Nova Scotia surf Hurricane Igor

Posted on 10/10/2010 at 04:17 pm by Nanci Boutet Viewed 1,820 times | 3 comments

Last year, our friends Pete Hansen, Crystal Rose Thomas and Niels VanWijk bought some land in Nova Scotia. Pete, Crystal and I have been planning a trip up there all summer. My husband just finished riding his BMW R1200GS through Quebec, Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and PEI, so he couldn't get away. After surfing Friday morning in Kennebunk for a pre-Igor session, I headed up to Camp Manitou in Oakland to pick up my friends for the drive North. We loaded up the truck and drove six hours to Saint Andrews, New Brunswick to stay at our friend Maureen Dow's place on Clamshell Lane near Chamcook. It sure was nice to have a warm soft place to sleep without arriving at 3:00 A.M. (as we usually do). Thanks Mahhhreen!

 

Saturday morning we called Bernie Schelew, our friend from Halifax to ask where we should meet him for an afternoon surf. We rendezvoused in the Lawrencetown Beach area and checked a couple of spots before deciding on a right pointbreak. We parked at Bernie's friends house and walked down to the water for a session.

We surfed a few hours but Igor wasn't showing much yet. It was pretty mushy and a few locals weren't happy to see us, so we left. We drove to Bernie and Theresa's beautiful new farm out in Annapolis Valley.

They are horse people and this farm is heaven for horses. We had a scrumptious BBQ some great conversation with lots of trading stories of surfing the far corners of the Earth. We stayed the night in the lap of luxury. Pete and Crystal in the spare room and I was in the loft. Another great hook up!

 

Sunday Morning we woke before dawn (it was easy for me, because I ended up on the couch: the loft's air mattress had a leak) and headed Southeast. When we got close to the coast we checked for surf. We found a great "reef-beachbreak" that was facing the wind beautifully.

But it was SO crowded. Eight people out.

 

We were foaming at the mouth coming down the hill. It was head high to a little overhead and peeling left. It looked peaky, but the rights were mostly closeouts. We suited up and headed out. The "crowd" was GREAT. Friendly and nice. What a joy. Great surf and great vibe. Pete  was sitting at the main peak getting some bombs and getting bombed. I was sitting over to the left “swing peak” and having a blast. The crowd was switching up with folks going in and paddling out, but everyone was nice.  We packed up, drove South to the check in to our cabin and unpack our bags (funny how quickly you get tired of digging through your luggage looking for stuff). The cabin was a two bedroom place with a “kitchen” we were supposed to have an oven, but it turned out to have a convection toaster oven type thing that was nearly useless. We were supposed to have wireless too, but that was if you went to the office.

 

Monday morning we headed North to the same spot. We checked a few spots along the way, but we pretty much knew we’d be surfing the same place we surfed Sunday. It was a little bigger than Sunday and no one was even there.  We suited up in our hooded suits to account for the clouds, wind and size. It was probably head and a half high.

We paddled out and got wave after fun wave. It was big enough to be fun but not scary. We could see other potential spots breaking nearby but we were pretty happy with our little chilly paradise. I had to get out after about an hour and a half because my hands were numb. Pete got some great ones before the tide got too full. We stopped at the cabin for lunch. Pete and Crystal grabbed grubby clothes and the tools. They worked most of the afternoon just setting the line and Crystal set about searching for the survey pin along the shoreline. When Pete and Crystal came back form the lot, Pete and I went to search out a spot Pete had a hunch about. We turned in to a dirt road and parked the truck where there was a cable blocking further vehicular traffic. Pete and I got out and started hiking along the road. There were several lots for sale and we could tell we were walking parallel to the shore. After about two or three miles we bushwacked to the shore. What we found was exactly what we were looking for. Long, perfect, peeling lefts. Big ones. We could see two guys surfing off the point about a half a mile away. It looked to be more than double overhead.

 

Tuesday morning we packed up early and headed North again. It was pretty big, probably at least double overhead!  We checked the other spots along the way, but ended up at the same spot that we surfed Sunday again. Just Pete and I. Crystal stayed onshore and took photos (thanks Crystal Rose). It was so amazing to have such a beautiful spot to ourselves. The paddle out was pretty easy, except getting in where you had to plan for the shore break dumpers. Pete paddled right over to the main peak and I stayed off to the consistently open left peak.

Pete gurgled a bit of water, but he got some friggin’ monsters! I got some that were plenty scary for me, but after all is said and done, I wish I’d gone over for at least one beating.

