Un-Lock Your Next Nova Scotia Adventure

By Davey And Sky Media

This is the fourth article in a series of tourism stories about ways to enjoy the Shubenacadie Waterway, funded through the Shubenacadie Canal Commission’s Transitions project. Check out A River Runs Through It by Nancy Stapleton, Date Night at the Fourth Lock by Helen Earley, and Failure’s Paradise by Jeremy Hull.

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Located in the heart of Nova Scotia is a historic waterway that connects the Halifax Harbour to the Bay of Fundy. That’s right, 114km long and winding through the entire province, one coast to the other, this natural beauty is called the Shubenacadie Canal Waterway. A hidden gem right under your nose here in Nova Scotia, many know of its unique history, and inspiring scenery, but did you know it is also the perfect place to plan an amazing getaway?

Flowing from town to town, lined with incredible businesses and parks, here, you can truly plan a trip with a combination of your favourite interests. From hiking the many nature trails to grabbing a meal at a local cafe, shopping local to spending an unforgettable night in a riverside accommodation - The Shubenacadie Canal is a traveler’s paradise.

There is actually so much to see and do in this area of the province that it can be hard to decide! We recently spent time in the area, and here is our suggested itinerary for exploring the canal in one day:

1. Breakfast in Dartmouth - We love Two if by Sea Cafe

2. Visit the Fairbanks Centre and paddle through Shubie Park

3. Hike (or bike) the Shubie trail section to the Portobello Incline Plane

4. Enjoy lunch in Enfield - We loved our meal from Rob Bitar’s

5. Visit a local shop - there are tons to choose from, we visited Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop

6. Visit the Tinsmith Museum

7. Grab a drink at Coldstream Clear

8. Stay at Riverside accommodation - We stayed at Gravity Luxury Domes

9. Visit the Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre

10. Have Lunch in Maitland

1.   Breakfast in Dartmouth - We love Two If By Sea Cafe
Starting your day in the downtown Dartmouth area you will find there are tons of fantastic cafes and breakfast spots to choose from. Hypnotized by the comforting smell of buttery baked goods and coffee, our first stop on this trip was the lively Two If By Sea Cafe. Featuring a bright and cozy atmosphere, we indulged in homemade prosciutto and provolone croissants paired with their locally sourced Anchored Coffee. While this would be the perfect spot to linger over a cuppa, meet a friend, or read a book - the Shubenacadie Canal was calling our names!

2. Visit the Fairbanks Centre and paddle through the Shubie Canal
Diving into our adventure-filled day, we made a visit to the Fairbanks Center at the entrance of Shubie Park. Open to the public year-round and free of charge to visit, this Centre features exhibits and displays showing how the Canal waterway works, providing visitors an insight into the area’s rich history and natural environment. There’s even a scale model of the locks along the canal! Next to the Fairbanks Centre, you will find an outlet to rent kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards from Wildwood Water Sports. Or, if you have your own boating gear you can bring it here and there are many places to launch. Offering a perfect place to experience a peaceful paddling adventure, you will fall in love with the waterway's lush forest surroundings and natural beauty. We actually brought our dogs along with us in the kayaks and they loved it! Accompanied by curious ducks beside us and beautiful songbirds above, we glided through the tranquil waters of Shubie Park, realizing what a gem of a unique experience this is within the city. But don’t worry, if you’re not a water enthusiast we encourage you still visit to check out the trails here.

3. Hike (or bike) the Shubie trail section to the Portobello Incline Plane
From Shubie Park you can drive 10 minutes down the road and between Lake Charles and Lake William find the Shubenacadie Portobello Incline Plane. Now a beautiful trail where picturesque waterside views await, it used to be the site of a marine railway (one of two along the canal) that carried vessels over a distance of approximately 600 feet horizontally, while lowering and raising them about 33 feet. Largely untouched since its use in the 1870s there are now interpretive panels to inform visitors of what stood before them and is buried beneath the ground. We loved this area as a great spot to walk our dogs and take in the reflective views, imagining how different it would look with boats passing through over 150 years ago.

