Day 31 - Nova Scotia Fishermen: Courage & Israel

Day 31 - Murphy’s Cove - September 20, 2014 Saturday

Last night was a wonderfully relaxing time at the fire. Once the children had been fed and put to bed, I watched one episode of a TV series and then fell asleep - likely in the middle of the show. 

We all woke about 8:00 am to a bright blue sky day, and I wasn’t planning on wasting any of it, so we got up and got rolling. I had been informed that there was complimentary coffee down at the Sailor’s Rest between 7 and 10 am, so I headed down there after my shower, with my Irish Cream coffee sweetener in hand. 

On the hill down, I ran into Jody and Brandy, a couple from the campfire the night before. They asked if we were staying another day, as the previous evening I had been saying I was not sure what we were doing, but that we were looking to stay in one place in the Maritimes for at least one restful day before having to move on. 

I told them that I had asked the children and they wanted a day to play at the cove, and Jody said that was good because she heard that they were offering a free boat tour today. That surprised, but pleased me, as the conversation regarding the boat had come up at the fire, and I had mentioned that we had to pick and choose what activities we did since our road trip was so long. As I said, “Mussels is good, cause mussels is free!”  

Brian had replied that he would give me a good price on the boat tour, but in my mind I knew that any price would be too much because I really didn’t have it in the budget for six people on a tour.

The smell of bacon and eggs wafted my way as I entered the coffee room. Just like my Uncle Tony, Brian was enjoying an early repast of an English style breakfast. The next thirty minutes was spent chatting about the campsite, his family history, and how similar his facility and it’s ambience was to my own aunt and uncle’s island restaurant. 

His family has owned the property since 1776, and the campground has been in operation since 1960. Brian’s son, Ryan, shows an interest in taking over when Brian no longer wants to run it. When I told Brian that we would be staying another day as I found it to be such a wonderful place, he said that he might as well tell me something. Someone at the campground had paid for our family to take the boat tour, but they wanted to remain anonymous. I was speechless. Into my mind came the conversation on the hill, and I had a suspicion as to who our kind benefactors might be. I knew I had to honour their secrecy, but I was sure to let it be known how much we appreciated the gesture!

The boys had heard that there was crab trapping at the dock, so they came to see Brian and he set them up with a new trap. It was very simple and within minutes they had themselves crabs. They would put a small piece of wiener in the cage, let it down, and then voila, in would creep a crab. After enjoying the antics of the small creature they would release it and try again.

We met a brother and sister from Germany. They were much like our ‘au pairs’ that we have had. The sister came last year and had such a nice time at the resort that she arranged to come again this year with her brother. They are exchanging four hours of work a day for their stay. I am inclined to send my older boys out there for a wonderful summer work holiday at some point!

Murphys Cove

The Sailor's Rest 

Love the Familiarity of You Making Your Own Coffee - Just Like Savary Atmosphere

Coffee in hand, I went out to watch the boys crab, and the waves crash. It was the most relaxing place I had been, and I could truly have stayed there for two weeks. I will admit I was a wee bit envious of the people who live locally and can set up their trailers for seasonal rates. The atmosphere was something you expect to see in any seaside village, and this was all in one privately owned cove. The little house is placed in such a way that you pass it on the way into the property, and the water is on your left, and then as you crest the hill, you come down the other side and face the water once again. It reminded me of all the Enid Blyton books I had read as a child, and I could see how the stories came to be written. 

It wasn’t long before Brian came and asked me what time I might like to go out on the boat. I wasn’t bothered, but the children hadn’t eaten breakfast yet, so we agreed to meet up in twenty minutes. When we arrived back at the dock, Brandy and Jody were also there, and they assisted the kids in getting on life jackets and climbing down into the boat. I loved the little boat. Brian said he bought it for about $3800 ten years ago, but now it would be worth about $10,000. I thought it was fabulous! It had a little cabin and then an open area at the back. 

Courage Getting the Life Jackets - Right at Home!

Before We Set Off the Wind Blew My Hat in the Water

Captain Brian Taught the Children to Steer the Boat

Jody and Brandy and Courage

A Curiosity - Rocks on Top of Rocks - All Over the Place!

Captain Isaiah

Captain Ayana

Captain Song

Captain Israel

The Beautiful Sandy Beach

We headed out to sea and Brian took us around a bunch of little coves and taught the children all how to steer the boat. I even took a turn. He then showed us a wonderful little island where he drops people who want to camp. I so want to be twenty again, or wish it were the summer, because if it were, I would have stopped dead in my tracks, and the children and I would have had Brian drop us off and we would have camped for a few days there all by ourselves!! The beaches were pure white sand, and the waters were crystal clear. It made me think of Fiji or the Blue Lagoon. Can you imagine the adventure stories you would have to tell as you slept out there where there was no concern of harm? Just you and the sea and the night air! I want my older kids to take that adventure, so they can tell me what it is like!

After we had seen the lovely little island, Brandy, Jody and Brian had another surprise in store for us. Jody pulled out two fishing rods and got them all baited up. I had no clue that these were for our children! He handed one to Courage and one to Israel and set them to fishing. It wasn’t more than ten minutes before those boys were excitedly calling out that they had tugs on their lines. Things got extremely chaotic in that tiny little boat, while two boys were doing their best to work those rods. Voices were coaching, cameras were clicking, and oh my goodness, the excitement!! It wasn’t long before Courage pulled up his line, having lost one of his fish, only to find he had three fish on his rod!! Israel was next and he struggled and worked and he pulled his rod in and there before him were three more mackerel. I don’t know who was more excited! 

The Boys Fishing

Look at That Exertion on Courage's Face! 

Israel's Pleasure!

Here They Come!

Hitting Some Rocky Seas and Big Sprays

Song and Isaiah Keeping Warm on the Hot Pipe

Six Lively Mackerel

Cleaning the Fish

The Nightly Communal Fire Pit

Israel Making Lunch With His Fish

We are ever so grateful to the kindness of absolute strangers as they made our holiday something to remember!  When we got back Jody helped the boys learn how to gut and fillet their little fish, and then after breading them with flour, salt and pepper, they were lightly fried in olive oil and truly enjoyed!

If I ever have a chance to get back to the Maritimes, Murphy’s Cove is the campground we will definitely return to!

The View From the Campsite on One Side

From the "Other Side" Up

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