Shark Week in Lockeport, Nova Scotia

This was meant to be a fishing Blog telling about our trips fishing for mackerel and striped bass.

However, last week-end we headed to Lockeport to fish for mackerel, to find that the local Sea Derby was in progress. We fished for a short time at our usual pier, but nothing was biting, so we went over to the Government wharf to see what was being brought in.

Several fishing boats were waiting to land their catch. One boat had a long look-out platform for spotting sword fish. I liked her name.

Some cod had been landed and were being weighed and measured. There doesn’t seem to be a limit to the size taken, but there is a maximum of 10 rule.

The Governement body, the Department of Fisheries, was present to check what was being landed.

The sharks had to be winched from the boats up into a shed where they were weighed and measured and the contents of their stomachs examined.

The Porbeagle looked viscious, although they seemingly don’t attack humans.

The blue shark weighed about 350lb! I thought it was a beautiful colour.

We had a very exciting day and might go fishing at the Sea Derby next year.

 

Wild Flowers of Nova Scotia

A couple of week-ends ago we went to Western Head, just outside Lockeport. This was our first time here and I had just found it on Google maps. There is a weather station at Western Head to track the tropical storms and hurricames that come up the Atlantic Coast.

The first thing that hit us was the abundance of beautiful wild flowers.

Is this creamy white orchid the Ragged Fringe Orchid?

I have had real difficulty identifying these

flowers, as I only have a European Wild

Flower Book.

The purple spikes might be Purple Loosestrife?

The white, spidery flowers opposite, Meadow Rue?

I’ve been told that the pretty, yellow flowers above, with red eyes are Swamp Candles – what a great name.

I have never seen or heard of them before.

Then overleaf – I do know thistles!

The bright yellow dandelion like flower might be Common Sow Thistle? The  tiny little blue flower, Blue-eyed Grass, is a miniature member of the Iris family. The flowers only last for one day, but new buds open every day during June/July.

Readers have helped with the purple orchid, it is a Blue Fringed Orchid.

The yellow flower with lots of little yellow closed flowers is Seaside Goldenrod.

I wonder if the flowers on this small peninsula are  particularly good this year because of the great spell of weather.

I will return next year to see.

Lockeport, Novia Scotia

We have only visited Lockeport once since moving to Canada and that didn’t leave a lasting impression – well not a good one. It was winter, and the little town seemed to be dying. I took no photographs, because there was nothing to inspire me.

On Saturday we had a walk along Louis Head Beach, and decided to drive to Lockeport for another look. As we headed for the town, we saw that there was a walk to the town over the old railway bridge and decided to go that way rather than driving over the causeway.

Huge sandstone blocks have been placed along the sea side as protection, perhaps after the problems they had with the storm surge of Hurricane Bill. Many of them are eroded by the weather and look as if they have been ornately carved for a Cathedral.

I was confused as to why the railway tracks are still in place, when the cost of steel is so high! Would this not be a good income for the town of Lockeport?

Many buildings in the town have large photographs of Lockeport when it was a thriving fishing and trading town.

This photo shows the bridge we had just walked over.

The photo is on the side of the Freight Shed at the harbour.

It was a really hot day and we decided to look for a cold drink.

The Town Market definitely wins our award for the best kept non-chain grocery store. It was spotless, well laid out, and had everything you would need. The price of meat was even cheaper than our local Supermarket. It even had a little coffee shop attached with a large selection of coffees.

This chap, sitting outside the store, was pretty wet – maybe he’d been duck hunting?

This  painting on the side wall of the Market Store tells its own story.

We weren’t too sure why this place was called the  Parrot’s Pins Candlepin Cafe. Does it have a bowling alley inside, is it a play on words? We had just had a picnic at Louis Head, so were not ready for lunch.

The outside of the building is bright and well kept and its photo shows boats overloaded with cod in the days of plenty.

The Menu was exciting and we will return here soon.

Looking across from the harbour, was this green Victorian home, built by Captain Henry Locke in 1876. The Second Empire architecture is seen in the mansard roof and projecting tower.

The other house, with the 3 dormers, was built around 1836 and is the oldest remaining building in Lockeport.

Sign at Town of Lockeport Office.

Few boats are  seen in the harbour today, not like the early years.I found this description of the 1700’s fascinating.

‘Locke’s Island, and its surroundings entered a period of booming industry, with hotels, trade warehouses, and multiple fish plants being constructed. Large trade ships plied the sea lanes from Locke’s Island to the West Indies to trade lumber and salt cod, returning to the town laden with Molasses and Salt. The fishing schooners were constantly returning from the Bank’s loaded with cod. However, this golden age of the Ragged Islands would eventually come to an end, with the first of many catastrophes coming in the form of a fish market collapse in the 1890s. Subsequent fires plagued the town, and the once great community was brought to its knees.

Carter Island Lighthouse marks one of the many rocky islands in the bays.

This dory beside the old pier, is my last shot of Lockeport.

I left the town with very different feelings from my first visit. Lockeport is trying to change and make it an inviting place for tourists and visitors. By telling the story of its past, people can realise what a prosperous place it was and the reasons for the changes.

I wish the town well with their transformation and am delighted that I found another ‘special place’ in Nova Scotia.