4. Enjoy lunch in Enfield - We loved our meal from Rob Bitar’s
As you roll into Elmsdale you will be hungry for a good lunch stop and treating yourself to Rob Bitar’s won’t disappoint. Recommended by so many people, we were excited to check it out! Our food was fresh, delicious, and the service was super friendly.

5. Visit a local shop - there are tons to choose from, we visited Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop
Craving something sweet, we popped into Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop before leaving Elmsdale. Browsing a selection of handcrafted chocolates, truffles, fudges, candy, and more, this is a chocolate lovers’ heaven! It was hard to decide because there was so much to choose from, but we ended up agreeing on chocolate peppermint patties and velvety truffles. Neither of which lasted long!

6.  Visit the Tinsmith Museum
Following the twisting and turning river north of Elmsdale, you will find the town of Shubenacadie and the Tinsmith Museum. Built in 1896 this fascinating store is filled to the brim with over a century’s worth of antique artifacts and displays. Everything from household goods, farm tools, clothing, furnished rooms, military displays, and more help visually tell the history of the building including the important role it played in manufacturing milk cans across Nova Scotia in the 1900s. There’s also a craft shop with locally made creations.

7. Grab a drink at Coldstream Clear
Next, we drove another 10 minutes down the road to the town of Stewiacke. Here you can wave hello to the life-size replica of a mastodon, play mini golf, hike a nature trail, or visit the Coldstream Clear Distillery tasting room. After a day of adventuring, we couldn’t resist a cold beverage. Specializing in handcrafted Nova Scotia spirits, we tried one of their signature cocktail flights - how beautiful does that look! They also have a lovely patio you can enjoy but by then it had started to rain so we stayed cozy inside.

8. Stay at Riverside accommodation - We stayed at Gravity Luxury Domes
Keeping with our Shubenacadie river theme, we found the perfect place nestled along the high banks of the river edge called Gravity Luxury Domes. Open year-round, this unique accommodation provides guests with a luxury glamping experience, each dome having its own stone patio, propane tabletop fireplace, and an incredible view of the Shubenacadie River. Immersed in nature, this location is fantastic for bird watching. We spotted multiple eagles from our dome window and even got to see some Shubie rafters playing in the waves below out experiencing the tidal bore. Lulled to sleep by peaceful rain hitting the dome, this is the perfect spot to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, while truly getting to experience the river’s beauty. In the morning, feeling refreshed from the comfortable night’s sleep, we enjoyed breakfast in bed with a view of the river. Love when places have full kitchen areas to make our own food!

Other Places we have stayed and loved nearby include:

• Tidal Bore Rafting Resort

• Cresthaven By the Sea

9. Visit the Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre
Located in South Maitland, the Fundy Tidal Interpretive Centre is a fantastic place to learn about the world-famous Bay of Fundy tides and tidal bore - a natural wonder that occurs on the Shubenacadie river daily. We loved reading and learning about the history and wildlife in the area from the interpretive displays, followed by heading out to view the river from the observation deck. If you time your visit around the tidal bore schedule, you could even witness it pass by! We waved hello to the rafters below, a wonderful way to wrap up our appreciation for the Shubenacadie Canal.

10. Lunch in Maitland
Before heading home, we grabbed lunch at Canada’s oldest general store - Frieze and Roy and its in-house Mudslide Cafe. Their club sandwich and fries are so good!

Explore the Waterway: Failure's Paradise

By Jeremy Hull

This is the third article in a series of tourism stories about ways to enjoy the Shubenacadie Waterway, funded through the Shubenacadie Canal Commission’s Transitions project. Check out A River Runs Through It by Nancy Stapleton and Date Night at the Fourth Lock by Helen Earley, and check back soon for more!

