Camping in Nova Scotia

Taking advantage of the ‘Atlantic Bubble’ we took a three day break to Nova Scotia with a car full of camping gear. Online registration was a breeze and passing through the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia checkpoints was equally so. We made our customary stop for brunch at the Irving Big Stop in Aulac and motored south towards Halifax.

After three and a half hours we reached King Neptune Campground at Indian Harbour. We selected the same pitch as last year and were fully set up in forty-five minutes. The camp site is simple but pleasant and mostly stacked with RVs and trailers. We were one of only half a dozen tenters.

The weather was hot and humid by day and rather chilly by night, ranging from 25C to 12C across three days. As is our custom we scrambled all across the several kilometres of granite coastline around Polly Cove and several hours of exertion and blazing sun set us up nicely for a campfire and an early night.

We lit great fires each night and watched the setting sun turn the sky shades of yellow and orange. With zero light pollution the starry night was spectacular and made getting up to answer the call of nature in the small hours an event! Sometimes during the night hours we heard a deep reverberating blast way off in the distance, not unlike a snore but coming about once a second. We pondered the possible origins and were fascinated to learn from our local friend Mimmi Henriksen that we were hearing dolphins blowing as they swam through feeding grounds.

We took a hike across the Peggy’s Cove site too and shook our heads at those edging way too close to the surging water by the treacherous black rocks. The lighthouse is a great sight but one we probably didn’t need to see on a busy Labour Day weekend when visitors were out in force. Much more satisfying was our hike on the trails near West Dover, a short drive east. From one peak in the hills we could see right out to sea. Inland there were spectacular residences cut into granite slopes, one with a seaplane moored alongside.

All too soon our adventure drew to a close and as we made breakfast on our final morning we surveyed the site to find only four pitches out of sixty-five remained occupied; a mass exodus had taken place after the holiday weekend and in time for the first day of school, resuming after a six month break.