FanningSparks – Page 23 – A DIY and lifestyle blog authored by Peg Frizzell.

6 Fascinating Facts about Sable Island

Visiting wild and remote Sable Island was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! This small island, located off the coast of Nova Scotia Canada, is simply fascinating. I recently had the rare opportunity to visit Sable Island and would like to share this interesting adventure in a two-part blog post. In today’s post, I’ll set the stage with 6 fascinating facts about Sable Island. Sable’s wildlife, including its beloved wild horses, will be the focus of my next blog post (UPDATE: see Wild and Free on Sable Island).
1. Sable Island is the Smile of the Atlantic Sable Island is a long, thin crescent shape—approximately 42 km (26 miles) long and 1.3 km (.8 miles) across at its widest point. When viewed from above it’s obvious how it earned the nickname The Smile of the Atlantic.

2. Sable Island is Isolated and Remote Sable Island can be found 161 km (100 miles) offshore from Canso, Nova Scotia. It is located to the southeast, near the edge of the Continental Shelf, close to one of the world’s richest fishing grounds. Sable is also near a major shipping route between North America and Europe.

Sable Island is only accessible by air charter or private vessel anchored offshore. Both methods of transportation require ideal conditions to operate. The weather on Sable Island is often less than ideal resulting in frequent delays and cancellations. They’re so common, in fact, that the standard practice is to automatically reserve the day following a scheduled travel date as the alternate date. Our recent trip was a case in point.
We were scheduled to fly to Sable Island on a small, fixed wing aircraft on a Saturday. Sunday was our backup travel day. Due to the impacts of Hurricane Fiona there was some question about a safe runway area for landing on the Island’s beach. Thus, our tour company, Kattuk Expeditions, made backup plans to fly by helicopter. Conditions were assessed on Friday and the decision was made late in the day to travel on Saturday by helicopter. The flight, which took about 1.5 hours, was smooth and easy.

One of the challenges in travelling to Sable Island is dense fog. Sable is surrounded by three major ocean currents including the Gulf Stream, the Labrador Current and the Belle Isle Current. In the summer months the warm air of the Gulf Stream hits the cool air of the Labrador Current resulting in heavy fog. July is the foggiest month with an average of 22 days of fog.
Fog was visible over the lakes as we flew over Nova Scotia but the skies were clear over Sable Island.

We were fortunate to have beautiful weather for our trip—clear skies, lovely sunshine, warm temperature and very little wind. There was a great view of Sable Island as we approached.

We were able to get our first glimpse of Sable’s extensive seal population…

… and its famous wild horses.

3. Access to Sable Island is Carefully Managed The impact of visitors on the Sable Island National Park Reserve is carefully managed by Parks Canada. Visitors are only allowed during 5 months of the year—from the beginning of June to the end of October. All visitors (or their tour company) must submit a Visitor Request Form to Visit Sable Island in advance of their trip. Parks Canada reviews visitor requests and trip dates on a first-come, first-served basis. Only a limited number of visitors are permitted each day. There is a long waitlist of people who wish to travel to Sable Island.
These measures are in place to protect Sable Island’s frail ecology. This was a major concern when Sable Island was first established as a national park reserve in 2013. At the time, according to a 2014 CBC news article, conservationists voiced concerns that “we could love Sable Island to death…[with] too many visitors trampling over the island”.

All visitors to Sable Island participate in an orientation to familiarize them with Sable and to educate them on safe and sustainable practices. Guidance is provided on watching where you step, keeping the wildlife wild and respecting research projects. It’s important, for instance, to stay off the steep dune slopes and not to disturb the vegetation which is holding the dunes together.

Visitors are instructed to “follow existing horse paths as much as possible” or to walk on “the hard-packed sand of the beaches [which] is the easiest and best place to travel.” Shown below are horse footprints and, yes, horse dung in the sand.

Parks Canada has also put biosecurity measures “in place to protect Sable Island and reduce the risk of introduction of any organic material including plants, seeds, soil and diseases.” This means clothing and footwear must be inspected and cleaned of obvious seeds or insects (e.g. burdock, insects, spiders, ticks); all footwear must be disinfected; and equipment or footwear exposed to horses off the Island is not permitted.
4. Sable Island is a Shifting Sandbar The name, Sable Island, comes from the French “île de Sable” which literally means “island of sand”. Sable’s landscape is dominated by shifting sand dunes surrounded by expansive, white sand beaches. This photo was taken along Sable’s North Beach.

The below photo, showing the West Light communication tower in the distance, was taken along Sable’s South Beach.

“Surrounded by the waters of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, the Island is exposed to winds, storms, waves and swell coming from every direction.” reports the Sable Island Institute website. The sands are constantly shifting.

The patterns of windswept sands are surprisingly beautiful.

Storms, such as Hurricane Fiona which recently struck the area with some of the highest winds on record, cause noticeable changes. Jason Surette, Operations Manager at Sable Island National Parks Reserve, shared this update after Fiona, “The Island’s infrastructure has sustained some external damage, like lost siding and some roofing damage. Clean-up and urgent repairs began when it was safe to be outside. The infrastructure did not sustain major damage, but the scale is large.” As the first group to visit Sable Island after Hurricane Fiona, we heard the update from Jason directly and saw evidence of the infrastructure damage.

