Me in the Maritimes

Viewpoint and Realtor

yimvmd — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:36:47 +0200

These sites, viewpoint.ca and realtor.ca show most of the properties. Viewpoint has an advantage where it comes to the info provided, especially financial, with the history. But they are both rather interesting.

yimvmd: Playing here next Summer? Cabot Links in Cape Breton...

yimvmd — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:55:13 +0200

yimvmd:

Playing here next Summer? Cabot Links in Cape Breton Nova Scotia.

Coastal Winds Realty

yimvmd — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:39:15 +0200

Coastal Winds Realty:

At Coastal Winds Realty we specialize in buying and selling homes in Nova Scotia. We provide consistently high service to our clients. Please check our Real Estate listings to find your new home or that perfect piece of land on which to build. As the Province has many lakes and a vast coastline, the Nova Scotia Real Estate market has many waterfront homes for sale. Waterfront homes can be lakefront or oceanfront properties.

Tradewinds Realty

yimvmd — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:37:00 +0200

Tradewinds Realty:

Tradewinds Realty represents a wide selection of waterfront, oceanfront and ocean-view real estate as well as residential, business and land properties from all over Nova Scotia.

We have offices in Halifax, Chester, Lunenburg, Annapolis Royal in the Annapolis Valley and Bridgewater.

Tradewinds services the entire province of Nova Scotia Including the Annapolis Valley, Digby Shore, Yarmouth, Shelburne, the South Shore, St. Margaret’s Bay, Halifax (HRM), Eastern Shore, Northumberland Shore and Cape Breton.

Claussen Walters

yimvmd — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:36:25 +0200

Claussen Walters:

Nova Scotia Real Estate is world renowned for its natural beauty. At Claussen Walters we enjoy finding wonderful properties to tell you about. Whether it is one of our waterfront coastal properties, a luxury estate, oceanfront acreage, character village home, or rustic cottage, we would be delighted to show them to you.

Our offices are located on Nova Scotia’s South Shore in the World Heritage Town of Lunenburg and the Towns of Bridgewater and Shelburne. Our friendly and knowledgeable real estate agents are pleased to share their love of Nova Scotia and would like to find a piece of Nova Scotia heaven for you and your family. Secluded beach front, a sailing paradise for your yacht, rural farm, or a forested retreat on a lake… the magic that is Nova Scotia awaits!

Duckworth Real Estate

yimvmd — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:33:44 +0200

Duckworth Real Estate:

Duckworth Real Estate was officially opened in 1999 to meet the growing need for professional real estate representation on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.We specialize in oceanfront and oceanview homes and vacant land for a wide range of clients. Our client base is approximately 50% Canadian and 50% international including the United States, England, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

The offices of Duckworth Real Estate are located in a restored English Barn (circa 1750) in the old seaside village of Kingsburg, once home to both Acadian and German farmers and fishers. The barn is a work in progress and an interesting piece of old Lunenburg architecture.

The village of Kingsburg is situated at the end of the Kingsburg Peninsula, an amphitheatre of headlands, beautiful long open beaches, rolling glacial drumlins and backshore freshwater lakes. We are less than 20 minutes from Old Town Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and just off Route 332, the Lighthouse Route.

Mariners Reach (New Brunswick Canada)

yimvmd — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 11:31:00 +0200

Mariners Reach (New Brunswick Canada):

There are a number of beautiful lots available for purchase. Mature woodlands provide beauty and privacy in a pristine, natural environment. The deep water port nearby is undergoing a multi-million dollar upgrade and provides for mooring, launching and docking of sailboats or yachts of any size. The sunrises over the water are spectacular. Lobster, cod, mussels, kelp, periwinkles, mackerel and scallops are freshly harvested nearby.

A video of Mariners Reach which I visited in the Summer of 2010.

yimvmd — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:02:00 +0200

A video of Mariners Reach which I visited in the Summer of 2010.

