Maritime Tour: Dropping Anchor in Lunenburg x Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia (1.5/3)

The Marcoses 2024 Provinces Series - The Maritimes (July 13-24)

Setting off to another breathtaking seaside destination in Nova Scotia, we're traveling miles by land in a rented car for our Maritime tour. Our vehicle, a sleek black Toyota that we've named Atlanta, will serve as both our shelter and transportation on this long journey. 

Next from land to shore will be two equally charming small fishing towns in Nova Scotia: Peggy's Cove village and Lunenburg. Peggy's Lighthouse in Peggy's Cove is every photographer's favorite muse, understandably so as I have seen abundant prints of the lighthouse, not one ever disappointed. On another note, not much was being said about Lunenburg, but this place was a unicorn; magical and exceeds all that is beautiful!

When they say Nova Scotia, my mind automatically fixates on going to Peggy's Cove. I’ve always been captivated by the serene presence of the lighthouse, standing beautiful and mighty atop boulders over vast water. To me, it stands as a symbol of resilience and a beacon of light, guiding those in search of home.

I have never heard of an Old Town Lunenburg, despite being a UNESCO Heritage Site, this town shouldn't have gone unnoticed in my list of places to go! If it was not for the lack of an itinerary, we would never have witnessed a town so tiny but so generous in what it has to offer. Truly, a gem of a destination that we are blessed to find!

Day 4: Peggy's Cove

We had an early start to our day, continuing our Day 4/12 of our Maritime Tour. Our first of the bucket list is my dream destination of all time (in Canada) - Peggy's Cove! The drive from downtown Halifax to Peggy's Cove took almost 2 hours. We had a nice breakfast on our way and were determined to have a nice coastal lunch, preferably around Peggy's Cove.

Peggy's Lighthouse

As written previously, lighthouse for me is a symbol of home, a guide to those who are lost in the dark. What made Peggy's Lighthouse even more captivating was the way it stood in peaceful stillness, despite the powerful waves crashing around the huge boulder where she stands. 

Peggy's Lighthouse is located in a small village of Peggy's Cove, the houses and the community are consistent in the architectural team of coastal living - colorful, chic and picturesque. It is important to note, that while the houses are picture-worthy, tourists are encouraged to be respectful and mindful as the entirety of the village is not part of the attraction. We spent half of our day exploring the rocks and taking a multitude of pictures of the lighthouse and the surroundings. The cliff-side is especially enchanting with an unrivaled view of the raging blue ocean. Caution should be exercised at all-time while exploring the rocks and keeping on track within the designated foot-path is highly encouraged. 

No ocean-side adventure would be complete without indulging in a lobster feast fresh from the Maritimes! Our lunch featured an array of lobster dishes—pasta, steamed, and rolls—devoured heartily and with great enthusiasm. 

That day, one of my dreams came true! Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse was everything I had hoped for and more. Truly a light hat never dims even on darkest days. May all the lighthouses in the world continue to illuminate our oceans so that no man will ever be afraid to follow the path of home. The day ended with a drive to Lunenburg, a small fishing town and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 5: Lunenburg, N.S. - Mini Town Tour

No road is ever too long for those who seek adventure, to the yearning hearts and the restless spirit -  the endless road that stretches all the way to the horizon is our refuge. Oh! I wish this to be true for me! I always thought that I am a gypsy in mind and spirit, but I am an annoying traveler. I overpack, I hate not being comfortable and I loathe accommodations with terrible washrooms. An overnight stay in Lunenburg post-Peggy's Cove and en route to PEI was warranted, because I am a drama queen. We stayed in a chic boutique hotel nestled among vibrant buildings, just a few steps from the port. We enjoyed an unbeatable view of the water, comfortable and cozy beds, and, most importantly, a clean washroom!

Our tour of the charming fishing town began just after sundown. The town was absolutely enchanting, particularly at night, and we couldn't wait to explore its surroundings. Scattered throughout were stunning antique places of worship, quaint shops, breweries, and historic colonial buildings that each tell a story. The port was alive with a variety of marine vessels, seagulls, and even horses!

There was so much to explore, but exhaustion from a full day of adventures at Peggy's Cove slowly caught up with us. So, we decided to turn in early.