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The Shubenacadie Canal System ranks among the more costly missteps in the history of Nova Scotia. The canal operated as a shipping route, but the eastern branch (Halifax-Truro) of the Nova Scotia Railway opened in 1858, just a year after the system began operations. The canal enjoyed some successful years, but it was outperformed by rail, and closed in 1871. The project left Nova Scotians with a waterway that cuts through the middle of the province and unites the Atlantic Ocean with the Bay of Fundy. Communities arose with shared purpose along the system. The canal didn’t last as a shipping route, but it is a recreational success with intrepid explorers.

Jeremy fly fishing on Grand Lake.

There is poetry in planning a fishing trip on a failed canal. Anglers embrace frustration. There are more casts than there are fish, and there are plenty of days without a bite. Timmy and I grew up fishing along the Shubenacadie, behind his parent’s house. We know these waters, but we have a cursed history. When Timmy and I fish, something always goes wrong. I refuse to blame our poor planning or fishing abilities, so I maintain my superstitions.  

We schedule our departure for the last Friday in June, when the water is high enough to minimize portaging. We wake up to rain. Not a quiet drizzle. This is a steady coastal shower that promises to last all day. We stay back, watching the sky, and hoping Nova Scotia lives up to its reputation for rapid weather changes. After two hours the rain is still falling but we’ve been dreaming of fish all week. An uncomfortable morning is starting to feel like a small price to pay for a wild caught dinner cooked on a fire. Fortified by two pots of coffee, we put in south of Lock Four in Fall River, at ten thirty in the morning. Our canoe is old, but it’s seaworthy, even if Timmy and I are not. The right gunwale is warped, so the boat pulls to the left. It’s fine while the water remains calm, but white caps kick up on Grand Lake in high wind. The quirks in our old canoe could become concerns in rough water. Understand your equipment and respect your proficiency. Timmy and I focus on keeping our bow straight until we reach our first portage.

Timmy on the trail at the first portage.

We put back in at the southern tip of Fletcher’s Lake. Timmy reaches for his spinning rod. He’s brought an arsenal of tackle to land one of the big chain pickerel in Fletcher’s. By eleven we both have a line in the water, and we aren’t worried about the rain anymore. Timmy strikes first, landing a smallmouth bass. We decide it’s not big enough to keep, but it’s encouraging to be on the board. 

Not a keeper.

The next fish to rise is so long it looks like an eel when it rolls. It’s a big pickerel. Timmy is using a plastic frog, skimming it over the water with little tugs so it looks alive. The fish buys the ruse and snaps up the lure. Timmy pulls the line up tight and reels it in. I reach for the net, but the fish shakes free just as it’s breaking the surface. We watch it disappear into the depths and take a moment to lament our loss. Timmy casts to the same spot and soon enough, he hooks the fish again. I reach for the net, but this pike is clever enough to spit out a plastic frog twice, even if it’s foolish enough to bite on it more than once. We fish the spot for another fifteen minutes but this fish has learned its lesson. When the rain starts falling in sheets, we decide we’ve been outsmarted and that it’s time to set up camp.

Paddling on Grand Lake.

A short paddle brings us through Lock Five into Shubenacadie Grand Lake. We reach our camp site at Laurie Provincial Park after a relaxing, if wet, morning on the water. The walk-in sites at Laurie are situated on the banks of the lake. We’ve booked online so we can pull our canoe right up and find a perfect spot to swing a hammock. With our gear off the ground, we spend our time casting from shore and turning our campsite into a cozy lounge. Timmy calls out while I’m building the fire. I arrive at the end of a short fight, and watch a twenty-four-inch fish, rolling in like a log.

Timmy and I came by our fishing acumen patrilineally. Our fathers taught us that pickerel aren’t worth eating. While Timmy’s been strategizing to catch one, I’ve been researching how to cook one. I mangle the first fillet because I’m too impatient to sharpen my knife, but I correct the mistake and the second side comes away clean. I forgot my salt, so I season it with crushed cashew dust, dehydrated coconut milk, curry, and lime. The dense white meat reminds me of swordfish. Exhausted, dry, and full, we turn in ater dinner. The crib board doesn’t even make an appearance.