We also witnessed some unusual impacts on the natural elements of the Island. For instance, hundreds of Atlantic Surf Clams (Spisula solidissima) were thrown onto the beach providing the local gulls with an all-you-can-eat buffet. These clams are amazingly large—reaching up to 20 cm (7.9 in) or more in length. Here’s how the empty shells looked on South Beach.

Sadly, we also saw a dead pilot whale which had washed on shore.

5. Sable Island was The Graveyard of the Atlantic There was a time when a storm as fierce as Hurricane Fiona would have resulted in multiple shipwrecks on Sable Island. I learned about these shipwrecks from an excellent exhibit at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Sable Island is called out as a Shipwreck Hotspot for especially high concentrations of shipwrecks. Between 1583 and 1947, over 350 shipwrecks were reported on Sable Island, earning it the title The Graveyard of the Atlantic. This 1938 map from the Nova Scotia Archives Map Collection shows known wrecks since 1800 (see the More Info section below for a link to the original zoomable image).

The museum’s exhibit goes on to answer the question “Why so Many Wrecks?” explaining that “hundreds of vessels sailed past each year” as they traveled the Transatlantic shipping route or headed to the rich fishing grounds. When these sailing vessels encountered the dense fog, tricky ocean currents and frequent storms that were typical of Sable Island, they often ended up on the sandy shoals that surrounded the island. “Storms were extremely treacherous for sailing ships. Vessels were simply blown onto Sable.”
The wrecks were usually crushed or buried by sand and very little evidence is visible today. We did, however, see the remains of a wooden pole and metal ring which are believed to be from the mast of a wrecked ship.

“Public concern about the fate of shipwreck victims on Sable Island led to the first lifesaving station in 1801. This ‘Humane Establishment’ was active on the island until 1958. Many shipwreck victims owed their lives to the skill and courage of the lifesaving crew. … They were remarkably successful at saving lives.”
Thankfully, “After World War II, radar and other advanced navigational equipment became widely used on commercial vessels. Sable ceased to be a major threat to shipping. … The Humane Establishment ended in 1958, after 11 years without a shipwreck.”
6. Scientific Research is Conducted on Sable Island Ironically, many of the factors that earned Sable Island it’s title as the Graveyard of the Atlantic (i.e. its isolation, unique location and weather/climate challenges) have led to Sable Island’s current role in scientific research. It started with weather research in the 1960s and expanded to a range of ecological and wildlife studies.
As noted on the Sable Island Institute website, “Sable Island [is] a key site for exploring questions of global importance. Here, scientists study weather patterns and currents that spread pollution along the Eastern Seaboard, track migrant birds waylaid by storms, and observe thriving communities of isolated plants and animals.”
Visitors to Sable may see evidence of these research projects. For instance, we saw temporary fences that are part of the Fences in the Sand study. As explained by Parks Canada, “This exclosure study by Parks Canada and the Sable Island Institute will help us better understand the role of horses on the ecosystems of Sable Island National Park Reserve.
Temporary fences will create exclosures to keep horses from walking through or grazing in nine small areas on the island. Scientists will measure and compare a number of key ecological attributes inside the exclosures and outside in control sites (similar areas but without fences). The goal of the study is to understand direct and/or indirect influences of horses on 1. dune processes, 2. ecological integrity of freshwater ponds…, [and] 3. rare species and their habitats.”

There are about 500 wild horses on Sable Island. These beloved animals are one of Sable Island’s main attractions. We saw several of these beautiful creatures during our visit. I’ll share photos of Sable Island’s wildlife in my next post (UPDATE: see Wild and Free on Sable Island). In the meantime, here’s a sneak preview.

More Info

Our trip to Sable Island was organized by, Kattuk Expeditions, a Parks Canada licensed tour company. As stated on their website, “Kattuk Expeditions is a happy group of outdoor professionals who take pride and joy in showing others the best in nature Eastern Canada has to offer.” See the Kattuk Expeditions website or Facebook page for more information. Special thanks to Fred and Devon for an incredible adventure.
The Sable Island National Park Reserve is managed by Parks Canada. See their website for more information.
As noted on their website, “by working in collaboration with respected organizations that share our values, Parks Canada is able to better deliver its promise to Canadians by continuing to be a world leader in the protection and presentation of Canada’s natural and cultural heritage.” The Sable Island Institute is one of these collaborative partners.
“The Sable Island Institute, a registered not-for-profit, is a multidisciplinary organization that will conduct and support Sable Island programs ranging from biodiversity surveys to public outreach initiatives. … The partnership will focus on the development and implementation of a beach monitoring program on Sable Island National Park Reserve, outreach education initiatives on the mainland, and enhanced visitor experience opportunities in the park.” See the Sable Island Institute website for more information.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) News article, Sable Island: An Uncertain Future as a National Park mentioned in this blog post, can be found here.
The 1938 map, Sable Island Graveyard of the Atlantic Known Wrecks since 1800 AD included in this blog post, can be found in the Nova Scotia Archives Map Collection here. Note this image is zoomable for a closer look.
More information about The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic can be found on their website. Information about Sable Island – Shipwrecks and Lifesaving can also be found there.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Sable Island, located off the coast of Nova Scotia Canada, is wild and remote.
2. “Sable Island National Park Reserve is a place to be awed by the power of nature.” Parks Canada
3. Sable Island is “a key site for exploring questions of global importance“. Sable Island Institute

Make Nature Other Media Photos Plants

Painting with Wildflowers

Spending time on the beautiful walking and hiking trails in the Canadian Maritimes has given me lots of time to dream up new creative projects. The profusion of wildflowers along these pathways is a primary source of inspiration. Only days after Hurricane Fiona tore through this region, the sun was shining and the natural world was fresh and alive. Even the delicate-looking wildflowers perked up and continued their autumn show.
Check out the vibrant yellow-orange of this goldenrod.

