#10: Learning to Kayak. Check!

Remember my To Do List for 2011?  Number 10 on that list was learning to kayak. Well, late June I stumbled on the perfect opportunity - join a paddling club!

 As it turns out HRM has a number of Canoe Clubs. I signed up for the "Masters" program at Sackawa on First Lake in Lower Sackville. All "Masters" means is "adult". It by no means implies any level of competency. In fact, most of us were newbies, and spent the first evening just trying to staying afloat in the kayak, let alone actually paddle anywhere.

But confidence and experience, and maybe even a little skill, comes with practice. Sure enough, by the second evening I could get in the kayak without flipping it, and by the third evening was paddling across the (narrow part of the) lake without too much trouble.  And by the end of summer, I felt pretty chuffed with the praise I received from my instructor and for my ability to not tip, even in choppy waters (and in a leaky boat, too, I might add!).

 

These kayaks are a little different - they're racing kayaks, which are a bit more tippy than recreational kayaks. And they have rudders (which took some getting used to). One week we did have the numbers (12-14) to try the war canoe, but holy cow it was hard! It was all I could do to keep myself balanced, let alone paddle. And all kinds of muscles were killing me afterwards (for days!). Since I'm a novice in the kayak, I figured I would focus on that this summer and maybe try the war canoe (if there's enough people) or solo canoe next year.

 

Kudos to R. for mastering the solo canoe in just 3 evenings!  

McNab's Island Adventure

Another weekend. Another island. Another lighthouse.

There is no doubt that Halifax is a military town. Almost everywhere you look there is some kind of fortifcation, either historic or modern. And they're fun to explore! What strikes me the most is that, aside from the Citadel where you have to pay admission to go in and look around, most of the others are open to the public and free (York Redoubt, Fort McNab, and the batteries at Point Pleasant Park). Sadly, and perhaps because they're free, a lot of these fortifications are getting very little attention or upkeep and are at risk of crumbling away. 

Departing Eastern Passage

Well, last weekend, I finally got to McNab's Island. It's not that difficult, really, but you do need to plan ahead a little (Tip #1). As it happened, we really didn't. We called the McNabs Island Ferry about 45 mins before we arrived - fortunately "Captain Red Beard" was pretty accommodating and took us over without any complaint about the last-minute notice.

Captain Red Beard bringing us back

I have to confess, I was a little surprised at the "Ferry". I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't a speed boat. Also, this was the first time I'd been in a speed boat (that I can remember) and the ride was a bit...uh...thrilling. (ie. I was holding on for dear life.)

Captain Red Beard is pretty experienced with taking tourists over to McNabs. He rattled off safety rules, tidbits of history of the Island, and the best route to take, all without taking a breath. If you're not listening closely you could easily miss a lot.   

Tip #2: Get yourself a Map of the Island. Fortunately Captain Red Beard had one to spare and marked out points and a route for us. As we only had less than 2 hours, we decided to keep the route relatively simple (but still managed a couple diversions).

Tip #3: Give yourself a good day to explore. McNab's is a surprisingly big island, and there's a lot of nooks and crannies to explore. We had less than 2 hours, which basically got us a quick look around Fort McNab, then down the Garrison Rd. to the Tea House and back. There's a lot more to see, for sure!



 Tip #4: Don't wait until the last minute to download geocaches. Sigh. For some reason, 10 minutes before I had to leave, I wasn't able to download the half a dozen geocaches on the Island. Next time I shall be more prepared! 

Tip #5: Take binoculars. You never know what you're going to see. Like this pair of deer. Coincidentally, we spotted these deer not a minute after we were wondering aloud if there were deer on the island. Clearly, there are! Also, there's probably some good birdwatching on McNabs.

So, I think it was decided that McNab's Island would make for a lovely fall daytrip, and the plan is to visit again soon, with more time to explore (and geocaches loaded!).
 
And last, but not least.....Look! A Lighthouse! :)


 

Sambro Island Adventure

Did you know that the Sambro Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North and South America? Well, it is. It's been operating since 1758 and has a fascinating history, which you can read for yourself.  Once a year, the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society opens up the island for public tours and this year I finally managed to go! 

 












It takes about 30 minutes by fishing boat to get to Sambro Island, and there's no wharf when you dock so you're basically jumping from boat to the rocks.

 

Dan Conlin from the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic showed us around the island, pointing out the buildings (the Gas House, the Lightkeepers' dwellings, or what's left of them, and of course the Lighthouse), explaining their purpose and a little bit about their architecture and history. 
He also told us about the resident ghost, "Double Alex", guI'll let you look up that story on your own.

I took a lot of pictures and can't help but to share a few more. So, here they are!

 

As you can see, the Gas House (above, right and below) is precariously perched on the rocks. Sadly, this building is falling apart and is at risk of total demise if the Canadian Coast Guard, which owns and maintains the island, doesn't soon do something about it.

Good-bye Sambro! Until next time!

Summer Playlist

I thought I'd share some of the music that has turned into my 2011 Summer Playlist with you. I've actually been listening to some of these songs for quite a while, but finally compiled them onto a CD to listen to on my drives hither and tither this summer.

Jenn Grant - Dreamer 
Buck65 + Jenn Grant - Paper Airplanes
Jill Barber - Oh My My
David Myles -  When It Comes My Turn
Said the Whale - Goodnight Moon
Wailin' Jennys - One Voice and Devil's Paintbrush Road
Royal Wood - A Good Enough Day and Juliet
Be Good Tanyas - Littlest Birds
Elliot Brood - Write It All Down For You
Coco Love Alcorn - Compassion and Revolution

I'm also still listening to good ol' Alexi Murdoch and The Weepies on a fairly regular rotation.

What are you listening to this summer?