Epilogue

yimvmd — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0200

Actually it have been 2 holidays, one to Iceland and one in Canada.

I think Iceland is an extremely interesting country to visit due to its nature, and I could (maybe I should) have stayed more days to explore even more wonderful things. I had luck with the weather, the 3 days were although sometimes a bit cold perfect for doing the excursions.

What did I like most?

almost everything.

What did I dislike most?

not a lot, but the hotel was a bit far from the center, so had to walk a lot.

Which activity was best?

the day-trip to the south, the glaciers and volcanos.

Best overall day?

the above.

Overall score?

8,5 out of 10. That is very good, but I have seen even better places with an even nicer mix, like Alaska and New-Zealand.

And what about my second Holiday to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick?

What did I like most?

almost everything, but especially also the extremely friendly people. I have had only very pleasant meetings. Together with all the other stuff makes it great places to be.

What did I dislike most?

nothing really, although one evening in the Rossmount Inn was rather noisy, yes I am whining … :-)

Which activity was best?

I would say Cape Breton, but also the visits with the real estate brokers. Although they were “commercial” of course, they were all extremely helpful and not trying to sell anything

Best overall day?

Cape Breton National Park, with the bear and the many dolphins, but also the scenery in the park itself.

Overall score?

9 out of 10. Not 10 out of 10? That will be reserved for the hopefully once in a lifetime experience at Antarctica.

Next Holiday?

high on the list …. British Columbia (Canada), South-Africa, Norway (the north part), Australia, but it could also be the Netherlands, as traveling, the way I do it at least, is expensive :-(.

Day 15: Part 2

yimvmd — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:56:00 +0200

I am back in Amsterdam. yesterday morning started with a nice visit with John to the Lunenburg market. I bought some souvenirs, a handmade tray to serve bread or cheese, perfectly made by below guy:

After John left I went to Chester, see earlier message from yesterday.

And as written yesterday, after Chester I had some hours to spent and I did by visiting Peggy’s Cove with the Peggys Point Lighthouse. It was rather misty, so the lighthouse itself is a bit in the mist, but still a nice view.

About Peggys Cove and Peggys Point Lighthouse

Peggys Cove (2009 population: approx. 46), also known as Peggy’s Cove from 1961 to 1976, is a small rural community located on the eastern shore of St. Margarets Bay in Nova Scotia’s Halifax Regional Municipality.

Peggys Cove is 43 kilometres southwest of downtown Halifax and comprises one of the numerous small fishing communities located around the perimeter of the Chebucto Peninsula. The community is named after the cove of the same name, a name also shared with Peggys Point, immediately to the east of the cove. The village marks the eastern point of St. Margaret’s Bay.

The first recorded name of the cove was Eastern Point Harbour or Peggs Harbour in 1766. The village may have been named after the wife of an early settler or taken its name from St. Margaret’s Bay as it marks the eastern beginning of the Bay and Peggy is a nickname for Margaret. Two versions of the popular legend claim that the name came from the sole survivor of a shipwreck at Halibut Rock near the cove. Artist and resident William deGarthe said she was a young woman while others claim she was a little girl too young to remember her name and the family who adopted her called her Peggy.[1] In both versions, the young shipwreck survivor married a resident of the cove and became known as “Peggy of the Cove” attracting visitors from around the bay who eventually named the village, Peggy’s Cove, after her nickname.

Peggys Point Lighthouse

Peggys Cove is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Nova Scotia and is a prime attraction on the Lighthouse Trail scenic drive. The community’s famous lighthouse marks the eastern entrance of St. Margarets Bay and is officially known as the Peggys Point Lighthouse.

Peggys Cove has a classic red-and-white lighthouse still operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. The light station is situated on an extensive granite outcrop at Peggys Point, immediately south of the village and its cove. This lighthouse is one of the most-photographed structures in Atlantic Canada[citation needed] and one of the most recognizable lighthouses in the world.