Here’s a pretty assortment of purple, pink and white wildflowers including a lupine, red clover, knapweed and asters.

Some of the trees and shrubs are starting to show their autumn colors. This one, which I believe is sumac, was particularly striking.

All this color got me wondering: could foraged flowers and leaves be used to “paint” pictures? The answer, it seems, is yes!
Here’s an example with foraged flowers and leaves serving as the paint dollops coming out of paint tubes.

In this next example, the composition depicts a small paint roller applying purple asters and yellow goldenrod onto a white background.

Taking the paint roller idea a little further, I tried a larger, standard-size paint roller. Four different botanical elements—purple asters, yellow goldenrod, orange sumac and green pine needles—are used to represent painted colors. I tried a few different viewpoints to capture the shot.

It’s always fun to add interest to a photo composition with a unique photo prop. This little project provided the perfect excuse to drop into a local vintage and antique shop in search of a few special objects. There were lots of interesting items available.

I spotted the perfect photo prop for this project at the end of my circuit around the shop—this vintage, round, wood-handled wire brush!

Here’s the vintage wire brush with some white aster blooms forming a simple paint stroke.

The composition became more interesting with the addition of some violet and purple lupine petals.

Building out the composition with more flowers and leaves turned the simple paint stroke into a cheerful, rainbow of colors.

Next, I tried a composition simulating a paint brush creating a long, swoop of color. The harmony of these colors and the lines of this swoop are quite pleasing to the eye.

Then, as suggested by my mother-in-law (Thank you for playing along, Bert!), we sprinkled in a few botanical remnants to add interest and drama.

For my final composition, a few botanical bits were mixed together and used to create a spray of pretty colors, textures and shapes!

This will not be my last project painting pictures with foraged flowers and leaves—I’m already dreaming up ideas for the next one!

More Info

Please pin this image to share or save for future reference.

Check out the previous blog post, 79,000 Steps and a Whole Lot of Apple Seeds, for a peek into my experience walking The Island Walk on Prince Edward Island, Canada.
The vintage and antique items in this blog post were photographed at “Myles From Nowhere Antique Shop” in Margaree Forks, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Today’s Takeaways

1. “Always try to push your own creative boundaries so you can experience the growth in your own talent.” renowned Dutch floral designer Pim van den Akker.
2. Quiet time spent in nature can be very inspiring.
3. Consider using foraged flowers and leaves to “paint” pictures.

Canada Nova Scotia Travel

The Enduring Tale of Evangeline

Nova Scotia lays claim to quite a few icons. For instance, there’s the Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse, the Bluenose schooner and the legendary Evangeline. Evangeline is, in fact, a fictional heroine who seems to have taken on a life of her own.
To refresh my memory on the story of Evangeline, I recently visited Grand Pré in the Annapolis Valley region of Nova Scotia. It’s a beautiful part of the world! A magnificent panorama can be enjoyed from View Park on Old Post Road.

This is also where a UNESCO plaque commemorates the June 2012 designation of “The Landscape of Grand Pré” on the World Heritage List. The plaque states “The cultural landscape of Grand Pré bears exceptional testimony to a traditional farming settlement created in the 17^th century by the Acadians in a coastal zone with tides that are among the highest in the world. The polderisation used traditional techniques of dykes, aboiteaux and a drainage network, as well as a community-based management system still in use today. The resultant rich alluvial soil enabled continuous and sustainable agricultural development.
Grand Pré is the iconic place of remembrance of the Acadian diaspora, dispersed by the Grand Dérangement, in the second half of the 18^th century. Its polder landscape and archaeological remains are testimony to the values of a culture of pioneers able to create their own territory, whilst living in harmony with the native Mi’kmaq people. Its memorial constructions form the center of the symbolic re-appropriation of the land of their origins by the Acadians, in the 20^th century, in a spirit of peace and cultural sharing with the English-speaking community.”
The flags of Canada, Nova Scotia and Acadia fly at View Park.

I remember learning about the expulsion of the Acadians while attending junior high school in Nova Scotia. The Annapolis Heritage Society explains it this way: “As the centre of power in Acadie or Nova Scotia for 150 years, the town [Port Royal/ Annapolis Royal] had been attacked by the English, the French, their proxies in Boston and Quebec, Mi’kmaq, Maliseet, and even privateers!”
This map, from the Nova Scotia Archives, shows Acadia as published in 1748-1749—I added the blue arrow to point out Port Royal Annapolis.

