We have been struggling to just get away this year. Last year, motivated in part by my cancer treatments, we made plans and mostly stuck to them. We took several overnight trips, spent two weeks exploring Iceland, followed up by a bout of Covid, then an almost two week camping trip. I was still undergoing a treatment, not realizing how deeply it was sapping my energy. Looking back, it was a recovery year in ways I hadn’t anticipated.
This year, life got busier. In June, I started a Masters in Creative Nonfiction (creative writing), while Scott spent much of April, May, and June getting our old house ready for its new occupants—a massive renovation project that took time and energy. All this meant that July was nearly over before we finally got out camping.
Our van has seen better days—at least inside. After years as a construction vehicle, everything in the back needs a little love. After all the delays, we finally made it out.
Getting a campsite on weekends in this part of Nova Scotia during tourist season is almost impossible unless you’ve booked in advance, so we opt for boondocking. We decided to check out the coast southeast of Shelburne, closer to Yarmouth, somewhere we’d never really explored.
Our first lunch stop wasn’t a win—horse flies that bite. Instead, we continued along in our explorations and found ourselves at a lovely picnic area under the Baccaro Point Lighthouse. It is clearly labelled “no camping” so we wouldn’t be spending the night. It was perfect for lunch and an impromptu nap. We had no agenda, just relaxation. On the same peninsula as the lighthouse is the Canadian Coastal Radar Site Barrington, a huge cold-war era radar station. The dome is massive. I had not seen one up close before. I love the textured shapes that make up the dome. The scale is hard to grasp. We can confirm it is clearly visible from the beaches on Cape Sable Island, further south.
After our naps, and a few Cali ball chases, we made our way to Cape Sable Island (not Sable Island with the wild horses—Cape Sable Island is accessible by causeway). The east side of the island boasts incredible beaches. We parked and walked about 2km, barely making it to the point connecting the beach with another.
The Atlantic wasn’t warm enough for a swim unless you fancy a chilly dip.
Cali loved the beach but not so much the post-beach shower! This is what she had to say:
In the afternoon sun, my adventure on the beach began with a dash across the sands, my tail wagging with pure joy. The air was filled with possibilities, and nothing could dampen my spirits. Not even the ball that my humans thought would capture my attention.
Between each sprint after the ball, my nose caught the scent of something extraordinary—an old deer carcass. I couldn’t resist the allure and dove right in, eagerly rolling around, trying to absorb as much of the delightful stink into my fur as I could.
Off I ran again, chasing the ball, sand flying from beneath my paws, but soon, I was distracted by another scent—the distinct aroma of fresh dog droppings left on the shore. Once again, I indulged, ensuring my fur was imbued with the unmistakable essence of beach treasures.
Another brilliant toss of the ball and I was galloping across the sand, though the lure of something truly special stopped me in my tracks. It was an unfortunately fragrant dead seal, and I rolled over it with glee, savouring every moment and making sure the delightful smell clung to me.
My human, “Mom” or Awesome Becky, as I like to call her, decided it was time for a rinse. To my dismay, she guided me back to the waves, hoping to use the ocean to wash away the exquisite mixtures of aromas I’d collected. But I didn’t appreciate this part of the day one bit! The water was cold, and as she made me stand while she worked to wipe away my glorious perfume with determination, I couldn’t help but feel a bit indignant.
Despite my best efforts, the ball soon became my focus again. It landed with a splash in the surf, and I couldn’t resist the urge to chase it, paddling in the chilly water to retrieve it. My fur, soaked and heavy, swayed with each step as I carried the ball back to Becky, my spirit unbroken, even though my aroma was considerably diminished.
Unfortunately, the ocean rinse off was not enough to make Cali van ready – I was not about to live in a small vehicle with a dead animal stinky dog! Luckily, we have a shower of sorts to rinse her off. Unfortunately, it didn’t over winter well – something we missed on one of the construction winters past – so I ended up using the bike pump constantly to maintain enough pressure while Scott rinsed Cali. It worked well enough, but something else to add to the list of things that needs repairing in the van.
That night, a cool ocean breeze kept the van perfect for sleeping. We slipped into “stealth camping” mode—no chairs out, no awning, just quiet seaside rest. We had a great night’s sleep.
The next day after a lazy start, we swapped lighthouses for windmills and headed for the trail at West Pubnico wind farm. Up close, the turbines are unreal in scale—the swooshing sound and endless rotation fascinating to watch and hear. I’ve seen windmills before, but never from directly below one. I don’t think I’d enjoy spending too much time in with the constant swooshing sounds. Scott didn’t think it was any worse than being in the flight path of a runway (were we lived in California.
Because it was Sunday, we scored a site right on the lake at Ellenwood Provincial Park park (tip: the lakeside sites give you direct access to the lake for water play). I dove in for a swim; Cali wasn’t a fan of the tannic water—she couldn’t see the bottom, which made her nervous. When I swam, the lake was so dark I lost sight of body parts. I couldn’t see the bottom in 2 feet of water. The chilly water left my skin tingling—one of the joys of wild swimming I look forward to every summer.
I attempted a shower in the comfort station, but found only scalding water—so I rinsed off by the tap and declared myself “camping clean.” As the day faded at Ellenwood, the haunting calls of loons echoed over the water—a true sign of summer.
In the morning we awoke to a very orange sun–a result of a high layer of wildfire smoke from the fires out west.
Packing up and doing dishes, with Cali here with us, the dishes get “cali clean” which makes it much easier to wash them! She is such a helpful puppy. It almost makes up for rolling in stinky stuff!
Overall, it was a lovely two night getaway – something we hope to do more of this summer.
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