The Maritimes, 1975

Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia (1975)


I'm taking Marian and Brenna camping in the Maritimes for two weeks in August.

I only visited Canada's Atlantic coast once when I was 11. I remember driving past apple orchards in the Annapolis Valley. Mom's youngest sister, Nancy, lived there. Her husband was stationed at the army base. Cousin Jim was a few months younger than me. I had to run everywhere to keep up with him at Kejimkujik National Park. We canoed and found a Blanding's turtle.

Uncle Jack was later transferred to St. John's, so cousins Jim and Tracy developed Newfie accents. I haven't seen them since that summer of '75.

There was an outbreak of caterpillars. Everywhere in the forest they hung dangling on silk threads. On Cape Breton it rained. I bought a Highland pin with a glass jewel and feathers.

I don't remember the Bay of Fundy.

On Prince Edward Island we visited Green Gables. Multi-coloured lupines filled the ditches; Mom had never seen them before and brought seeds back home, but they never took.

I best remember North Rustico, where we camped and boiled lobster. I built red sand castles on the beach. At dusk we saw a young couple digging for clams.