“The desire of the generally peaceful Acadians to remain neutral and their unwillingness to sign an unconditional oath of allegiance to the British Crown precipitated their final removal in 1755 … Generally regarded as the darkest moment in Nova Scotian history, the expulsion of the Acadians has been romanticized over the intervening centuries, most notably with Longfellow’s poem Evangeline. The event dramatically altered their identity as a people, and scattered them, destitute, among the Thirteen Colonies, Louisiana and France. Of the estimated 10,000 Acadians in 1755, about eight thousand were deported before the proscription against their presence in the colony was lifted in 1764. Acadian property was confiscated and homes, crops and livestock destroyed. The number who returned in later years were relegated to inferior land at the periphery of settlement, their ancestral lands being occupied by English-speaking settlers.”
Two of the memorial constructions mentioned in the UNESCO description of Grand Pré are the Memorial Church and the Evangeline Statue.

Evangeline is a fictional heroine from the epic poem, Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie, written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1847. Longfellow tells the story of two young people—Evangeline Bellefontaine and Gabriel Lajeunesse—who are torn apart by the Grand Dérangement on their wedding day. The story continues as Evangeline searches the country for Gabriel. With romantic flair, the couple is reunited at Gabriel’s death bed sharing a final kiss as he dies.
The below work, titled Gabriel and Evangeline, is a black and white reproduction of an 1888 lithograph courtesy of the US Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.

The Evangeline statue was created by Louis-Philippe and Henri Hébert, father-and-son sculptors of Acadian descent. It was unveiled on July 29, 1920. Shortly afterward in 1922, the Memorial Church was constructed. It was built as an Acadian commemorative monument by the Société Nationale de l’Assomption with the assistance of the Dominion Atlantic Railway. “The Memorial Church symbolizes the spirit of Acadian nationalism and the deep-seated desire to commemorate the tragedy of the Deportation” reports the Parks Canada website.

Longfellow’s poem, Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie, begins by describing the idyllic setting:
“In the Acadian land, on the shores of the Basin of Minas,
Distant, secluded, still, the little village of Grand-Pré
Lay in the fruitful valley.
Vast meadows stretched to the eastward”
Nowadays, a visit to the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens provides a peek into the Acadian land Longfellow describes. This is the view of the Garden’s meadows and dyke land.

“Giving the village its name, and pasture to flocks without number.
Dikes, that the hands of the farmers had raised with labor incessant,
Shut out the turbulent tides; but at stated seasons the flood-gates
Opened, and welcomed the sea to wander at will o’er the meadows.”
Here nearby dykes and marshlands provide a modern-day perspective.

“West and south there were fields of flax, and orchards and cornfields
Spreading afar and unfenced o’er the plain; and away to the northward
Blomidon rose, and the forests old, and aloft on the mountains
Sea-fogs pitched their tents, and mists from the mighty Atlantic
Looked on the happy valley, but ne’er from their station descended.
There, in the midst of its farms, reposed the Acadian village.”
Cape Blomidon, visible in the distance, lies along the southeast shore of the Bay of Fundy. The cape’s red sandstone headland and the nearby fingerlike promontory called Cape Split are beloved by Nova Scotians to this day.

“Strongly built were the houses, with frames of oak and of hemlock,
Such as the peasants of Normandy built in the reign of the Henries.
Thatched were the roofs”
La Maison Acadienne at the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens is a replica of a pre-deportation, 1671 time period Acadian dwelling. Interestingly, this replica, originally built in 1981-82, was re-built in 1996 to reflect more recent findings from a Nova Scotia Museum archaeological dig. The dig at a pre-deportation Acadian farm site at Belleisle Marsh found evidence of the house dimensions, clay walls, thatched roof, interior chimney and exterior bake oven.

Having deftly set the stage, Longfellow introduces Evangeline.
“Gentle Evangeline … the pride of the village. …
Fair was she to behold, that maiden of seventeen summers.
Black were her eyes as the berry that grows on the thorn by the wayside,
Black, yet how softly they gleamed beneath the brown shade of her tresses!
Sweet was her breath as the breath of kine that feed in the meadows”
A quick aside, “kine” is Old English for “cows”, meaning Longfellow compared Evangeline’s breath to that of a cow feeding in the meadow! Not exactly a compliment we’d appreciate these days.

Next Longfellow introduces Gabriel.
“But, among all who came, young Gabriel only was welcome;
Gabriel Lajeunesse, the son of Basil the blacksmith, …
He was a valiant youth, and his face, like the face of the morning,
Gladdened the earth with its light, and ripened, thought into action.”
Evangeline and Gabriel’s wedding day arrives and the festivities get underway.
“Gayly the old man sang to the vibrant sound of his fiddle …
And anon with his wooden shoes beat time to the music.”

“Fairest of all the maids was Evangeline, Benedict’s daughter!
Noblest of all the youths was Gabriel, son of the blacksmith!
Then Longfellow interrupts the gaiety.
“So passed the morning away. And lo! with
a summons sonorous
Sounded the bell from its tower…
Thronged erelong was the church with men.”

