"Hello there!, I'll be your tour guide on a boating adventure, a day of exploration, in the summertime.
This is a harbour seal, I think. I refer to them as the Cute seals, the Grey Seal is much larger & also called a horsehead seal, because, THEY UGLY! 😂
You don't have to be in a boat to see these. I can walk to most shorelines and see them.
@iuculano Thank you. I intend to do many more but the 6 months at my rural home was 18 hour work days. Now it's 18 hours online LOL and I don't take my home desktop with me, just a phone (we have no cellular service, it's a music player and audiobook device in summer) and a Chromebook with no storage space. I don't CLOUD stuff unless you know exactly where you put it, and what protection is in place. We've all seen naked photos out there because of a breach or lack of knowledge. I'm A+ PC geek
@CStamp Down the road, off Moosehead beach, is a tiny rock ledge called Seal Rocks, I think, the seals fight and kill the other seals' young and their is screaming all night. People who live half a kilometer away, say it disturbs them in so many ways, during the mating and birthing season.
I think (not sure) it's the larger bullying grey attacking harbour seals.
Mostly we need to go to the outer harbour to see the horsehead Grey Seals. But, they come up to the shore in deeper spots.
@Rasta The first time I knowingly came across grey seals was in a dense fog on Brier Island. I didn't know what was making the sound, it sounded so ghostly & eerie. I could imagine their song was part of some ghost stories. The fog probably helped as it mutes sound. When the ocean breeze moved enough fog out of the way for us to see what was making the sound, we saw the seals.
We did not see/hear any seal fights, though there were also harbour seals around, so I can't compare that sound.
@CStamp People go to Brier Island for whale watching but if you have a good eye, you can see them along the Digby neck anywhere, Did you go to the Balancing Rock? We hadn't been there before, so on one of our CIRCLE THE PROVINCE IN AN OLD RV trips, we hiked it. Immediately when we reached the observation deck, there were people there, and not one person noticed a whale. I did, I have ADHD. I see everything that moves or shines. I pointed WHALE, and by the time everyone got lined up it was gone.
@Rasta Oh, Brier Island is so much more. There is rare plant life, including orchids and the very rare eastern mountain avens. They are restoring the bog to bring back more native flora & fauna species. There is the geology (including amazing basalt column beaches), 3 lighthouses, picturesque fishing village, history, birds (including pelagic species & rare birds that get knocked off course during storms), the seals, it's a wonderful place to spend time.
@CStamp We didn't take our RV to Brier Island because there was no place to camp or park it. But we looked at the trails and very much of the neck is similar in many respects, fauna, rock formation, we stayed in Whale Cove and went all around the area, but had no where at that time to put the RV so we passed on staying there.
@Rasta I once was the person on the ferry to Brier Island to notice the humpbacks swimming in the channel -- they usually aren't found there. The ferry slowed, folk admired... 🙂
And watching that rip between Peters and Brier Island when the tide turns is amazing. We'd watch seabirds launch themselves into the water for the fun ride. 🙂
@capla Haha! When I am finished posting, you'll see groups of much bigger seals on our return trip. It takes time to locate, and describe #AltText each photo, so this could take awhile to complete. I'm having coffee and something to eat at the same time, Multi-tasking
It's not without risk. We are two seniors, alone, in an isolated rural community. The likelihood we would see another boat is rare.
On the way out, we saw one guy go by. You have to know the area, there are rocks, ledges, places to run aground. A larger boat could not go where we go. That's part of the advantage we have. We only need 2 feet of water to pass over rocks or obstacles. Unmarked, of course.
I sometimes worry, that someone might take our stuff, cut our boat free & leave us stranded.
I checked to see if there was any cellular signals out there, in case we got into trouble.
Leaving the boat here, seemed like the easiest place to get back off the shore, when the tide drops. We will be here all day, the boat will be high & dry; the rock ledges will be visible on low tide, we can't leave the same route on a different tide.
All of #NovaScotia has amazing shorelines, some sandy, some with fascinating rock deposits.
As we move from the north end of the island, we cross an area called THE TURNIP PATCH, probably named for the turnip size boulders that have piled up in a big heap, on a narrow stretch between the end, and the main island portion.
Storms wash up debris, #FlotsamAndJetsam & driftwood
We discovered something else...
Heaps of Marine mammal bones!
On the seaward side, the waves on most days, come crashing ashore, but we'd find heaps of bones in between.
Seals are known to fight, and perhaps that's what caused deaths, or they come here to die?
I set a few bones on a rock to get a photo.