Pickerel fillet. (Copy)

Camp kitchen. (Copy)

We pack out early the second morning. We’re meeting friends to camp on the western side of Grand Lake. We can’t resist fishing enroute, and I get on the board early when I catch a nice bass. It’s encouraging to have a start on dinner when we collect our friends. We paddle up the western bank and choose a spot from among the campsites peaking through the trees in Sleepy Cove. This area is Crown Land and people are welcome to use the cleared sites so long as they leave no trace. We’re happy with the one we’ve chosen when the bass start biting at sundown. We catch our fill and prepare a backcountry dinner party. The stories begin when the first log hits the fire.

Campers planning an overnight adventure on the Shubenacadie River Canal would do well to make for the Western Bank of Grand Lake. Anglers should pack a spinning rod with live bait, a selection of lures, and a frog to attract large pickerel. Fly fishers will find shallow shelves along the banks, making most sites perfect for wading. I had success with a custom-tied purple mayfly, but once the bass started biting, they were taking just about everything we gave them.

Nova Scotians are successors to a failed canal that illustrates the wisdom of anglers. When you cast enough line, you’re bound to catch something. A gaff as large as a canal is a perfect setting for failures to gather by fires, tell stories, and dream of large fish.

All photos credit to Jeremy Hull.

Legacy donation to help the Shubenacadie Canal Commission

Betty Anderson (L) and Keith Manchester (R)

The Shubenacadie Canal Commission (SCC) is pleased to recognize a legacy donation from the estate of Betty Anderson.

Betty Anderson moved from Ottawa in the 1960s and went to work at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography (BIO). Betty stayed at BIO in the position of Chief Purchasing until the 1980s when she retired.  It was during her time at BIO that she met Keith and Carol Manchester, and Mike Hughes. Both Keith and Mike are past Commissioners. Keith served as a Chair and Mike a commissioner and even after their appointments, both stayed on as active volunteers. 

Betty was given insight into the work of the commission during her friendship with the Manchester’s. Keith often spoke about the canal history and the work volunteers were doing to preserve or improve the canal.  As it happens the Manchester’s back patio overlooked a section of the Shubenacadie Canal Waterway between Lake Thomas and Lake Fletcher. Betty was very interested in the stories about the canal and in 2003, Betty joined the Manchester’s on their trip to the World Canal Conference in Dublin, Ireland.  Betty had a wonderful time and met many canal enthusiasts and joined them in touring the Irish Canals.  Over the years Betty would inquire about other conferences and what projects the SCC was working on.  A shared passion for the history of the canal and its preservation, is one of the reasons that Betty left a very generous gift to the Shubenacadie Canal Commission. 

We are grateful for this legacy donation, and it will be used for a project supporting the Bicentennial Celebration and recognition will be at that site.  Betty will also be recognized on our wall of giving at the Fairbanks Interpretive Centre.

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More about planned giving can be found here https://www.shubenacadiecanal.ca/planned-giving

Remembering Dr. John “Jake” O’Connor

SCC Volunteers John “Jake” O’Connor (L) and Bernie Hart (R). Photo credit Dartmouth North Liberal Association.

It is with sadness that we share the passing of Shubenacadie Canal Commission volunteer and past board chair, Dr. John “Jake” O’Connor.

Jake, as he was known at the SCC, and his wife Barbara lived on Lake Charles for 50 years where they enjoyed the lake and trails along the canal route. His passion for the Shubenacadie Waterway led him to become a commissioner where he made a large impact and shared his love of the area.

Jake was a dedicated volunteer and past chair of our board of Commissioners. He was recognized in 2011 with the SCC Lockkeeper award for his fundraising efforts.  We are very grateful for his generosity, time and energy which made a huge impact on the continuing success of the SCC.

We send our deepest sympathy to his family.

Obituary can be found here saltwire.pressreader.com/article/281943137138346