“Then uprose their commander, and spake from the steps of the altar,
Holding aloft in his hands, with its seals, the royal commission.
“You are convened this day,” he said, “by his Majesty’s orders. …
Namely, that all your lands, and dwellings, and cattle of all kinds
Forfeited be to the crown; and that you yourselves from this province
Be transported to other lands. …
Prisoners now I declare you; for such is his Majesty’s pleasure!”
Sadly, this tragic situation was based on fact. As explained by the Canadian Encyclopedia, “On Friday, September 5, 1755 Colonel John Winslow ordered that all males aged 10 years and up in the area were to gather in the Grand-Pré Church for an important message from His Excellency, Charles Lawrence, the Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia. The decree that was read to the assembled and stated in part: “That your Land & Tennements, Cattle of all Kinds and Livestocks of all Sorts are forfeited to the Crown with all other your effects Savings your money and Household Goods, and you yourselves to be removed from this Province.” …
Between 1755 and 1763, approximately 10,000 Acadians were deported. They were shipped to many points around the Atlantic. Large numbers were landed in the English colonies, others in France or the Caribbean. Thousands died of disease or starvation in the squalid conditions on board ship. … Many Acadians were forced, like the legendary Evangeline of Longfellow’s poem, to wander interminably in search of loved ones or a home.”

More Info

To learn more about Evangeline and Gabriel, you can read the entire poem “Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow here on Archive.org.
Grand Pré and the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens are located in Nova Scotia, Canada. Check out the Experience Grand Pré website or the Parks Canada – Grand-Pré National Historic Site web page to learn more about this fantastic historic site. The
Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens website provides information about these beautiful gardens and La Maison Acadienne.
References consulted in the writing of this blog post include:
. UNESCO – Landscape of Grand Pré
. The Annapolis Heritage Society – History of Annapolis Royal
. Nova Scotia Archives – Acadian Heartland – Records of Deportation and La Grand Dérangement
. US Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division – “Gabriel and Evangeline”
. Parks Canada – Virtual Exhibit of Grand-Pré Monuments
. Nova Scotia Museum Publications InfoSheets – The Acadians Three – The Home
. Canadian Encyclopedia – Acadian Expulsion (the Great Upheaval).

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider visiting the UNESCO site of The Landscape of Grand Pré or a UNESCO site near you.
2. Investigate a travel destination’s icons.
3. Weave a fictional character, book or movie into your next travel adventure.

Canada Nature PEI Travel

79,000 Steps and a Whole Lot of Apple Seeds

Fifteen minutes into a 3-day, 63-km long-distance walk, a pungent, overripe, fruity scent brought me to a halt. What was that familiar aroma? A quick visual scan revealed the source—a cluster of wild apple trees, covered in ripe apples, lined the roadside! This abundance of wild apples became a recurring theme on my recent Island Walk.

The Island Walk is a long-distance walk around the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. It builds upon the rail-to-trail infrastructure of the Confederation Trail by stitching together dirt roads, secondary highways and walking trails into a circular route. For instance, this pretty, tree-canopied, red dirt road is part of the Island Walk. It is MacEachern Road near Dunedin.

The Island Walk is 700 kilometers (435 miles) long enabling walkers and cyclists to circumnavigate the Island. Signposts mark the way either via the purple-coded signs of the Confederation Trail or the Island Walk’s distinctive, colorful signage.

The Island Walk is conveniently mapped into 32 sections. Each of the sections is designed for a day’s walk from a designated starting point, typically over 20-25 kilometers of trail, to a designated end point. These “waypoints” are numbered and identified with Island Walk signs. The sections and waypoints are defined for the convenience of walkers—trail users can, of course, walk or cycle the trail in any way they wish. Here an Island Walk sign directs the way near the New Argyle Road.

My sister and I recently walked three of the Island Walk’s sections—I walked and she biked. I’m married to a native Islander so I’m familiar enough with the Island to have cherry-picked our route! With our personal vehicle and a family home at our disposal we had the ultimate flexibility. We chose three sections for their coastal views, wooded paths, country farms and seaside towns:
1. Dunedin (waypoint 1) to Victoria (waypoint 2) – 24 km (15 miles) / 5 hrs
2. Mt Stewart (waypoint 19) to St Peters (waypoint 20) – 27 km (17 miles) / 6.5 hrs
3. Cardigan (waypoint 26) to Montague (waypoint 27) – 12 km (7 miles) / 2.5 hrs
The Island Walk did not disappoint. We saw beautiful coastal views—like these on the approach to Victoria…

… and these at St Peters.

We saw miles and miles of wooded paths, mostly groomed rail-to-trail sections like this path near Montague ….

… but also some quiet, red dirt roads like this lovely birch-lined section of Ferguson Road (near Victoria).

Speaking of birch trees, the bench pictured below was one of my favorite spots. It’s located on the Confederation Trail between Mt Stewart and Morell and perfectly situated in a magical grove of birches.

We saw the country farms we’d hoped to see. There were weathered barns…

… splendid horses…

… fields of hay bales…

… stunning rolling hills…

… and cows!

We saw several charming seaside towns including Victoria, St Peters, Cardigan and Montague (pictured below).

Thankfully, we had perfect weather for our three days on the Island Walk. The temperature was ideal and the skies were blue. At one point, these amazingly beautiful clouds rolled in and threatened rain but the fine weather prevailed.

Travelling on foot provided plenty of opportunity to examine the local flora and consider the signs of the season including, you guessed it, more wild apples!

Autumn bloomers, like these purple and white asters, were also in beautiful abundance.

We spotted a few colored leaves such as these yellow fern fronds and red maple leaves.