There's some pretty interesting stuff, on beaches, such as the blanket of irish moss and kelp at the water's edge.
If you follow my Island stories, you'll know that I clean beaches, and bring in debris for proper disposal.
You can see the Turnip patch wood and debris from Satellite
I really wanted this Navigational Buoy. They don't recapture them, they put up new ones, when storms tear them free. I knew where a RED and GREEN one were, on different beaches.
Port And Starboard gate-posts of a Sailor's Driveway, MINE!
We had barely made the main part of the island, before it got sunny (and warm) and I spotted that same boat we saw leaving the harbour, heading home. Easier to see the man now that it is sunny.
We haven't seen him, but that HUGE deer is nearby. I can tell by the fresh scat (deer poop)
He's probably watching us carefully and stepping behind a tree to hide from us, as we pass by. I looked really hard. Never saw him.
My wife could not get up a steep grade, so I stopped to take photos and let her stumble on ahead to catch up to her in a few minutes.
From my high point, I can see out to sea, other islands in the distance, and looking back to the left, you can see The Turnip Patch that we left earlier. It seems like forever, we're into about 3 hours now. It's a big island.
A seal follows us like a puppy dog, as we walk near it on the shoreline .
There were people living here once. I've been in contact with relatives of early settlers, asking me if I saw graves of their Great GrandFather on the island. Most likely, grown over and hidden.
We did discover a modern day camp. We gave it a wide berth. We don't want to be suspects in break-ins or vandalism. Most isolated camps have plenty of trail cams capturing wildlife and intruders.
First settlers were the BAPTISTE families, hence the name of the island. On the mainland, they also owned land, far back from the shore. We also went there, to check for signs of graves, of the relatives who contacted me and asked. We're good that way, I'll do the legwork to help them find their genealogical roots. I do my own genealogy.
Explaining why this field exists, there were likely grazing animals once. Cows or sheep.
It's mid-afternoon, and we're just reaching the woods. This island fools you. You think you can walk it in a short while but it's an all day adventure.
We've reached a summit, and the view is excellent, trees so dense you need to turn back several times to find an alternative route.
I don't know about you, but these views take my breath away. You can go see Peggys Cove if you like, this is what I like to see. No tourists, nobody knows it but us.
(and 100 fishermen LOL)
Did you ever walk a shoreline so rugged? It's hard for an able body hiker, I had to pull my wife over some of these rocks, there was no way for her to reach or balance her cane.
The next page ( #thread ) will show more of the walking surface we navigated
If you haven't already discovered?
I promote #NovaScotia wherever I go. You'll never see it all, you might as well just move here? Most of Ontario Canada has already done so, it seems. There's a dozen people I personally met, that did, in these small rural villages along the #EasternShore of #Halifax
Anyone living on the shoreline, probably has a boat of some type, livelihood in these parts comes from the sea. It's not farmland.
We stopped here for a bite to eat. Whenever we're going boating, the timeframe is unpredictable. Carry water, food, and a small emergency shelter kit. It's easy to get stranded alone. #NovaScotia When Are You Coming To Visit? #WAYCTV ◄ follow that hashtag. It's for baiting #tourists .
Our seal took off when we were inland, now we have sea birds to watch as we eat lunch.
Then, back into woods.
Tried to run, Tried to hide...😎
BREAK ON THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE ♪
Oh look, another small cove with a bit of a beach. The tide has dropped considerably. It's going to be hard to get the boat back in the water when we find it again.
Wouldn't you love to be here?
All by yourself, only seabirds and surf, no people, no pressure, at your own pace, EXPLORE! #WAYCTV ?
We have to clear a path, trees and obstacles ,and that green buoy I want. It's frustrating that I have to leave them here, there's no way to get them home. I've been trying to get two for 5 years. I know where 2 green ones washed up, but someone (or the sea) took my red one.
Back on the opposite side of the Field there was a big piece of driftwood. I wanted it. I had to bring back a smaller one instead 😢
My wife testing the water temp.
She wants to swim.
LOOK AT THIS? #LOOK
On one island, there could be a dozen visitors, you'd never see each other, and never have to share a beach. The Turnip Patch is ahead. We've almost returned. ALMOST. Another hour? Maybe.
I'm sure we left the boat over there somewhere? I don't want to try to get home in the dark, we don't even have any lights.
It appears to be much further yet
I can see the mainland. The bridge is at Harrigan Cove
That can't be the same seal, ours was cuter. Looks like a big Grey Seal, they look like a 'U' shape when they lay on rocks. I can't see the rock, but he obviously knew one was there, to lay in the sun.
