Living The Early Life

July 21 – 28, 2014

 

Bras d’Or is a small town next to a huge lake on Cape Breton Island. This became our home base for the week. I am sure you can guess it made Izzy really happy especially since they had a nice path we could walk, a great place for her to chase her toys, and of course go swimming.

 

Our View For The Week Bras d'Or Lake

Sunset From Our Spot

A Church in View From Our Walk

We headed out one day to check out Cape Breton’s port city of Sydney. We happened to be there at the same time of a cruise ship. At the ship terminal there is a large sculpture of a violin and bow but next to the cruise ship doesn’t look too large.

 

Anchored at Sydney's Port

 

 

Steve wanted to find out about local fishing opportunities so we headed to the closest marina and peer. We ran into a few people that owned lobster boats and discovered lobster season had just ended and that some people will fish off the peer. Flounder might be hanging around right now. We might have to come down some time and fish.

 

Let's See What We Can Find

One of the things Cape Breton is known for is the Cabot Trail. This is a drive that takes you around the coast of the northern part of Cape Breton Island and through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. We headed out mid-week for this journey. The views were beautiful and diversity from the east side to the west side was wonderful. At the very top of the island the road dead-ends at a small harbor where we found a crab boat coming in to off-load their catch.

 

 

 

A Beach on the East Side of Cape Breton Highlands NP

 

Trail in the Park

Resting Spot

 

Rocky East Coast in the Park

Crab Boat

Sorting Their Catch

West Coast of Cape Breton Highlands NP

Steve went out one evening fishing with Gordon for mackerel. Gordon owns a lobster boat and they use mackerel as bait. Steve figured if he caught some we could use it for bait too. He was able to go in with Gordon on buying some fresh crab so Saturday evening we had a crab feast on the boat in the harbor. Izzy came too and she had a blast getting little tidbits.

Captain Gordon

You Want Me To Do What?

 

Earlier that day we took a step back in time to the 1800’s. We headed out for Louisbourg which is home to the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. This place is known as being the largest reconstructed 18^th century French fortified town in North America. The Canadian Government provided funding to reconstruct just 1/5^th of the fortress and town as the British burned the original down when it captured it for the second time in the mid-1800’s.

The Fortress

Dauphin Gate

Entering

  

Sentry Box

Guard's Dining Room

Houses Within the Fortress

Back in Time

Protecting the Town Within

 

We happened to be there on the weekend where they have a group of re-enactors to help with Culture Fete. The crowd could observe firing of muskets, cannons, eat on-site freshly baked bread, learn about wood carving from the 1800’s, spinning wool, and what life was like as a soldier at the fortress. We enjoyed talking with the wood carvers and the bread was quite good!

A Big Bang

  

The King's Bastion Barracks

Fire

French Officer

 

Marching 

Storage

 

What Do You Suppose Is In Here?

The Hanging Spot

 

Life in the 1800's

Creating the Spindle Block

Working the Lathe

We ended our time on the island with some fishing. We headed out twice during our stay and I was successful in catching five flounders but we could only keep three. We enjoyed some fresh fish for dinner a couple of times. The second time we fished the flounder decided to not want to meet us, but we did manage to catch some small fish so we kept trying for flounder. I thought I had finally got one but when I pulled it out of the water it turned out to be a lobster. That was new for me and the lobster was returned to the sea.

 

My Flounder Catch

 

 Look What Tory Caught

 

 

 

Izzy always likes to go fishing with us and apparently when Steve cleans fish she enjoys that too. Well at least she supervises the process!

Supervisor Izzy

 

We headed off the island Monday, July 28^th to stop in Truro Nova Scotia is home to a tidal bore. So next time you hear from us we’ll be able to show you all about it, eh!