A Change in Plans

South Shore Breaker - June 22, 2016 - A change in plans

We’ve all had those days that we thought would go a certain way, and then life chooses to throw us a curve ball and we end up having a completely different day than planned. We had one of those days just a short while ago. Weather forecasts were for all day rain, so we planned to get the things done around the house that tend to add up and not get done during the good weather season.

I glanced out the window after a morning of computer work, and there was blue sky and shining sun. I decided that it wasn’t a day to stay inside after all, and proposed an unexpected trip further down the South Shore. Half an hour later, we had the dogs organized, camera equipment loaded and were headed down the road. Despite the weather forecast, sunny blue skies were our companion for the full two hour drive. A quick debate decided that it was time to visit West Pubnico, where we enjoyed a mid afternoon lunch at Dennis Point Café. Their special of the day was parmesan haddock, a light batter on the freshest fish you can find...after all, it comes from the wharf right across the street. We both ordered the special. I opted for the conscience easing side salad, and my husband chose the home cut fries. The only disappointment was that they had just sold their last piece of coconut cream pie. It’s our mission to find the best coconut cream in Nova Scotia (we set lofty goals for ourselves), and the home made pie at Dennis Point is our favourite so far. We were told that the pies are made on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so we made a mental note to return on one of those days in the future.

fishing boats at Dennis Point Wharf

Aside from the food, it’s a pleasure to sit and listen to the local fishermen. Their conversations in both French and English gave us a sense of being away on vacation, even if wewere just a short drive from home. We had a nice talk with a retired lobster fisherman, who told us that "back in the day" a good catch for the year was 10,000 pounds. He told us that now the average catch each season is 200,000 pounds per boat. I have no idea if these numbers are true or not, but it sounds impressive. The Dennis Point Wharf is home to over 100 vessels and is Atlantic Canada’s busiest fishing port. Lobster season is over and the new season starts again at the end of November so the wharf was filled with boats and lots of photo opportunities. Not only the boats, but also the colourful buoys and nets are always a treat for someone with a camera.

buoys, ropes, and nets around the wharf are always interesting subjects to photograph

When we were leaving the restaurant, my husband mentioned to the waitress that we were on our way to Cape Sable Island to visit the beach at The Hawk. She asked if we ever went to Stoney Island Beach, and explained how to get there. This beach isn’t marked on the tourism map, or in the Atlantic Canada Back Road Atlas. As far as we could tell, there were no road signs either. It’s a constant amazement to me that a province driven by tourism doesn’t promote it’s natural wonders more. The beach is long and sandy and very beautiful. 
 
Mindful of the nesting piping plovers, we kept the dogs away from the dunes. The beaches of Cape Sable Island are home to about 20% of Nova Scotia’s piping plovers. Because their numbers are so small, they are classified as endangered. We have seen them at The Hawk, but didn’t see any on this outing. We did keep the dogs from the dunes, but we didn’t manage to keep one of them away from a huge dead fish. Our dog Charlie spent some joy filled minutes rolling on the fish before we could lure him away.

pausing to reflect on the beauty of the surroundings on Stoney Point Beach

It took us over an hour to walk the full beach and back, with just us and our dogs alone on the beach. Several other beachcombers and walkers joined us on the beach towards the end of our walk. There aren’t too many places in the world that are as beautiful where you can feel absolutely alone enjoying the wonders of nature.

We ended our excursion by fortifying ourselves with ice cream before the drive back home. I’m sure those calories will stay away from my hips after all that beach walking! Our day didn’t turn out as we planned, but my oh my, what a day it was. We’ll have to make some difficult decisions when we travel to Cape Sable Island in the future...which beautiful beach walk to take? But that’s a focus for another day.

beachcombers behind the dunes at Stoney Point Beach