Probably would lay on our island if he wasn't aware we were already here.
I didn't take a photo of the boat when I got back, but it was high and dry, and my wife dropped plastic pipe, and I pushed it towards the water to launch. And we went to check seals out
We're heading home. Swells are coming up, water is getting choppy, we're in a canoe..
No time to dilly-dally, but there's so many seals!
♪ if I could talk to the animals
~ Rasta Doolittle
I did a lot this day,
not just a little 😉
Almost on the mainland. I can almost see my vehicle. I left a note on the window:
2 seniors
DEPART - 9am
RETURN - 5pm (latest)
DESTINATION: Baptiste Island
BOAT: square back 16 ft Canoe
@JeanEvergreen We worry about US too. Each of our adventures are a challenge for younger able-bodied folks.
Here's my wife, disabled, and unable to do many things, and I'm getting crippled up a bit too, as I age, and we've done amazing things. I try to tell a story a week, of something interesting. I started this story for someone who doesn't go out, and can travel vicariously through my experiences. Also, I want to tempt you to join us? LOL
@Rasta Well, maybe from afar. Just got an ebike that I'm almost finished assembling after not riding any bike for like, 30 years? My biggest challenge is to just get this thing moving and not fall off. Not quite ready for the wilds of Nova Scotia.
Although come to think of it, we have our own wilds: https://www.treehugger.com/big-sur-californias-wildest-coastline-4868848
@JeanEvergreen Wow, that's nice. I've never been to Cali, and it will probably burn up before we can see it. I made it to the Left Coast, but only VIctoria to Seattle area.
@JeanEvergreen Probably unknown to you, but we had major forest fires in Nova Scotia this year. Over a hundred homes were lost near us, and we were 1 mile from the evacuation zone and prepared to move. We're feeling Climate Change really fast.
@JeanEvergreen We had them the month after the horrible wildfires. A local mall, just a kilometer from my house, was near destroyed, completely submerged. Recently on the news, they say it's not fixed yet, some business were lost completely, roads washed out, infrastructure damaged, erosion and more. My gardens had moats between the rows. Planted a rock garden and three of them drown LOL
It rained hard like this, every second day for a month. Root rotted, trees didn't grow, no sun. Sample rain
@JeanEvergreen I'm frightened about next year! I have an orchard that didn't bear any fruit this year, the first time since they started producing. The second time also that late frost killed blossom and no fruit came.
And the USA got all our Wildfire smoke. Don't blame Canadians, blame the F150 drivers who have empty shiny big 4x4s and eat up the fossil fuels.
@CStamp When you coming again? We had a lady from Connecticut come here and was going to take a taxi from Halifax to Mahone Bay and we had about an hour to see her before she left. I asked, why not let us drive you, save the cab fare, and it won't be the 103 highway, it will be the number three, scenic route, stops at Peggys, Swiss Air, Dover, Chester, Mahone Bay, stopped everywhere for photo ops and more. WE enjoyed it too, and I love showing people around. They can't count on NS tourism
@Rasta I am hoping next summer. We'll see. Before covid, we went every summer and I am in withdrawal. No place like the Maritimes and Nova Scotia is always special in my heart.
@CStamp During the first of Covid I wouldn't go to my summer home, fearful I might be a carrier to a community of less than 200, average age is about 65-70 now. New neighbour was astonished in the summer. He saw kids. I explained that was a divorced family and the kids spent a few weeks with one parent at a time. WE ripped down the school there's not enough kids.
So, dangerous for anyone to get COVID. But, little did I know, they were a superspreader location. They don't all share good facts
Hello, @Rasta
I thoroughly enjoyed your adventure story from start to finish! Even though you couldn't take home the green buoy you spotted, thank you so much for sharing your abundant memories with us 🤗 (1/2)
@Rasta
Walking on a beach where you only encounter seals must be wonderful, but I can also understand the sense of fear. It's a scene of despair where no help would come even if you shout, a truly breathtaking view.
If I could become a seal for a day, I would love to venture into such a sea. Applause for you remarkable adventurers 👏(2/2)
@capla As the winter forces me inside like you, you'll see many more exciting adventures. But it takes time, and I can't sit still when work needs doing, i waste huge amounts of time online in winter. But I also enjoy stories from places I have never been and likely won't be ever.