 

We surfed for a couple of hours and it was spectacular. Pete got several set waves that were perfect. 

That's Pete in the pit.

He was getting one great wave after the other (or they were getting him, he spent some time on the bottom side of the surf after taking off too deep a few times). The tide got too full and I got out to find that my truck had been moved by the local road crew, (Crystal doesn’t drive a standard) what a laid back vibe! We headed for the cabin for lunch and grubby clothes and then headed for the lot to meet with Lenny Stuart about laying down the driveway up to the house site. Another team of contractors came to look over the driveway line to give Pete and Crystal an estimate. 

Crystal scoured the shore for the survey marker again, to no avail. We drove to the cabin, grabbed boards and drove over to Bob Hansen’s place to check the spots by his house. “Bob’s right” and “Cans” were looking good so we all got in for a surf. Crystal was apprehensive because of the rocky appearance (rightfully so) but came out anyway. It was about chest to shoulder high and peeling right for a long ride. Crystal got a great one. Just goes to show, when you push your personal fears you expand your limits. We all got some great rides and decided to call it a day. We went to Shelburne to buy a few groceries and headed back to the cabin for a delicious dinner a la Crystal.

 

By Wednesday the swell had died, so we went straight to the lot to clean up the clearing and Pete was on a mission to find that survey pin. Crystal went looking for the survey pin again. Pete was cutting the big trees today and one pinched the chain saw. “Sherman Williams”, a neighbor stopped by to see what the hullabaloo was about (he’s about 82 years on) and proceeded to brainstorm with Pete on how to get the saw out. We tried tying the tree up to the truck and pulling but that only twisted the tree. Sherman, who had never used a power tool in all his years as a Shelburne boat builder went home for his bow saw.

 

He and Pete freed up the chain saw and we continued on with the job of clearing the driveway.  I think Sherman was happy to have a mission.

 

Thursday was flat too, Pete was sure we were going to find the survey pin. Crystal had spent hours already, but it didn’t seem to be there. Pete dug along most of the shoreline, a stony coast. He didn’t find it either. Pete and Crystal believe Hurricane Bill did a number on their shoreline, burying or sweeping the pin away. We did get the driveway cleared as well as a nice little tent and campfire area down by the waterfront. Lenny came back and he and Pete agreed on a price for the gravel and excavating work. Next year, Josh’s little ghetto camper will sit atop the crest of the lot.

 

Friday we spent the day looking for more potential surf spots. Everywhere is a potential surf spot, but like anywhere, there has to be a swell.  We went to Shelburne for a harbor tour. We boarded Brown Eyed Girl with two couples, Crystal, Pete and I. The boat owners, Ken and Sherri Taylor were our tour guides. Sherri Taylor was very knowledgeable about the history of Shelburne.

Shelburne is the third largest natural harbor in the world. Sydney Australia is the largest and Havana Cuba is second. We motored out to the point on a beautiful day. We saw a Minke whale pretty close. Ken and Sherri were sure “he” had left for the season, but there he was.

 

Saturday we got up, packed and hit the road. We checked a couple of spots on the way, but it was flat. We were supposed to meet Maureen at the place for an evening lobster feed  in Saint Andrews, so we headed for New Brunswick. We checked a Mi’kmaq heritage center on the way. It was nice to see the handcrafts and a little historical information. We made it to Maureen’s before dark. The tide was low, so Pete and I  set out to dig a few steamers out front. Maureen’s uncle Donald came from down Clamshell Lane to join  us for the feast. Uncle Donald is nearly 80 and he has a major crush on Crystal. We had a fun evening. Sunday morning, Maureen took us on the neighborhood tour. We saw her cute little cottage on the water, the neighboring homes and her tree farm. The Bay of Fundy is quite beautiful. Thanks again Mahhhreen.

 

 

 If we drive straight through it takes about 13 hours. If you take the ferry from Digby it’s pricey, about $255 round trip for one passenger and “low vehicle”, under 6’6” leaves at 4:00 P.M.  returning from St. John at 9:00 A.M., so it’s pretty pricey and you need to account for their schedule. We each fueled up twice (besides me leaving Kennebunk with a full tank). For about $60 to $80 bucks, so driving cost was about $400 to $460 not including tolls.  The cabin was $600 a week as their high season is longer than ours. So it’s not like a “local” surf trip, although it seems like it would be. You could hop on a plane for that money or time spent. But then you'd be surfing with a crowd. Without a wetsuit!

 

 

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