On the final day, the mystery of why there were so many wild apples was finally solved. “At one time every farm had an orchard or at least a couple of trees of different varieties. By the mid-1800s, apples were a part of the rural culture. They were stored for the winter in cold rooms, or dried or preserved like valuables. They were not only good for you but were also tasty … Being home-grown, they were inexpensive and thus appeared daily in lunch bags taken to school and work. They were an obvious choice also for lunch baskets taken on the reliable but sometimes slow trips by train. Cores went out the window. It would seem that both rail workers and passengers are the most likely culprits responsible for the proliferation of apple” trees along the trail, reports a Confederation Trail interpretive panel near Cardigan.
Smells are known to have an exceptional ability to trigger memories. I wonder if in the future the smell of ripe apples will automatically bring to mind my experience on the Island Walk. I rather hope it does!

More Info

The Island Walk was not my first long distance walking experience. Regular readers may recall I had the opportunity to experience a Camino de Santiago pilgrimage/walk a few years ago. I started in Porto Portugal and walked solo on the Camino Portuguese Coastal Route for a 110+ km journey to Camposancos Spain. You can read about that amazing experience in my blog post Following the Yellow Arrows.
The Island Walk is located in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Check out The Island Walk website for more information. “Island Trails has developed a new 700km walking trail called the Island Walk which loops around the perimeter of Prince Edward Island. The Island Walk is modelled after the famous long-distance walking trail, the Camino de Santiago in Spain.” announced a July 2020 press release.
The Camino de Santiago, which dates back to the 9^th century, is a network of pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The Camino has developed an extensive support structure for its pilgrims over the years including walking routes, overnight accommodations, cafes, restaurants, water fountains and resting places. Nowadays, people walk the Camino de Santiago for a variety of reasons such as religious pilgrimage, spiritual retreat, physical fitness challenge or long-distance walking vacation.
Understandably, the Island Walk doesn’t yet have the extensive infrastructure nor the rich heritage of the Camino de Santiago, but it does have beautiful countryside, excellent trails and a determination to make it happen. Bryson Guptill, the driving force behind The Island Walk, puts it this way: “PEI has stunning ocean vistas and quiet country roads that have a beauty that’s comparable to anything we have seen in France, Spain and elsewhere. This new walking route will give Islanders and visitors the opportunity to experience our Island in a way that’s really up close and personal.” Many thanks and sincere wishes for ongoing success to Bryson Guptill and the other members of Island Trails!
As mentioned in this blog post, The Island Walk leverages sections of Prince Edward Island’s Confederation Trail. “The Confederation Trail runs tip-to-tip across Prince Edward Island and is best explored on foot or bicycle. Built on the decommissioned railway line, the main trail is 273 kilometres from west to east – Tignish to Elmira.” See the Confederation Trail section of the Prince Edward Island Tourism website for more information.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider taking an extended walk on the Island Walk or an outdoor trail near you.
2. Walking allows you to experience your surroundings up close and personal.
3. Long-distance walking may just be the ultimate experience-based, locally-sustainable, slow travel adventure.

Agritourism Canada Fiber Make Nova Scotia Travel

An Alpaca Photo Shoot

It’s not every day you come across a field of alpacas—especially with a camera in hand, a free hour and permission to take photos! Yet, that’s exactly what happened at Meadow Brook Stables in Alton, Nova Scotia where a small herd of alpaca were recently added to the farm.

“Alpacas are raised for their soft and luxurious fleece (fiber). Each shearing produces roughly five to ten pounds of fleece per animal, per year.” according to the Alpaca Owners Association. “Alpacas (vicugña pacos) are members of the Camelid Family. … Today there are five recognized camelids breeds: camels, llamas, guanacos, alpacas, and vicunas. They vary by size and purpose, some being used primarily as pack animals and others valued for their fiber. … Camels, llamas, and alpacas have been domesticated for thousands of years, whereas guanacos and vicunas continue to roam freely in herds. Many people are familiar with humped camels … Next in size is the llama (domesticated guanaco), followed by the alpaca (domesticated vicuna).”

In addition to being valued for their fleeces, alpacas are cherished for their personality. A scan of alpaca related websites reveals an array of adjectives for these animals: “endearing” says the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Limited; “very smart animals, gentle, and easy to handle … shy, but very curious, quiet, and intelligent” says Alpaca Meadows; “alert, curious, calm and predictable” says Brigadoon Fiber Farm; “calm and aloof, highly intelligent and easy to train” says Threads of Peru.
There were four “crias”, baby alpacas, in this herd and they were indeed endearing!

Here is a cria “cushing” which means sitting down with all four legs tucked under its body and its head erect.

“Calm and aloof” also seemed to be an apt description. Check out these regal poses!

Female alpacas, I’ve learned, are usually first bred at 18-24 months of age. The gestation (pregnancy) period is around 11.5 months. They usually have only one cria which is normally delivered, without intervention, from a standing position during daylight hours. A cria normally weighs between 15 and 19 lbs. It typically starts nursing within 90 minutes of birth and continues nursing until it is weaned after six months.

Interestingly, alpacas have strong social instincts and need the companionship of a herd to thrive.

“Alpacas mainly eat grass or hay. They consume approximately … 1.5% of the animal’s body weight daily in hay or fresh pasture. … Alpacas have two sets of teeth for processing food. They have molars in the back of the jaw for chewing cud. In the front, alpacas have teeth on the bottom only and a hard gum … on the top for crushing grain, grass, or hay. Unlike goats and sheep that have long tongues which can rip plants out of the ground, alpacas have short tongues and nibble only the tops of grasses and other plants. This results in less disturbance of the vegetation.” reports the Alpaca Owners Association.