I can see more of the Grand Canyon by a travel blogger with a Drone camera, than I could see in person! Now Google Earth goes underwater too. This is better than traveling there, if you are limited by health or money
@Rasta You probably know, but another way to tell the difference between the seals is that harbour seals in profile have a dip between their forehead and nose whereas grey seals have straight profiles. Awesome that you have both kinds there. 🙂
@CStamp Harbour seals lay in my backyard in winter (in my rural home), I'm not there but a friend, a local lady who takes great photos, took one of a lump of ice (Bergs push all the way to my gardens) and a fluffy harbour seal on top.
IN the summer, we watch seals go up to the river, and otters come out to the harbour, it's the best of both, without leaving the yard.
Sometimes I go watch them from the beach.
In the boat, they come splash me, but it's hard steering and taking photos in a boat
@Lstn2urmama We couldn't have known? If you went to the grand canyon, and had never been there before, how much time would you put on the alarm? We didn't know it would take 8 hours to walk it, and it was rough in places. But a fantastic visit, we went back again, because I wanted those buoys, and they were gone!
@Rasta knowing yourself and how long it would take to get back to boat should tell you how long ... and then set your limits...sorry about your bouys...
@Lstn2urmama I also have to go at my wife's pace. We didn't know I would have to pull her over rocks or help her down cliffs to get back to the area that was passible. But we had all day, we were just tired.
@Lstn2urmama There's no people, or any traffic to make paths, it grows at it's own rate, and yes, they do grow a certain way, to protect themselves but not by density but by type and height. Our tamarack trees are small and our spruce often lean away from the windward side. A lot of the wild islands, less visited, are even thicker. Ship Island, has cliffs all around, no shoreline but the interior is thing small trees that fall out if you touch one, clinging to rock. But no openings to walk in
@capla Oh but I have a special folder on my storage hard drive called ADVENTURES, that have all these places in Nova Scotia saved, with searchable names and dates, to find them to post anywhere again. I can only do that in winter, I don't have this PC available in my summer home, so there's lots of catching up over winter
Private graves exist everywhere in Nova Scotia @capla Even organized church ones get forgotten. The church is gone. Two cemeteries exist for one church, the oldest, overgrown and unmaintained, everyone that cared for it, are buried now too. To preserve the records, I capture them in photos and GPS locations. I've entered online the plotted maps of found or lost cemeteries. One I was investigating is on private land. I know it's there, I've seen pictures, but massive trees grow on graves,
@capla The stones, if any, are impossible to find. He (the land owner) is building private house and cottage lots, for big money in sales. Some people would feel ODD buying a cottage sitting on a grave. And some would be furious to think this happens. When he found out I was trying to capture them for historical posterity reasons , he put up a gate on the road, NO TRESPASSING signs and forbid me to search further. Those graves are lost forever now
@CherylA This is just one day, i our summers. Last summer was short. Too much rain every other day, but normally, we're in the boat at least twice a week fishing, and stop on familiar islands. We research long and take precautions before venturing out into the unknown ones.
But we love it. You should see our inland hikes on the mainland sometimes? WE continue this on the shore, because the family BAPTISTE that lived here, had land inland, where they might be buried. We're helping families look
@Lstn2urmama When you says IT'S BEAUTIFUL, I can't answer. I have no idea what you are replying to. the top of the thread comes up, and 40 pages later, I find the bottom, and YUP, or NOPE or something that doesn't mention what you are referencing . On a PC, this is what I see when I click to see what you are replying to, I have to assume you find the seal cute?
@TywyllSeren There's no other way to show you this. LOL even if they look like raisins, bunny poop isn't LOL These aren't grapes either LOL
I don't do that Scout trick, where you mush it up in your hand and smell it and say sagely " deer went this way, about 2 hours ago, still fresh " #LOL
I'm gradually reading through your adventures on the summer island.😊
I can picture you being dependable, carrying a large canoe for your wife.
I am reading with excitement as I feel your awe and adventurous spirit towards nature.One moment, the shore is covered with large rolling rocks, the next it's a carpet of seaweed, and I feel as though I'm picking up the washed-up pieces of wood and animal bones right there with you.(1/2)
@capla Good evening. I probably was, but as I follow more people, I get more replies. I was overwhelmed by private messages too, and I am just getting up the list to yours now, at 9am. I started at 5am! I hope you had an excellent day?
Hello, @Rasta 👋😃
I'm so glad I did indeed reply to you early.
I devoted my day to immersing myself in your summer adventure story. It's been such a peculiar experience - I feel a pleasant fatigue, as though I've journeyed far and returned.
I do believe I'll sleep exceptionally well after this enriching journey through your words. Thank you ever so much!