Visitors may explore the granite outcrop on Peggys Point around the lighthouse; despite numerous signs warning of unpredictable surf (including one on a bronze plaque on the lighthouse itself), several incautious visitors each year are swept off the rocks by waves, sometimes drowning.

The first lighthouse at Peggys Cove was built in 1868 and was a wooden house with a beacon on the roof. At sundown the keeper lit a kerosene oil lamp magnified by a catoptric reflector (a silver-plated mirror) creating the red beacon light marking the eastern entrance to St. Margarets Bay. That lighthouse was replaced by the current structure, an octagonal lighthouse which was built in 1914. It is made of reinforced concrete but retains the eight-sided shape of earlier generations of wooden light towers. It stands almost 15 metres (50 ft) high. The old wooden lighthouse became the keeper’s dwelling and remained near to the current lighthouse until it was damaged by Hurricane Edna in 1954 and was removed. The lighthouse was automated in 1958. Since then, the red light was changed to white light, then to a green light in the late 1970s. Finally to conform to world standards the light was changed to red in 2007.

The lighthouse used to contain a small Canada Post office in the lower level during the summer months serving as the village post office where visitors could send postcards and letters. Each piece of mail received a special cancellation mark in the shape of the lighthouse. However Canada Post closed the lighthouse post office in November 2009 citing mold growth as a safety hazard.

To the Halifax International airport, fast flight to Reykjavik, 3 hours doing nothing and ending with bumpy flight to Amsterdam, but made it again :-).

Day 15: Aspotogan Peninsula (last day)

yimvmd — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:55:00 +0200

Ok, last day, flying back this evening at 22.00 and had one last housing stop and that is in Chester. Made an appointment with Pat Parker, real estate broker at Tradewinds Realty with several offices in Nova Scotia. I have been in Chester before, also love this place, more expensive or on the “posh” side compared to the south and New Brunswick. But the Aspotogan Peninsula seems to have all you want. Rocky lots, great houses, 2 interesting towns near by, Chester and Hubbards (even Halifax is within reach). Actually having lunch now in Hubbards and using the free Wifi.

We drove along the complete coast of the peninsula and Pat showed me some interesting houses and lots. I learned a lot.

The first lots we visited were a bit out of Blandford, and although interesting also many mosquitos, as there is not a lot of wind. This is an issue as written before in many parts of Nova Scotia, especially inland near the lakes. But also here, where there is an inlet and less wind.

There is also a cottage for sale, and it is actually the design of the cottage I love, but it should be somewhere else. “Cheap” house though.

After the tour we went on to see the most amazing house you can imagine …. It is actually more like an empty shell which should be completed from the inside, but this is what it all about. The house is in a bay, lot’s of wind, great scenery, but of course rather expensive :-(.

During my holiday I have seen some amazing things, lot’s of animals, great scenery, met many very nice and interesting people and it gave me the perfect input for a renewed visit in the future. I love Canada, and I love Nova Scotia. The way of live, the relaxed atmosphere, the pace, golf courses all over, the perfect seafood and the ocean always at hand, what more do you want?

Will travel now from here to Halifax and most probably will visit Peggy’s Cove and East and West Dover, and that is it …

Have to go back to business on Monday, but will be back soon ….

Thanks, Bob, John, Shelley, John, Ann, Norma, Pat, Frank, Gloria, and all others I met during the walks or the tours. I have many new places to visit, as I was invited often :-). Of course you are also very welcome in Amsterdam.

Day 14: Properties

yimvmd — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200

This morning we went to see some properties John has listed, from relatively cheap to rather expensive, although compared to Dutch prices still cheap for what you get. BTW just renting here could be also a very good option, as it is much cheaper and there is no hassle.

We started with the most beautiful but also most expensive one. It is very misty today so you can not see the view, but it is a such a nice and high cliff it is perfect.

