!
I hope you enjoyed today’s tour re-cap. Happy Saturday, Anna
Sometimes we just need a splash of colour to propel us forward! Happy First Summer Weekend 2023, everyone! Enjoy, Anna
Sharing a tranquil moment…
A small group embarked on the long-anticipated special Summer Solstice hike to Clarke Head tonight! It was a compatible group of women, conversation flowed easily over the driftwood fire, tea and home-baked goodies.
Sunset was at 9:07 pm as we headed back to our starting point. We were treated to the most magical light as we past the Solstice Troll standing guard!
I hope you are able to soak in some of the magic we created and captured tonight!
Solstice Blessings to all, Anna
Flashback from our Cape Chignecto multi-day backpacking trip. Enjoy!
…which is vital for our upcoming Summer Solstice Sunset Hike!
Had a great outing this morning, drizzle and chilly wind included. The weather for Wednesday is very promising. I have a couple spots open, so if you have held off to register contact me soon to reserve your spot! Here is the direct link to all the info:
https://fundycontemplations.ca/2023/06/08/summer-solstice-sunset-hike-anyone/
Have a fabulous Monday! Cheers, Anna
This was definitely a first for me! A travel influencer family from Florida found me on Google while planning their Nova Scotia itinerary.
I had forgotten that there would be filming… I had agreed to that in the contact email but assumed it would be all about the landscape. Well, it was about the landscape but also my answering questions about the tides and general travel info of the area.
We came across a juvenile Bald Eagle 🦅 soon after we stepped onto the beach. I timed the tour so everyone could witness the tide receding to its lowest point and slowly rising close to the end of the beach hike.
Soley Cove just never disappoints! The sky turned from pale blue to almost gloomy but that tends to intensify the colour of the Jurassic sandstone cliffs and free-standing formations.
Marc filmed long sections of our hike. Tricia provided tips like “if you plan on exploring this beach make sure your phone or camera battery is fully charged so you can capture the cliffs and formations”. Caleb was in constant discovery mode: from finding a perfectly flat rock to make it skip over the water to testing how strong the pinch of a crab’s claws might be. I love witnessing people who explore the Minas Basin shoreline for the first time!
I simply never grow tired of the roughly 11 km hike to the Redhead and back. Tricia, Marc and Caleb were enthusiastic and easy to show around. We had a brief rest at the Redhead complete with my gluten-free Bay of Fundy Energy Cookies and water. I always carry extra water for my tour participants and I know a little snack is usually welcome. Yesterday was no different.
Our timing to return to the car was excellent! The rain started soon after we turned the key in the ignition.
Thanks to Tricia, Marc and Caleb from @KeepYourDayDream for trusting Tide Rollers & Mudlarkers to share sights and sounds from the Upper Bay of Fundy shoreline!
I hope everyone enjoyed the excursion through my lens. Happy Father’s Day to those who celebrate and enjoy your evening, Anna
Just spent the most amazing time with this dynamic family from Florida exploring Soley Cove at low tide today!
Tune in tomorrow to read all about the tour and see the pictures! Good night, Anna
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