10 Outdoor Winter Activities in NS

It's early January and already I'm shack wacky. Even though I am getting lots of fresh air as I train for The Hypothermic Half Marathon, I still want to "do" something. For the last couple days I've been suffering a mild case of writers block. A few months ago I was bursting with ideas on things to blog about. Now it's January and I'm not even inspired to clean the kitchen floor (okay, I'm never inspired to do that). I blame it on the January blahs. So, to help me shake out of it, I got a hair cut. Somewhere between the pungent smell of hair dye and purring like cat with someone playing with my hair, a thought popped into my head - write about how to get the "ick" out of January.

10 Activities to Get The "ick" Out of January- in no particular order:

1. Outdoor Photography
Yes, at this time of year we curse the ice and snow but before you reach for that shovel and ice pick, discover the beauty in the white stuff. Take a picture of it. Get close-up, and zoom in on an icicle.

The Photographic Guild of Nova Scotia motivates its members and guests with seminars, workshops and field trips for all levels of shutterbugs. Their next field trip is January 25th (Eagle Watching in Sheffield Mills).

2. Eagle Watching
January and February are the best months for viewing eagles and the Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch is where you'll be guaranteed some action. This annual event runs Jan. 24 - 25, 2009 and Jan. 31 - Feb. 1, 2009 and is in its 18th year. Near Kentville, this community comes alive with eagle watchers. There are lots of viewing areas so bring your camera a knock off items #1 and #2 from this list.

3. Snowshoeing
If you can walk, you can snowshoe. Follow these handy tips and get ready to burn a lot of calories with this safe, low impact sport. Thanks to technological improvements from the cumbersome wooden variety, you can choose to do a leisurely stroll or a full out sprint.

Snowshoeing in Guysborough is easy. Just sign out a pair of snowshoes (they're free) from the Guysborough Fitness Centre and then explore around the grounds of the Osprey Shores Golf Resort. I'm also told that snowshoeing is fabulous on Five Islands Provincial Park's hiking trails. While the park is officially closed for the season, no one minds if you strap on your shoes. Be safe!
For more info:
Nova Scotia trails (maintained during winter)

4. Winter Surfing
Watch them, cheer them on while standing firmly with hot chocolate in hand from the beach. This is really something to see and at Lawrencetown beach is where you'll find these brave people. Hot tub dude?
Click on the image to watch a winter surfing video (January 4th, 2009)
For more info:
Scotia Surfer
Surf Nova Scotia

5. Geo caching
Geocaching is an outdoor high-tech treasure hunting game by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches (with "treasures" inside), and then share your experiences online. If you take a treasure, you must leave one for the next person. Did you know that Nova Scotia’s first cache was also the first in Canada? Placed: Jun 18th, 2000. Today, there are 709,820 active geocaches around the world. Wow.
For more info:
Maritime Geocaching Association
Stonehame Lodge and Chalets-Weekend Geocaching Packages

6. Winter Camping
Grab your wool, polypropylene, hydrophobic, Polarguard, Hollofil, Quallofil, Primaloft, Microloft, Thinsulate, pile and fleece and do good research before you set out.
Kejimkujik National Park offers wonderful sites in Jeremy's Bay and has four warm-up shelters. In the backcountry, 8 campsites and 2 backcountry cabins are available. Call the Visitor Centre (open on weekends) for more information and backcountry reservations (1-902-682-2772). Get inspired by watching an episode of Survivor Man.

7. Sliding
I'm usually corrected when I say "coasting" but I grew up saying it on the Eastern Shore. Must be a Maritime saying. Whatever you call it, it really gets the heart rate up. It's self-explanatory, find a hill, get on something that slides and go. While it's not wise to wear suede, it sure is fun.

There are too many hills to name but for a thrill, slide down the steep hills at Fort Anne in Annapolis Royal. What a rush.

Chedabucto Bay also calls tobogganing "coasting" (so there!) and a hill curving down to a dock in Mussel Cove is a local popular spot. No need to bring your own, as a guest at the DesBarres Manor Inn you'll be provided with your own slider or coaster (whatever you call it). Nuff said.

8. Dog Sledding
Long before there were airplanes and snowmobiles, dog sled dogs were once one of the main methods of transportation in the Arctic regions. There is a lot of coordination in dog sledding. All dogs must run approximately the same velocity and be about the same size as the dog to their lateral position. Mushers have to be in good physical shape and carry tasty rewards for the dogs.

Simple sled dog commands:
"Mush!" -- Let's Go
"Gee!" -- Turn Right
"Haw!" -- Turn Left
"Whao!" -- Slow or Stop
"On by!" -- Straight Ahead
Click on the video to see one persons first dog sledding adventure in Cape Breton.
For more info:
Guided dog sledding tours in Cape Breton

9. Skiing
What's your style? Downhill or Cross Country or Snowboard? These activities will get your cheeks red and give you a good nights sleep.