On the farm, meals are served in a variety of ways—food dish, hay bag and hay ball feeder—and obviously enjoyed.

Yet, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence!

Photographing alpacas is very rewarding. Their “teddy bear” looks, …

… nimble moves, …

… pompadour hairstyles, …

…and amusing expressions make for great photos.

Returning to the subject of the alpaca fleece, the Alpaca Owners Association explains, it is “often compared to cashmere [and] can be turned into a wide array of products from yarn and apparel to tapestries and blankets. The fleece itself is recognized globally for its fineness, softness, light weight, durability, excellent thermal qualities, and luster”.
Naturally, this piqued my interest—I wanted to see and feel alpaca yarn! The folks at Wool ‘n Tart, a lovely yarn shop in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, were most helpful (Thank you!). They showed me yarns with alpaca content like these from Legacy Lane.

They also had natural-colored yarns containing alpaca fibers. “Alpaca fleece has a variety of natural colors, making it very desirable. Sixteen colors are officially recognized (white; beige; and shades of fawn, brown, black, and grey) with many additional subtle shades and hues.” This yarn showcases some of the rich white, cream and brown colors.

Then came the pièce de resistance—a jaunty alpaca fiber pom-pom atop a hand-knit wool toque!

More Info

This alpaca photo shoot took place at Meadow Brook Stables, located in Alton, Nova Scotia, Canada. The Stables focus on breeding American Paint Horse Association (APHA) horses and also offer riding lessons and horse training. In addition to some of the best bred APHA horses in Canada, they care for a variety of livestock on their farm including the alpacas featured in this blog post. See the Meadow Brook Stables website for more information. Thank you Anna!
Wool ‘n Tart is located in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada. As stated on the Wool ‘n Tart website, “Our cozy little shop has been open since 2012, and for the past ten years, we have been Wolfville’s foremost stop for all of your knitting and fibre needs – including a beautiful selection of natural fibres and locally sourced yarn, including our own yarn, produced from our Cotswold sheep in the Gaspereau Valley! We also offer plenty of finished objects, such as locally produced woven scarves, blankets, and hooked rugs.”
You may also be interested in the previous blog post, From Sheep to Shawl, in which I share my experience attending a week-long class at the John C Campbell Folk School covering the farm-to-fashion journey of sheep’s wool.
The Alpaca Owners Association serves to facilitate the success of its members within the alpaca industry. You can learn more about this organization on the Alpaca Owners Association website.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Alpacas are raised for their soft and luxurious fleece.
2. Alpacas are great photography subjects.
3. Consider visiting a local farm to learn more about the farm-to-fashion journey.

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Printer’s Devil for a Day

They say you can never go back. But at Sherbrooke Village you can go back—all the way back to 1867. That’s the year depicted by this living museum on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. Set in a beautiful country setting, the village has 25 heritage buildings surrounding a village green.

This is the Sherbrooke Drug Store viewed across the village green.

A wagonload of small logs sits ready.

The Jordan Barn houses horses and other farm animals.

Clotheslines are the norm.

It’s fun to stroll down the street with heritage interpreters in period dress.

To truly experience life in 1867, I highly recommend taking part in a Sherbrooke Village premier experience. It’s possible to dress in period attire and become a part of the village story—as these ladies did, …

…or spend a day in the Woodworking Shop to learn about traditional woodcarving and wood turning, …

…or spend a day as a Printer’s Devil in St. Mary’s Printery—as my sister Marian and I did. The authentic Print Shop is managed by Master Printer Patty Lou. Here they are setting type.
In the Victorian era, apprentices to the Master Printer were often called “Printer’s Devils”. They were responsible for a number of low-level tasks, such as mixing tubs of ink, removing paper from the press, fetching type, and sorting the contents of the “hellbox“. The hellbox contained used, worn, or broken metal type which they either cleaned and put back in the job case, or melted and recast. These tasks resulted in the young apprentices’ hands and skin being stained black with ink, thus, the title “printer’s devil”. Luckily, we didn’t have to deal with hellboxes or ink-stained hands! Instead, Patty Lou walked us through the various processes involved in a print job while we designed and printed our own projects.
We started by learning about the cast metal type. Type is stored in cabinets with large, shallow drawers.

Every font and size is stored in a separate drawer. The drawers are removed from the cabinet for use. Every drawer is partitioned into multiple, small compartments or “boxes”. Every letter, number, symbol or space is a separate piece of type which is sorted into its own box. The individual pieces of type are called “sorts“. If there weren’t enough sorts or they were stored in the wrong boxes, the printer was said to be “out of sorts”. Nowadays, when someone is out of sorts, they’re more likely to be feeling irritable, upset or unwell.

The partitioned drawers are called “type cases”. Every case is carefully organized for efficient retrieval. The below graphic shows how a pair of cases is used to hold the capital letters (ie upper case) and the small letters (ie lower case). Interestingly, the upper case letters are in alphabetical order but the lower case letters are arranged according to usage—most frequently used letters are in the center. So, the mystery of where the term “upper and lower case” comes from is now solved!