After this one we visited some smaller and cheaper houses which are actually very nice, but one is totally hidden in the woods, lovely but it will be lonely with 500 meters driveway :-).

The one in LaHave is a real treat I would say, perfect Cape Cod house, with a very nice old barn attached, which could be converted to a guest house, if you would need any :-).

The evening ended again very pleasant, as I was invited again for dinner, Indonesian Sate and rice, perfect to close the day.

Day 13: My breakfast view

yimvmd — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 06:00:00 +0200

In the garden ….

Day 12: Sightseeing

yimvmd — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200

This day I did some sightseeing around Kingsburg. I started at John’s office to do some mailing and send the daily entry and met some people again (who were all using John’s wifi at his office from their cars :-) ), one of them invited me to visit their home in the afternoon.

First stop was Lunenburg, although already passing Feltzen South. Lunenburg is an Unesco Heritage town with many shops, restaurants and a nice golf link.

It was a perfect day, although almost too hot, it went from 21 to 32 Degrees, depending on how close you were to the sea.

After Lunenburg I drove to Bluerocks, a very old original small fishing town which is mostly inhabited by artist and other creative people, very scenic place.

Had a short stop in Mahone Bay to have some lunch and drove south to LaHave and LaHave Islands to visit the small Maritime Museum.

To get to the Island you need to pass a dam, which due to it’s position now has a nice beach, Crescent Beach.

After some shopping went back to the house and went to John’s office to do some mailing, but instead was invited to have a glass of wine again and it resulted in staying for dinner. It was a very evening with lot’s to talk about. Great ending of the day.

Day 11: Kingsburg

yimvmd — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Today some traveling to do. After the perfect breakfast I am leaving the Rossmount Inn to go to Saint John to get me the ferry to Digby in Nova Scotia. I ordered the ticket over the Internet, so it is always nice it worked out. The ride is a smooth one (no whales seen though) and after some 3 hours I am in Nova Scotia again. Just of the boat I have a call with my nephew of 9 who is using his first phone, nice.

Leaving Saint John

Arriving in Nova Scotia

It takes me almost 2,5 hours to get to Kingsburg, my last stay. Getting there, especially following the La Have River from Bridgeport is extremely nice. There are so many nice houses and many with boats on front, great scenic drive. It takes me some puzzling to get to Kingsburg, as I do not have a very good map and just a few Km before I get there the name is listed. But what a view when I arrive …. breathtaking.

I can already see my house for the next few days, the one on the left.

John (owner of the house and the real estate broker) and Ann welcome me with again some nice white wine and grapes and after some chatting invite me for a visit to Hirtle Beach. Actually there John suggest to walk back along the beaches, I think 45 minutes walk. Great views, great houses, lovely beaches and best of all, only few people making use of them.

As my car was still at the beach we go back but John shows me many houses (many of the famous architect Brian MacKay-Lyons) and views. Finally :-) at 20.30 after a great welcome and introduction to Kingsburg I arrive at my house, the Beach House and what a house it is.

The morning sun (at 05.00) is giving some perfect opportunities for nice pictures.

Will do some touring today in the region, like Lunenburg, La Have, Chester, Mahone and Bridgewater.

Day 10: Part 2

yimvmd — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0200

After I left Mariner’s Reach I went to Deer Island to go to Campobello Island. Just before getting on the boat I became part of a procession of old cars, with several T-Fords, an Overland and a Bugatti.

At Deer Island I realized it would be rather late to get 3 other ferry rides, so after some touring I decided to go back to the mainland to check Saint Andrews one more time, great town, perfect dark local beer. Bought me some St. Andrews T-shirts and afterwards went back to the Rosemount Inn for dinner.

I passed St. George:

and one of the views in St. Andrews:

Last night I had some issues with very loud (American?) people on the corridor, so I was a bit annoyed but today with the dinner everything was forgotten. Great food, great service, great waitresses (and for Dolf no I do not have pictures :-), and yes they were better looking, but also serving much better then the one in Cape Breton). Actually the 3 of them could easily fit in the one from the day before at Hopewell Rocks.