For more info:
Ski Martock
Ski Wentworth
Cross Country Ski Areas in Nova Scotia

10. Ice Fishing
Handy check-list:
Power Auger- check
Fishing rod- check
Fishing hut- check
Fish finder- check (hey, isn't that cheating?)
No matter, there's smelt and trout to be found in the cold water.
For more info
Canada Adventures Guide (they do hut rentals)

More winter activity ideas:
Bay of Fundy Tourism
Winter in Nova Scotia
Authentic Seacoast
novascotia.com Winter Packages

It's your turn, what are YOUR 10 outdoor winter activities!

The Rusty Anchor- Pleasant Bay, Cape Breton

While traveling the windy, twisting road of the Cabot Trail, I was 100% focused. Well, maybe 99.9%. The other .01% was focused on my stomach, and the gurgling sounds emerging from therein. It was lunch time, and I was hungry. We decided to stop at the top of the hill at a restaurant with a sunny deck overlooking the water; The Rusty Anchor, in Pleasant Bay.

There's nothing rusty about this place. The food is inventive and fresh. I was debating on a simple bowl of chowder when the lobster roll caught my eye. The menu described that it was fresh Nova Scotia lobster 'without the work". When I asked the server about this unusual description, she nonchalantly mentioned that their roll had been written up in the May/June '05 edition of National Geographic Traveller. She's a great sales lady, that server, cause I said "sold."

Honestly, I think prefer the Anchor's twist on this roll better than the classic lobster roll mix-not that I'd ever turn that down! The lobster meat wasn't in flake form, but in big pieces off the claw. Instead of the usual mix of mayo, onions and celery, this roll, featuring the naked lobster with just a hint of melted butter, truly showcased the sweet meat. My choice of coleslaw over fries was a sound one too, as the spicy cabbage made for a good crunch.

Our visit to the Rusty Anchor proved to be a great choice. We had fresh, original food, great service, and a fantastic view. On a sunny deck, with my lobster roll nicely put away, I was on top of a mountain, and feelin' on top of the world.

The Red Shoe Pub

The Red Shoe pub is certainly one of the busiest, and probably THE most popular eatery in Cape Breton. What is it about this place? There must be something in the water here; you can't turn around without tripping over a musician. The two sweet boys behind the bar were fiddlers and guitarists, whose cousins were musicians, whose siblings were musicians, and, well you get the point.

We weren't famished so we decide to split an order of The Red Shoe's nachos. These aren't your regular nachos however. The base of this dish was deep fried, waffle cut potatoes, a lovely alternative to tortilla chips. These were topped with spicy seasoned beef, sweet peppers and onions, all nestled beneath a melted three-cheese layer. They were served with sour cream and salsa $9.50.

The name 'The Red Shoe Pub' came from a tune by Cape Breton fiddler Dan Rory after local shoe-maker Angus McEachern coloured a pair of his shoes red with Sherwin-Williams paint. The story behind the name emphasizes the community's abundant history and its colourful citizens. The Red Shoe does have a certain old time atmosphere, but the tunes, the food and the staff are all up to snuff.

The pub's entertainment schedule is available online at
http://www.redshoe.com/

The Red Shoe Pub
11573 Route 19
Mabou, NS

902.945.2996
Open June 1st to mid-October

Devil's Falls, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

One of my favourite places in Nova Scotia is located on an off-the-beaten-track trail, located near New Boston in Cape Breton. It's a place I like to go to when I just want to sit and relax.

Known as the New Boston Falls among my family, Devil's Falls is a sight to behold after a lot of rain. It's also beautiful to see in the Fall, when the leaves have started to change colours.

A note of caution, though; be careful if you want to take photos from the base of the falls - the hill is very steep and slipery!

Louisbourg National Historic Site, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia(Laura - Part 2 of 8)

My friend Laura took these great shots during the Louisbourg Encampment (July 25-27). You can see the lone French captain in dark blue, and all the British invaders encroaching on him. I just love this shot in the fog, because it really makes the event seem real to me.

The Louisbourg National Historic Site put on this encampment as part of the 250^th anniversary of the second siege. During the second siege the British took over from the French. This is when the fortress was destroyed back in mid-1700s.

Today, you can visit this magnificently restored fortress in Cape Breton from May to October. Depending on the day, the French or the British may be in power, but you will be sure to experience how these fort dwellers lived in the early 1700s.

This second shot was taken from across the harbour and featured the modern-day Louisbourg Lighthouse. It's the fourth lighthouse built on this site, and you can see the ruins of the other three if you look closely. This working lighthouse site is oldest in North America.

Nova Scotia Bloggers

After a fantastic weekend at my cottage, I flew to Calgary for the Online Revealed Conference. This tourism web strategy conference has been a great opportunity for me to connect with some experienced bloggers from beautiful Nova Scotia:

On her Bay of Fundy Blog, Terri McCulloch explores the rich culture and experience available along the shores of the Bay of Fundy. The Bay is home to the highest tides in the world, delicious seafood restaurants, whale watching adventures, breathtaking hiking trails, and so much more.

On his Hike the Highlands Festival Blog Tom Wilson provides oodles of multimedia rich stories and discoveries from previous festivals. You can also find tips and information of everything from bird watching, to hiking, to nordic walking, to waterfalls. The Hike the Highlands Festival is a Nova Scotia Signature Festival you don't want to miss this September.