This sorting system was eventually replaced with the California job case system which includes both upper and lower case. The type case I used at the Print Shop was set up in this manner.

After deciding on the wording and style for our printing projects, we pulled out the appropriate type case and started setting the type. The type pieces were assembled into words and lines on a small tray-like tool called a “composing stick”. I used the composing stick pictured below to assemble the sorts for my project. Selecting the correct metal type pieces for a print job is tricky because the letters are backwards. An experienced printer selects type from the cases based on the type’s location—sort of like touch typing on a keyboard.
In his book The Practice of Printing, which was considered to be the authoritative textbook for young printers in 1952, author Ralph W. Polk states “It is impossible for the beginner to acquire either speed or accuracy in composition until he is able to read type. Type is read from left to right as are the lines on a printed page, but the characters are upside down. With a little practice, the reading of type will become comparatively easy.”

Polk goes on to describe what he calls “the ‘four demons’. Four letters which prove somewhat confusing to a beginner, and which may cause him some difficulty unless he gives special attention to their forms are the letters b, d, p, and q. … If one will keep in mind that the nick of the type is at the foot of the letter, and that, when held upside down, the letter reads from left to right, there will be little difficulty in recognizing any of them.”
The old timey warning to “Mind your p’s and q’s” originates from this very situation. It’s meaning has, however, evolved into a reminder to be polite and well behaved and to mind one’s manners. I chose this saying for my printing project.

But there were a few more steps to finish typesetting before the printing could begin. The selected type was assembled inside a metal frame called a “chase” and filled in with wooden filler blocks called “furniture”. Then the form was locked in place with “quoins”, a wedge-shaped device tightened with a key.

The final typesetting step was to level the pieces with a form-planer and mallet.

My locked form was ready for the printing press at this point. St Mary’s Printery has an 1880 Chandler & Price Platen Printing Press manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio. The press is an example of the basic letterpress technology that was used for the first 500 years of printing (ca. 1450–1950). This is Apprentice Fred working the press.

As explained in the 1917 textbook, Printing for School and Shop, by Frank S Henry, “A platen printing-press is one in which the form is locked up against a bed and the impression is delivered against a flat, smooth, level plate called a platen.” The Practice of Printing textbook goes on to explain “Upon the platen is clamped a packing of paper… known as the tympan, and the top sheet is called the tympan sheet or drawsheet. The paper to be printed is laid on this drawsheet, into which gauge pins have been inserted to hold it in proper position.” Here are the gauge pins I inserted on the tympan for my printing.

The below labeled diagram from The Practice of Printing helps explain the workings of a platen printing press.

Ink is placed on the round ink disc. The sheets of paper to be printed are piled on the feed board on the right side of the press. Once everything is set up correctly, the operator starts the fly-wheel to put the press in motion and works the foot treadle to keep it moving. This sounds much easier than it is—achieving the right speed in a smooth, steady movement takes practice!
But it gets even more challenging! The operator uses the throw-off lever, situated on the left side of the press beside the fly-wheel, to control when an imprint is made. In its normal position, the throw-off lever is placed forward causing the platen to strike the form at every revolution of the press. In other words, the paper is pressed against the inked type resulting in a printed sheet every time the wheel goes round. The operator has to quickly remove the printed sheet and replace it with a fresh sheet—while keeping the press rolling in a steady rhythm with the foot treadle. Beginners, like me, frequently use the throw-off lever to skip printing a sheet. Here I am trying to get the hang of feeding the press.

As noted above, I chose to typeset and print the saying “Mind your p’s and q’s”. I’m quite pleased with the results—it’s the perfect reminder of my day as a Printer’s Devil.

Being a Printer’s Devil at the St Mary’s Printery in Sherbrooke Village was a great experience. Honestly, it makes me grateful for today’s printing technologies. Instead of pulling out a case of type, I can simply select my font from a dropdown list. Instead of picking out and positioning every character correctly, I can press keys on a keyboard (backspacing to correct on the fly). Instead of composing in a metal frame with blocks of wood to lock everything in place, I can compose on an electronic screen with a few keystrokes. Instead of reworking my locked form when I find an incorrect letter, I can let the software correct my spelling and grammar. Instead of meticulously readying my form for the press, I can simply load sheets of paper into my printer’s paper tray. Instead of manually working a fly-wheel and foot treadle while simultaneously feeding sheets of paper onto the platen, I can click on a PRINT button.
It is all much faster and easier and ideal for everyday printing… and, yet, it lacks something! To print something special—a one-of-a-kind creation that’s uniquely yours—the charm and beauty of hand-printing can’t be beat!

More Info

Sherbrooke Village is located on the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia. Check out the Sherbrooke Village website to learn more about this living museum and their premier experiences. We loved the Print & Press One Day Experience. Special thanks to Master Printer Patty Lou and Apprentice Fred—you made our day!
Two vintage textbooks were consulted for this blog post—both are available on www.Archive.org:
. Printing for School and Shop by Frank S Henry (published 1917)
. The Practice of Printing by Ralph W. Polk (published 1952).

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider visiting a living museum for a deeper appreciation of life in the past.
2. A hands-on experience provides a deeper appreciation than reading about a subject or seeing someone else do it.
3. There is beauty and charm in the art of hand-printing.

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