An old friend of mine came up for a visit from Ottawa last week, which ended up being a great excuse to explore our beautiful province. For once I didn't have a whole lot to do that week, so we set about on some mini adventures.
Sunday
My friend met me at the Halifax Seaport Farmer's Market, where I sell my wares every weekend. It was a hot, humid day, so we grabbed the dog and headed for my favourite swimming hole. Here in Nova Scotia the best swim spots require a bit of a hike through the woods to get there, and this was no exception. I was eager to jump off the rocks into the water, which was cool and so refreshing.
Monday
We climbed aboard the water taxi for McNabs Island. McNabs is a large island at the mouth of the Halifax Harbour, which was used to defend the Port or Halifax through the various wars. It is now a Provincial Park, but still houses remnants of old buildings, forts, and working lighthouse.
We decided we wanted to make the trek out to the lighthouse, which ended up involving a thigh-deep wade across a stream, followed by a clamour over piles of smooth round beach rocks, and navigating around a blown-over pier.
We continued along the beach until we came across some old bunkers, and followed the edge of the cliffs until we found Fort McNab. Even though we were there almost three hours, we only managed to see a small portion of the island, so I'll definitlely have to go back soon!
Tuesday
The next day we headed down Digby Neck to do some whale watching. We were hoping to catch a glimpse of a humpback, having been told there were two large females spotted a few days ago, but we were out of luck in that respect. We did see a few little minke whales, some porpoises, and some seals, but apparently the humpbacks are more plentiful in September. Maybe next time!
Wednesday
The day after that I actually needed to get some work done, so I headed to the studio to do some printing, while my friend toured around Mahone Bay and Lunenburg, with instructions to check out Dots & Loops, the Makery, and The Biscuit Eater. When I was almost done my work, I got a call from the Boyfriend that we were invited for an evening sail on the harbour! There wasn't much wind, but we wound around George's Island and a huge US aircraft carrier that was anchored nearby, then down Northwest Arm and back. It was chilly on the water but so nice to see the city from a different perspective.
Thursday
We headed out to the Valley for a hike of Cape Split. It's a 6.5km hike (one way) out to a cliff overlooking Minas Basin and the Bay of Fundy. It's scary high, and stunning! We were super brave and went out on a little rocky finger that offered the best views, while trying really really hard not to look down...
Friday
My friend had to start the long drive back to Ottawa, and I had to return to reality! Back to the studio I went, to make some new items:
