Cape Breton Island

July 16 – 26, 2018

To get to our next stop we had to backtrack across the Confederation Bridge to Port Elgin before turning south toward Truro. From there, we headed east to the Canso Causeway, crossing the swing bridge onto Cape Breton Island at Port Hastings and continuing northeast to Baddeck.

Just the Facts

Cape Breton Island is separated from the rest of Nova Scotia and the Canadian mainland by the two mile wide Strait of Canso. The 130 foot wide Canso Causeway allows two way vehicle traffic and a single railway track to reach the island from the Nova Scotia peninsula. A 308 foot swing bridge allows traffic to cross the Canso Canal.

The island is 110 miles long, hilly and forested. Five different cultures are found on Cape Breton Island: Scottish, English, Acadian, Irish and Mi’kmaq. English is the primary language, while Mi’kmaq, Scottish Gaelic and Acadian French are still spoken in some communities.

Baddeck Cabot Trail Campground

For our Cape Breton segment, we chose the Baddeck Cabot Trail Campground just off the Trans-Canada Highway 105. Although the amenities were nice, the transient sites were cramped. Our site was an end pull-thru that was long enough for the camper but too small to accommodate the truck or allow us to extend the awnings. Needless to say we didn’t even try to set up an outdoor living space.

Why stay in Baddeck?

Baddeck is a picturesque, vibrant little village right in the heart of Cape Breton Island. It is set on the shores of the great inland sea known as the Bras d’Or Lakes and is widely known as ‘the beginning and end’ of the famous Cabot Trail.

We spent our first day exploring this small town, checking out the quaint shops and talking with fellow explorers, some of whom were on a day-long excursion from their cruise ship docked in Sydney.

As we approached the wharf area, we were surprised to see the Bluenose II docked there. Below is a brief history of the Bluenose and Bluenose II.

The original Bluenose was launched as a Grand Banks fishing and racing schooner on 26 March 1921 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. It was designed by William Roué and built by the Smith and Rhuland Shipyard.

Bluenose Captain Angus Walters and the builders who crafted the sleek vessel had something to prove. Their sights were set on the International Fishermen’s Race. For a working fishing schooner, speed was a tremendous asset. Those who made it to port first fetched the best price for their catch. The Fishermen’s Race was no token competition for privileged yachts. It was a real race for the hard-working vessels of fishermen who made their living on the sea. Nova Scotia’s pride and shipbuilding reputation sailed with Bluenose.

From the moment Bluenose took to the sea, it was evident she was a vessel unlike any other. When she took home her first Fishermen’s Trophy in October of 1921, the legend began. During the next 17 years, no challenger — American or Canadian — could wrest the trophy from Bluenose. She earned the title “Queen of the North Atlantic” and was well on her way to becoming a Canadian icon.

Bluenose came to symbolize Nova Scotia’s prominence in the fishing and shipbuilding industries. She represented Canada around the world. In 1933, Bluenose appeared at the Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago, and sailed to England’s Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935.

Bluenose struck a reef off Isle aux Vache, Haiti on 28 January 1946. Despite the loss, the legacy and admiration for the once mighty schooner lived on in the hearts and minds of Canadians — especially Nova Scotians.

In 1963, Bluenose II was launched. It was built by many of the same people who had worked on the original vessel at the same shipyard in Lunenburg. The project was financed by Oland Brewery to advertise their products, while also promoting Nova Scotia’s maritime heritage and tourism. William Roué, the designer of the original Bluenose, endorsed the vessel. Captain Walters sailed on the maiden voyage.

Bluenose II was gifted to the Government of Nova Scotia in 1971. It continues to serve as Nova Scotia’s sailing ambassador — an enduring symbol of the province — living history under sail. — Bluenose II

As the Bluenose II was open for public viewing we took the opportunity to walk around the upper deck before enjoying lunch at the nearby Freight Shed Waterside Bistro and Market.

After lunch we drove out of town to explore the Gaelic College.