The food was sooooooo good, I seldom had such good fish, the Haddock from Bay of Fundy. After the dinner I met the cooks and they said, yes that is the signature dish, well glad I took that one.

Actually the desert was also very good, several sorts of cheese, including a Blue Cheese, from the north of New Brunswick and to top it off with an Ice wine from Jost Winery from Nova Scotia. Needless to say these 2 days are not cheap, but this is what Holiday is all about, relaxing, scenery, nature, nice people and perfect food.

Tomorrow back to Nova Scotia, but I will miss New Brunswick already, great ride!

Day 9: Hopewell Rocks

yimvmd — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:00:00 +0200

This morning after a crappy breakfast I went to Hopewell Rocks, just a few minutes drive from the motel. Weather is not good, very grey and rain. Not the best for this walking excursion.

What are the Hopewell Rocks?

The Hopewell Rocks, also called the Flowerpot Rocks or simply The Rocks, are rock formations caused by tidal erosion in The Hopewell Rocks Ocean Tidal Exploration Site in New Brunswick.

They are located on the shores of the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy at Hopewell Cape near Moncton, New Brunswick. Due to the extreme tidal range of the Bay of Fundy, the base of the formations are covered in water twice a day. However, it is possible to view the formations from ground level at low tide.

The formations consist of dark sedimentary conglomerate and sandstone rock. The large volume of water flowing in to and out of the Bay of Fundy modifies the landscape surrounding it. After the retreat of the glaciers in the region following the last ice age, surface water filtering through cracks in the cliff has eroded and separated the formations from the rest of the cliff face. Meanwhile, advancing and retreating tides and the associated waves have eroded the base of the rocks at a faster rate than the tops, resulting in their unusual shapes.

The vast sediment planes in the basin in Fundy support a variety of biological productivity. Various shorebirds are often seen flocking to nest and feed in the area. Visitors are advised to stay for a full tidal cycle to get a full appreciation of the tides and formations. Although the tides vary from day to day, the high tide can be as high as 16 metres (52 ft) giving The Hopewell Rocks one of the highest average tides in the world “The World’s Highest Tides”.

Actually when I went down as it was low tide, the weather became a bit better (although still far from good) and due to the fast retreat of the water it took not long that I was able to walk under and along the rocks. Great sight, although bit grey due to the weather.

On a good sunny day it can even look like this (taken from pictures at the museum), here you see also the tide difference:

After the rocks (also met some Dutch, actually the first in Canada) I went down south towards Saint Andrews. I followed the Fundy Coastal route and passed the Fundy National Park, where I did some hiking, actually climbing stairs down to and up from the water.

Leaving the Fundy National Park I called John and Shelley, owners of and sellers of lots at Mariner’s Reach. The weather during the ride was getting worse and worse, with thunder and lightning all over. I found their house (due to good directions from Shelley) very easily and was welcomed very warmly in their just finished house on top of the cliffs. Got a tour through the house and we had a long and nice talk, also about the available lots. Due to the weather we decided I will come back tomorrow, it was just too bad. But great start and a very nice couple.

From there it took me almost half an hour to get to the very beautiful Rossmount Inn, I have staid in worse places :-), but that is an understatement, it is great.

it is also fully booked, that is also nice for a change, as many motels, hotels, B&B are still rather empty.

I ended by having a lobster dinner in Saint Andrews, very nice town with many restaurants.

Tomorrow back to Mariner’s Reach and possibly to Campobello Island.

Day 10: Mariner's Reach

yimvmd — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Mariner’s Reach … WOW … that is the only word to describe the properties. Yesterday it was extremely bad weather, today still not great, but at least you can see the property and the beautiful views. It is still a bit misty, so we can only see a few Km’s out, but that is already enough to experience what it would be like with perfect weather.