@capla OH, I see. Good morning, We have snow already, it's coming down, too dark for a good photo, but if you want to see it, I'll go get you a short video RIGHT NOW, do you want to see snow? If you like snow, I'll ship all mine over to you, I don't want it LOL
@capla I will reuse everything interesting that I find, when I label or name my photos from 2023, which takes all winter, I will find some trophy photos I took of the things we brought back and kept. A big piece of driftwood for my lawn ornament, some large (too big for my boat) steel rings and concrete bits. The rest is sorted (plastic for recycling) garbage properly disposed of on the mainland
@antje Nova Scotia, outside what the tourist bureau tells you about, is all like this. WE have no interest in the tourist destinations, that's all artificially promoted. This is the real beauty of Nova Scotia, Nature, wide open spaces, 100 wild islands, forest and animals and exciting things to discover.
I can pick you up at the airport, when are you coming to visit? #WAYCTV
@antje Well, I don't like to drive in the winter, and conditions are not ideal to show off our gorgeous province. But, in the summer, you'd never want to go back. Pack enough for a month. Don't forget your bathing suit and sunscreen 😎
@antje I'm sure you have places where you live that are tempting, but I like it here.
That's why I retired in Nova Scotia and not Ontario.
And since inflated housing, most of our new residents are from Ontario. They love it here
@Rasta yes, there are beautiful stretches around where I live. Afore mentioned colleague spoke highly of Nova Scotia. She originates from that lovely place.
@antje We had old RV... We circled Nova Scotia 3 times, in it, taking every side road along the coast, finding new places and adventures along the way. When we're home, we stay closer and hike, or boat and explore that way.
There's not a day, that you can't find something amazing. But, you'd have to leave the city. Many residents of the City of #Halifax, have never seen the end of the Municipality but they've seen Cuba? I guess they don't like it here?
@antje You read the stuff I show, it's more than many people see, who live here.
I started doing village by village along the Eastern shore after reading a bad review online. From Sherbrooke Village to Sheet Harbour they said was the most boring to see, because, they motored on through. Everything I posted today, was in that BORING part. You need to be looking or have a guide. I'll be that guide, in person, or vicariously. I firmly believe, if #TourismNS were a radio they would take Payola.
@Rasta that’s a pity, I mean the bad review. The photos I saw from Nova Scotia weee breathtaking. Thank you for being my tour guide. I might come back to that, but it will be still some time. Talk tomorrow? I’m still on the mend. Take care!
@antje OH, don't take all this at once. Surf the Hashtags at your leisure and ask questions anytime. Or ask about other places you've heard about in Nova Scotia, I probably have photos there too, I've tried not to miss anything except targeted tourism. The Pier21 port, falsely portrays a province that has lobster for breakfast, and moved local vendors out of site who sold donairs or other foods that weren't what the tourist were baited with, thinking it's lobster. I haven't had one in 20 years
@antje I missed this, sorry. Other conversations push replies down and in busy periods, I go back and find a message or two that wasn't seen. I use a PC, and a reply doesn't show what it is replying to, unless you scroll to the bottom of 100 replies. Often I start a new on-topic conversation so I don't lose the conversation. On my phone, it shows what each person was replying to, on a PC, it shows the whole thread, that may have started days ago, in another subject.
@Rasta I just use my phone. That’s worked fine with me so far. I d oh nt think I have as many conversations ongoing as you do. Just nice to hear from you.
@antje And you too! 😀
But people on phones have no idea what my PC screen looks like. I posted a Story blog yesterday, and after conversations about the posts, people wandered off into other subjects. A friend replies, Same here, or YUP, that's right, what about this? etc, and I have to scroll 30-50 posts down to find out what the hell the reply is about, there is no Quote feature or pinned link to the above. Click and it starts at the top of all the posts. They's change behavior if they knew
@mikako6@capla
The Harbour seal is very cute. They look like a Labrador Retriever dog, and when I owned a Black Lab dog, I thought he fell through the ice one winter, and I risked my life to save him, and just as I got to the hole in the ice, it went under. It wasn't my dog, it was a harbour seal ! And because we make no noise, they come right up to our boat, very curious and playful. But they eat so many fish, and spread worms in the codfish.
Harbour #Seal appears to be bobbing to my music
@mikako6 When I thought my dog was drowning, I put my arm through the hole in the ice and tried to catch his collar. It's a wonder the seal didn't bite me! The dog thought I was crazy trying to rescue a seal, and came out to sit behind me and watch on the ice LOL I had a long board to displace my weight and keep me from going through the ice and becoming a victim @capla
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