Day 6: Full Day Excursion in Lunenburg

By sunrise, we were all refreshed and ready to dive into Day 5/12 of our Maritime tour. With plenty of excursions lined up, we were set to get both sun-kissed and sun-drunk. Before wearing our sailor hats, we needed to gobble up. Not far from the hotel was a charming dockside restaurant we'd spotted the night before, and we couldn’t wait to get seated and start the day with a mandatory serving of oysters and cocktails and coke for breakfast!

Oh! A traveller's life, no inhibitons, no restriction and unbound by the dictate of time!

Museum Tour:

What is a trip without cultural integration? The best way to learn the hsitory of a place is in a museum. We always make it a point to explore museums in all our trips.  We wanted our trip to be as informative and enriching, apprecating each place more for its story, the visual narrative comes second. I always live by my moto, no place is truly visited if a night haven't been spent and a day haven't been dedicated to exploration. Vacation cruises never met the criteria for us, therefore we have never been enthusiastic in boarding into one. Maybe, when all our curiosity of all the places we wanted to visit has been satisfied, a laid-back cruise of here and there would be a great conclusion to our nomadic dreams. For now, we will take it slow, one place at a time. 

Whale Watching turned into Seal Watching

The ocean is home to humungous and not so cute species but seal made that exception! Oh, the penny's dropped into the bottom of the cruise manager'spocket is worth our wallets sinking deep into poverty! This was a very expensive trip, they guranteed as a magnificent front-row view of the majestic leviathans of the deep, but no one has every truly prepared us for the real surprise of cute wrinkly-nose, fat, round bodies and boba jelly eyes of not one but lots and lots of itty bitty seals!!!

The entire whale watching tour felt as dull as the endless, unchanging clouds above the ocean. Aside from a few brief historical talk, there was little of note to make it stand out. The heat was stifling, the air salty, and the boat was cramped with eager whale enthusiasts. We caught glimpses of what might have been part of a whale, but nothing impressive. Thankfully, the seals came to the rescue, and all the disappointment just seemed to melt away into thier cute faces and tiny jittery flippers! The seals were just too cute to remain spicy throughout the cruise!

Sunset Cruise

A perfect way to honor the stunning sunsets of Lunenburg is to set sail on the open ocean, feel the temperature dip to a chill, and listen to the calls of sea birds heralding the night. Another fortune lost to sea as we boarded the two-masted sailboat, our pockets empty but our hearts full. This has become my favorite activity; there's something about sunsets, the ocean, and cruise that just makes you feel carefree, unburdened, and unapologetically removed from life's complexities.

Gabby gets to be a temporary captain too! She took the helm and navigate the ocean for us to enjoy the lovely sunset. Marlon was not with us during the cruise due to work commitment, it would have been so much more enjoyable to share this experience with him. It was just so sad that he has to miss this, it is easily one of the best activity in Lunenburg! 

The sunset cruise was the perfect finale to our unforgettable adventures in the charming town of Lunenburg. We didn’t mind getting toasted and salty, thirsty and feeling sticky—all that mattered was the fun of the experience! After a full day of cruising and exploring, we were famished, so we treated ourselves to a lavish dinner—lobster, shrimp, tender steak, and fragrant pilaf rice— a well-earned reward for a day filled with cute seals, sunset and adventure. It was the ideal way to end our time in Lunenburg, leaving us content and completely satisfied.

Our 5th day in the Maritmes is an epitome of coastal adventure - from the coast of Peggy's cove to the docks of Lunenburg we had a salty, sun-kissed fun! What a bliss to live near the water, entertained by the tales of seafaring folks and be reminded that life does not only flourish on land, there were others that thrives in the deep. What a bliss to ride the waves of unending curiosity only to be rewarded by the beauty of the blue ocean and the wastness of the horizon. The mountains may have envelope the world in security with rigid height and might, but the ocean has given the world freedom of space and time. May our lives navigate the creases of the world like the waters of the ocean, unwavering, yet adaptable to the changing tides. Like the sea that moves peaceful and calm or raging strong, may we answer to the challenges of life with strenght and purpose. Ultimately, may we find shore weherever we go. 

*TheMarcosesXPeggy's CoveXLunenburg/Nova Scotia*