The name "Vinland" refers to a location that many historians tell us was another location on North America where the Norsemen sailed and landed and camped . While we have all heard about the L'Anse aux Meadows Viking site in Newfoundland , we don't hear much about the possibility there was also a landing site and a stay or campment on Cape Breton and that may have been in the Margaree valley .
On September 22, 2012 , there was a "symposium" held in Belle Cote , where several speakers came to tell their story and why they believe the Margaree River area is very likely "Vinland" . Where the Vikings camped on Cape Breton !!!!
One speaker was Murdena Marshall, a Mi'kmag historian from Eskasoni . She stunned everyone when she told them about a game she has that belonged to her Grandfathers Grandmother. It is a large wooden platter style of item , with a type of dice and sticks . She had students visit her from Finland a few years ago and just as they were about to leave , one of the students notices the wooden platter game board and tells her that they have a game just like that in Finland . Makes you wonder.
The world wide web is loaded with information , and a good place to start is wikipedia
at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinland.
This Margaree Trail has a history that dates back to the early settlers of Canada. There are families all over the world with roots from Cape Breton and the villages along the Margaree Trail.
Time is running out as every decade that goes by , we loose some of the history because it just doesn't get "documented" or "recorded".
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
The Margaree Trail information center
We have a lovely Visitor Information/Tourist Bureau at Margaree Forks , just a wee bit past the intersection of Route 19 and the Cabot Trail.
Anyone travelling the Cabot Trail should stop in here to get good advice on just what you can do in the Margarees, advice on where to find the "crafters" and quilters , the best home made meals , the best music , the best beaches and hiking , and anything local.
The Margaree area is really a rather unique destination, every village has something to offer . It's a great location for extended stays, staycations , especially for those who like to get back to nature and the out doors. Your kids can roam and play and swim in the river or the ocean while you rest all day long .
A campfire by the river ,the lake or the ocean will be a lovely memory event .
Either on the ocean at Margaree Harbour and Belle Cote , on the river at East Margaree ,Margaree Forks , North East Margaree , Margaree Center or on the three known as Lake O'law.
The various villages along this Margaree Trail all have uniqueness. There are a variety of B&B's cottages, inns, motels and resort like facilities. History buffs can find their family roots and traces of Scottish, Irish, British and French ( Acadian) history by just walking several historic cemeteries dating back to the 1700's.
This area happens to have several things that are rather world famous . The Margaree River is known throughout the world for its trout and salmon fishing . The "fathers" of the cooperative movement ,priests known as Father Coady and Father Tompkins grew up in the Margaree and there is a library ,and a bit of a history collection, in their name. We also have ladies that have a world audience for their quilts or their clay pottery , or their hooked rugs.
Music , that Cape Breton fast fiddle style , is found at several venues and several family names have had a history of producing musicians , names like Chisholm, a new generation of that same family, named Crowley.
Anyone travelling the Cabot Trail should stop in here to get good advice on just what you can do in the Margarees, advice on where to find the "crafters" and quilters , the best home made meals , the best music , the best beaches and hiking , and anything local.
The Margaree area is really a rather unique destination, every village has something to offer . It's a great location for extended stays, staycations , especially for those who like to get back to nature and the out doors. Your kids can roam and play and swim in the river or the ocean while you rest all day long .
A campfire by the river ,the lake or the ocean will be a lovely memory event .
Practically every accommodation and dining location is ON THE WATER.
Either on the ocean at Margaree Harbour and Belle Cote , on the river at East Margaree ,Margaree Forks , North East Margaree , Margaree Center or on the three known as Lake O'law.
The various villages along this Margaree Trail all have uniqueness. There are a variety of B&B's cottages, inns, motels and resort like facilities. History buffs can find their family roots and traces of Scottish, Irish, British and French ( Acadian) history by just walking several historic cemeteries dating back to the 1700's.
This area happens to have several things that are rather world famous . The Margaree River is known throughout the world for its trout and salmon fishing . The "fathers" of the cooperative movement ,priests known as Father Coady and Father Tompkins grew up in the Margaree and there is a library ,and a bit of a history collection, in their name. We also have ladies that have a world audience for their quilts or their clay pottery , or their hooked rugs.
Music , that Cape Breton fast fiddle style , is found at several venues and several family names have had a history of producing musicians , names like Chisholm, a new generation of that same family, named Crowley.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
The seagull side of the Margaree Trail
When people travel around Nova Scotia , we often notice that they are just going through our many seaside villages far too fast . Maybe they just don't have the time to take to explore , but then they'll miss many little gems.
One gem many miss is taking the 5-15 minutes to "drive down to the wharf" or "stop at the lighthouse".
Now, all wharves may look the same , but in real life every one is different .
It's a bit like our light houses, every one is different .
Anyway, on the Margaree Trail , it is the Margaree River that is a focal point and next where the river joins the ocean.
Now , don't get confused here by place names . At the mouth of the harbour, on the South side is the village of Margaree Harbour ;
then on the North side is the village of Belle Cote.
The wharf is actually located in Belle Cote but when referred to on maps and tide charts and in travel articles it is often call the "Margaree wharf " or the "Margaree Harbour wharf " , seldom the "Belle Cote wharf". Odd , because usually the wharf name matches the village location .
Anyway, you just remember , to get to this lovely wharf and see these gulls , you travel on the Belle Cote Beach Road,off the Cabot Trail , opposite the Old Belle Cote Road .
