Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Pictou, Nova Scotia- July 13, 2016

We moved from the Annapolis Valley to the Northumberland Shores to a little town of Pictou.  The 200 miles traveling northeast was mainly through the central areas of the province of Nova Scotia.  The roads were in a real serious need of repaving as the many patches were wearing out.  Most of the scenery along the route was tree covered mountains.

Pictou is a coastal town called the birthplace of New Scotland.  In 1773 a cargo ship with 179 passengers from the Scottish Highlands arrived here which began the emigration of thousands from Scotland to Canada.  We visited the Northumberland Fisheries Museum.  Three young people were minding the museum and gave us a guided tour- we were the only ones in the museum.  Pictou is one of the largest lobster fisheries in Nova Scotia so the museum had a exhibit of rare live lobsters on display- an 8 pounder, an albino, and another with 3 claws.  Fishermen catch these rare lobsters and then bring them to the museum.  In the fall when the museum closes for the season the lobsters are returned to the fishermen who then return the lobsters back to where they were caught.  There is also a fully operational lobster hatchery that after hatching and reaching the size of a large ant they are released back into the ocean.

We are camped at the Harbor Lights Campground, the cheapest campground we have been in Canada at $28.00 for the night plus we were given ice cream bars and a local newspaper when we checked in.  We have 30 amp electric, which is prevalent up here, but full hook-ups otherwise. Occasionally, we have not had sewer hook-ups but dump stations are available.   Most camping up here has been $40- $45 a night.  Prices are in Canadian currency.  At  present the exchange rate is $1.23 Canadian to $1.00 US.

Tomorrow we continue northeastward to Cape Breton.