Colaisde na Gàidhlig is first and foremost an educational non-profit institution, offering year-round programming in the culture, music, language, crafts, customs, and traditions of the immigrants from the Highlands of Scotland. Currently, students are able to choose to study from over ten traditional arts, including Cape Breton fiddle, piano, guitar, step-dancing, and piping, highland dancing, weaving, and of course Gaelic language.  — gaelliccollege.edu

Baddeck and Alexander Graham Bell

The next day dawned rainy and dreary so we deemed it a good day to stay inside. We started at the local indoor farmers market where Bill found some handmade sausage and I located some cinnamon buns. From there we headed to the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site.

Everyone knows that Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, lived and taught in Boston, Massachusetts, patented the telephone, and married one of his deaf students, Mabel Hubbard. While visiting the historic site, we soon discovered a great number of things that we didn’t know about the man.

First, why was there a museum about Alexander Graham Bell here in Baddeck?

In September 1885 the Bell family vacationed in Nova Scotia, Canada, and immediately fell in love with the climate and landscape. The following year, Bell bought 50 acres of land near the village of Baddeck on Cape Breton Island and began constructing an estate he called Beinn Bhreagh, Scots Gaelic for “Beautiful Mountain.” The Scottish-born inventor had been an American citizen since 1882, but the Canadian estate became the family’s summer retreat and later permanent home. — brittanica.com

We were also unaware of his interest in flight and motion during his later years.

He started out experimenting with kites in the 1890s and even had a special building on his Beinn Bhreagh estate, to work on these projects. After a lot of experimentation, Bell created an innovative kite design based on tetrahedrons. In 1907, he formed the Aerial Experiment Association with Glenn Curtiss, Thomas Selfridge, Casey Baldwin and J.A.D. McCurdy. The association developed flying machines, the most famous of which was the Silver Dart. On February 23, 1909, the Silver Dart became the first plane to make a powered flight in Canada. Bell later worked on hydrofoils with Casey Baldwin. One of their designs, known as HD-4, set a speed record in 1919. Their accomplishment stayed on the record books until the 1960s. — biography.com

In 1922 at the age of 75, Bell died at Beinn Bhreagh.

The museum at the historic site houses the largest collection of Bell’s artifacts and inventions. One of the tour options is the White Glove Tour (which we took) that provides a behind-the-scenes look at some of Bell’s ideas and inventions.

Boularderie Island

One day we decided to explore Boularderie Island. The drive took us up and over Kelly’s Mountain with views of St. Ann’s Bay and Seal Island Bridge. It then crossed Seal Island Bridge (the “green span”) depositing us on Boularderie Island near the Boularderie Lighthouse.

We followed Kempt Head Road to the Ross Ferry Marine Park where we took some time to stretch our legs.

While on the island we took a boat trip (which we had previously arranged) with Bird Island Boat Tours on the Puffin Express. One of the seasonal campers at the campground had recommended this trip and they were spot on. The boat took us out to the Bird Islands where we saw puffins, eagles, and more.

The Bird Islands are located in northeastern Cape Breton Island, approximately 4 km off Cape Dauphin. They consist of two long, narrow islands that are oriented in a northeast/southwest straight line. Hertford Island, located closest to shore, is approximately 1.1 km long and about 120 m wide. Ciboux Island, which is located directly northeast of Hertford Island, is slightly larger, being approximately 1.6 km long and about 120 m wide. Steep twenty-metre high cliffs, with numerous holes and ledges, ring the perimeters of both islands. The vegetation consists of stunted shrubs along with areas of grass and other forbs. These grassy tops were formerly grazed by herds of sheep. Numerous reefs and rock clusters are located between the two islands.

The Bird Islands support the largest colony of Great Cormorants in North America. In addition to Great Cormorants, several other seabirds nest on the cliffs. On the Bird Islands are the largest concentration of Black-legged Kittiwakes, Razorbills and Atlantic Puffins within Nova Scotia. — Bird Islands

Heron

Cormorant

Puffin

Eagle

Seal

But what about the Cabot Trail?

Don’t worry, our adventures on the Cabot Trail are described in the next post.