Chicks at about 4-5 days
A chick less than a week old
Chicks at about 7 days
Now at this wharf, there is a large seagull nesting area. So every year in early June , the chicks are born and in just a week or so they grow from a little fluffy ball to about the size of a robin . There are also terns and geese that nest in the same area .
A bit of history
Now , here is a photo of how this wharf area used to look in the early 1950's showing what some would call the "fishermen's village" .
These are the fishermen's shanties .
These buildings were about 10 to 12 feet wide and maybe 16-20 feet long . these would have had had bunks for two people at least , a wood stove , table and chairs , maybe a sink .
At one time , in the 1800's to early 190's , in the horse and buggy era , the village of Belle Cote was on the hillside over two miles away , so the fishermen basically left home for the week and lived in these shanties at the wharf .
One gem many miss is taking the 5-15 minutes to "drive down to the wharf" or "stop at the lighthouse".
Now, all wharves may look the same , but in real life every one is different .
It's a bit like our light houses, every one is different .
Anyway, on the Margaree Trail , it is the Margaree River that is a focal point and next where the river joins the ocean.
Now , don't get confused here by place names . At the mouth of the harbour, on the South side is the village of Margaree Harbour ;
then on the North side is the village of Belle Cote.
The wharf is actually located in Belle Cote but when referred to on maps and tide charts and in travel articles it is often call the "Margaree wharf " or the "Margaree Harbour wharf " , seldom the "Belle Cote wharf". Odd , because usually the wharf name matches the village location .
Anyway, you just remember , to get to this lovely wharf and see these gulls , you travel on the Belle Cote Beach Road,off the Cabot Trail , opposite the Old Belle Cote Road .
A nest of three
Now at this wharf, there is a large seagull nesting area. So every year in early June , the chicks are born and in just a week or so they grow from a little fluffy ball to about the size of a robin . There are also terns and geese that nest in the same area .
A bit of history
Now , here is a photo of how this wharf area used to look in the early 1950's showing what some would call the "fishermen's village" .
These are the fishermen's shanties .
These buildings were about 10 to 12 feet wide and maybe 16-20 feet long . these would have had had bunks for two people at least , a wood stove , table and chairs , maybe a sink .
At one time , in the 1800's to early 190's , in the horse and buggy era , the village of Belle Cote was on the hillside over two miles away , so the fishermen basically left home for the week and lived in these shanties at the wharf .
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Lobster Time - Margaree Harbour 2012
May 1 is the traditional day that lobster season starts . In 2012 it was delayed a day to May 2 due to bad weather . These photos are showing a bit of the preparation work involved. The traps get hauled to the wharf , and every boat has their spot . If you look closely you will see square traps and the older curved style .
Each trap has to have a line of rope that then connects to another rope as they'll set their traps by joining several traps into a line and then there is a buoy at each end .
The traps are loaded on the boats very carefully so as to "balance" the weight and to not overload.
We always see the first day of Lobster season as the beginning of the nicest part of Spring .
Safe sailing, or as some say , safe "steaming".
The lobster season is from May 1 to June 30 for the area that includes boats from the Margaree Harbour wharf in Belle Cote to the western tip of Northern Cape Breton .
Depending on the wharf , the boats will arrive with catches usually between 11 a.m and 2 p.m ;
they'll leave port every morning starting around 4 a.m.
Its tough work, a trap gains weight as the water penetrates the wood over the season so say a dry trap is 30 pounds, after a few days in the water that trap will be 60-70 pounds .
If you go to a wharf to visit , always give the fishermen their space to work.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Eagle on the prowl along the coast
They'll usually do their "fishing" along the river in the morning and in the evening.
They'll also come to the ocean coast to do some of their fishing and that can be at any time of the day .
This fellow is a fairly large one.
These pictures were taken this October the day after a storm and was taken from maybe a distance of 200 feet.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The Fall colours of the Margaree Trail
The stage of the colours will also vary depending on whether you are inland or travelling along the coast or what we call "up in the highlands". These three photos are taken inland . Along the coast , the colours have started to fade . They'll only last through one more wind or one more heavy rain .
We all like to know when to tell people to come and visit to see the colours in their "prime". This is very hard to predict , but from October 1 to 10 seems to be a pretty good window , but this year right up the the 20th has been good.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Water , water everywhere
The "Ocean"
The ocean coast along Route 219 and the Cabot Trail gives you ocean in many ways . You have the four beaches , namely Chimney Corner , Whale Cove , Margaree Harbour and Belle Cote . You have the place names of Chimney Corner , Margaree Harbour, Belle Cote and Terre Noire .
You have the lighthouses , gift shops , artisants studios , stores and dining , but also a working wharf at the end of the Belle Cote Beach Road .
And this is one of the few locations on Cape Breton Island where you are looking at sunsets on the ocean horizon with no obstructions !!!
The Rivers
First , there is the Margaree River which begins way inland and flows out to the GULF of St. Lawrence at Margaree Harbour (on the South side) and Belle Cote on the North side , and along the way it brings in the South West Margaree river at Margaree Forks that begins in Lake Ainslie . This river system is famous for it's trout and salmon fishing . Also great for a canoe or kayak trip , as you have over 20 miles of river , you can then opt to go onto the ocean and browse the coastline
The Lakes
There is the Lake o' law on the Cabot Trail as you enter the Margaree valley travelling from Baddeck (the Clockwise Cabot trail route) ;
Next is Lake Ainslie which is on Route 395 that comes to the Margaree River Valley from the Trans Canada 105 route by turning left at Whycocomagh.
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