Farewell To Nova Scotia

[BrianWilliams]

What an adventure!

5,000 km of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and a corner of New Brunswick in 18 days.

There were a few ferry rides on the way. Far too few - we did cross to PEI on Northumberland Ferries' aging MV Holiday Island, and cabled on NS's ferries at Le Have, Englishtown and Little Narrows.

Of the 600+ pics, so few are ready. I'll share a couple of PEI ferry photos here, then post a general travelogue in the Non-Ferry topic. See ya there.

MV Confederation waits at Caribou, NS. Our boat?



Nope. They're painting ship and waiting for July. We drew shabby little MV Holiday Island:



Easterners will pardon my disappointment. Holiday Island is a shabby tub. She swallowed 10 lanes of waiting vehicles (mostly gravel trucks) on her double decks, then waddled slowly across Northumberland Strait.

Topside accomodations were a dingy cafeteria, half a deck of picnic tables, and half an upper deck of plastic benches.

No access forward or aft on either deck. What the heck, there's nothing to see but flat NS fading behind, and flat PEI looming ahead.



I will cheer up later, I promise, 'cause we did have a great tour ... but ferry fans, don't leave BC. MV Holiday Island's chief on-board attraction was a fat chili dog dressed with kraut and mustard ("Do you have hot mustard?" -Nope, just regular. Do you want ketchup?-)

Dimly lit and shabby, the dining room was brightened only by flashing video slot machines. I tried a 2 buck bet and won. Wow, I'll keep my $ 0.05 printed coupon as a souvenir.

[blackshadow]

The Hoilday Island looks as great as days when I worked in the engine room on her. One time you were not allow to be on the deck with the funnel. This seating area was created for viewing the bridge being built back in the day when she Marine Atlantic vessel. You have remember she was built for shorter run of 35-45 minuties and the idea was you seat and eat. Got to get as much money from passenger as you can. Sad to think she is the only vessel still in operation after bridge was built. Her sister isn't well and think she is being scraped this year. Her other two ship mates are long gone to scrape. You think Holiday Island was old you should been on that ran before Holiday Island join that route. There were 60+ years olds running. The Holiday Island created 3 times the amount vehieles to be carried on that route and she sent 4 others vessels to grave back in the summer of 1997.

[BrianWilliams]

Yes, I saw a large model of the 1915 car/rail ferry in Halifax's Maritime Museum. She sailed until the 1970's, I believe.

MV Confederation does operate on the Wood Islands route with Holiday Island, but I don't think she starts until July.

I shouldn't be so critical of the PEI ferries. Before the bridge, running a 12-month service across Northumberland Strait was no joke. The 1915 ferry (and Holiday Island, too I suppose) were capable icebreakers.

Still, it makes ya appreciate BC Ferries' floating palaces.

PS: we detoured to now-lonely Cape Tormentine, NB. There's an RV park where the ferry terminal used to be; the large RR station is a museum, not open until July, too bad; and a large, cheery 1950's diner was our stop for breakfast.

The cafe walls were decorated with a mural of Cape Tormentine in busier days. I asked if this had once been a big gas station/truck stop. Yes, the owner told me - they once had six islands of fuel pumps and parking for dozens of rigs.

Interesting breakfast. The extensive menu included fried bologna, so we had this unique treat to start the day. Latte-sippin' Vancouverites won't often see that.

[Low Light Mike]

brianwilliams said:

Interesting breakfast. The extensive menu included fried bologna, so we had this unique treat to start the day. Latte-sippin' Vancouverites won't often see that.

Did you give some to Virginia & Bo ?

[BrianWilliams]

Smaller ferries in NS:

An example of unexpected Maritime courtesy - we rambled along shoreside roads from Liverpool north, with a deliberate detour to LaHave, in order to ride the cable ferry below Bridgewater.

We rolled down to the ferry ramp, just as the boat had left. They were a few dozen yards out. The ferry stopped, reversed, and came back for us. Wow, don't expect that in BC.

It's a very short ride, but cuts off a long detour if you're heading for Lunenburg.



LaHave II's control cabin and builders' plate - it says "Hull 10; Built By Sydney Engineering And Drydock Company Ltd; 1969"



Signs at the ramp (with another tourist ferry-fan taking a pic as we rolled in):



NS inland ferries are not free. Five bucks a ride, but all routes have road alternatives. I have a bunch of souvenir receipts, most from Cape Breton, like beautiful Little Narrows:



Caolas Silis is a standard-pattern NS cable ferry, but she's distinguished by her lovely Gaelic name, and the narrow Bras d'Or channel she crosses.



The Englishtown ferry is another treat. From the southeast side of the Cabot Trail, the ferry saves a winding drive around St Ann's Bay. A pleasant drive in spring, but maybe deadly in bad weather.

We went back and forth several times. We had the same one-man crew each time. He collected fares, loaded the few cars and powered the boat. On our first trip, he took my five bucks, then buddied with our Bo, who was hanging out the car window.

Bo grinned and got his pets. Virginia glowered from inside and barked at him. Next trip, and the next, Bo and the guy snuggled. The ferry guy remembered Virginia's name and tried to be pals - but she refused to lighten up.

The ferry is named Angus McAskill, for the famous Nova Scotian who is buried in the cemetery right across the road from the dock.



The monument reads: "In Loving Memory of Angus McAskill, the Nova Scotia Giant; who died at his home in St Ann's August 6 1863, aged 38 years. Height 7 ft 9 inches; Girth 80 inches; Weight 425 lbs."

[BrianWilliams]

Yes, Fluge ...

An advantage of travelling with dogs is that we always have plastic bags in our pockets. Without offending our New Brunswick hostess, we were able to slip most of the bologna off our plates.

Bo and Virginia had bologna snacks for days in Halifax.

[BrianWilliams]

Halifax ferries:



The ferries are quick and sturdy. A quote from Halifax Metro Transit: "HRM's Metro Transit system has the distinction of being one of only two public transit systems in the country to operate passenger ferries. The other is located in Vancouver, British Columbia. "

The stubby Halifax boats seem less-capacious than SeaBus, but they claim 395 pax vs our 400. A certain Halifax advantage is their open upper deck, something that is long, long overdue on SeaBus - where it would be enjoyed all year.



Thomas Too idles at the wharf while Woodside I motors in from Dartmouth:



The Halifax ferries are surprisingly powerful, raising a plume of white water as they cross the harbour.

[brian williams]

In Cape Breton - where did the small ferries go?

Some survive, but bridges replaced most of them. The Seal Island Bridge, built 1961, has an uncanny resemblance to our 1937 Patullo Bridge:



It is the Trans Canada Highway link to Sydney and the Newfoundland ferries.