Again I am welcomed by John and Shelley, and it already feels like I know them a long time. As written they are the owners of this huge property (120 acres), with several big lots available. And they are really big, from 10 to 15 acres (that is 4 to 6 Hectares). We first took the 4 wheel drive to get to the last lot and from there to the first, but you only start experiencing it when you are walking the lots itself. We started at lot one, with by far the longest oceanfront, almost 1.500 feet, or close to 500 meters! The lot has it all, a beach, wetland with many species of animals, many birds and to add a very nice cliff.

From there we walked to their own lot, with a very nice private beach and great scenic views again.

As there are no paths yet, it is also a good exercise, and it is getting warmer, so there are some bugs, but not alarmingly many yet.

As we get to lots 7 and 8 it gets even more spectacular, here you can see the huge drop from the cliffs as lower tide is approaching, scary but beautiful.

And yes I was there :-).

We ended the exercise by returning to the driveway, a long 750 feet (250 meters) tough walk through the very wet woods. At the house, as the shoes and socks were soaking wet, barefoot having a perfect smoked salmon and a glass of white wine. What a visit, what a property, definitively worth coming back.

Thanks John and Shelly for the wonderful hospitality, was great to hear “would be great to have you as our neighbor”.

Day 8: Louisbourg Fortress

yimvmd — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Today some History for the Canadians, as I visited the Louisbourg Fortress (no it is not a fort, as there was a settlement/village inside the walls)

The Fortress of Louisbourg (in French, Forteresse de Louisbourg) is a national historic site and the location of a partial reconstruction of an 18th century French fortress at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, a reminder of imperial battles for what would become Canada.

The original fortress, constructed mainly between 1720 and 1740, was one of the most extensive (and expensive) European fortifications constructed in North America. It was supported by two smaller garrisons on Île Royale located at present-day St. Peter’s and Englishtown. Fortress Louisbourg suffered key weaknesses, since its design was directed solely toward sea-based assaults, leaving the land-facing defenses relatively weak. Captured by British colonists in 1745, it was a major bargaining chip in the negotiations leading to the 1748 treaty ending the War of the Austrian Succession, and was returned to French control. It was captured again in 1758 by British forces in the Seven Years’ War, after which it was systematically destroyed by British engineers.

The fortress and town were partially reconstructed in the 1960s, using some of the original stonework and providing jobs for unemployed coal miners in the effort. The site is now operated by Parks Canada as a living history museum.

After the interesting visit, I had to drive a long way out to New Brunswick. Actually I drove for around 6 hours and found a motel near the Hopewell Rocks, will tell you all about it tomorrow.

Day 7: A Bear and dozens of whales.

yimvmd — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0200

Actually I do not need to write as pictures will do the talking for me, but it was such an incredible day I need to put something to it.

I left Cheticamp after a good not so healthy breakfast, but was great food and also very nice coffee, the waitress didn’t do any damage either :-).

Entrance to the park was just a few Km away and I got me some info from the info station. The important part “take a stick to use when you come across bear or moose”. Ok, I am not in the Netherlands, I get it :-).

Great scenery driving up.

I stopped at one of the main attractions and that is the Skyline walk, it goes directly to a viewing platform near the sea, an hour walk though. I caught up with 2 Americans, two psychologists from Atlanta, Frank and Gloria, very nice couple.

During the walk it got very misty, but at the viewing point we said we should wait 10-15 minutes and …. completely clear …. and what was even better, sighting of a black bear.

We hoped for some moose on the way back, regretfully none.

They asked me to join for a whale watching tour in Pleasant Bay, and although I had some doubts as I already did one at Iceland I went to the port. I was not able to join them on their Zodiac, but went on the other and what a day it was, check for yourself.

From Pleasant Bay I went east to end up in Louisbourg. I have never seen such great scenery during a ride before.