Canada’s Beach Haven in Nova Scotia

Bro Research on Clam Harbour Beach

They were not kidding about the high number of impressive sandy beaches located along the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia, Canada! The entire coastline is filled with, shoulder to shoulder, “postcard” beaches. Some ideal for soaking up the rays of sunshine. Some ideal for crashing waves and surfing. Some ideal for beachcombing and sunbathing. Some ideal for finding a little piece of tranquility and peace and quiet. All worthy of writing home about.

From Halifax, Nova Scotia we crossed the ocean harbour bridge and connected with the small communities of Coal Harbour and Dartmouth. We were so excited about the next adventure awaiting us, that we missed our exit and had to double back traveling the back roads. In hindsight it was a blessing as the ocean views and rocky coastlines kept us very entertained.

In Dartmouth we took a quick stroll on the waterfront walkway. We were rewarded with some absolute fantastic views of the Halifax waterfront. We could see the tall ships waving in the harbour winds, the navy ships parked on docks and Theodore the Tugboat with his bug-eyed stare loading up for tours with kids eager for a harbour tour.

We parted company with Dartmouth and began our adventure exploring a string of sandy, pebbled and boulder beaches. This section of Nova Scotia is populated with small villages, non seemed bigger than a neighbourhood BBQ party. The beaches, lined up one after the other, enjoyed populations far larger than most of the villages.

Rainbow Haven Beach

Rainbow Haven Beach in Eastern Passage located just south of Dartmouth did not disappoint. The crowds were already forming on the beach as we arrived in the early morning hours. Families were trying hard to control the excitement of their children as they darted from the parking lot to the ocean waves. From the parking lot we crossed over a series of grassy sand dunes walking boardwalk paths. As we crested the dunes the white sandy beach revealed its massive long shoreline. People of all ages dotted the shoreline for what seemed like forever. The beach popular for walking, beachcombing and sunbathing.

Up the country road from the Rainbow Haven Beach was the Coal Harbour Park and the Salt Marsh Trail. The trail explores the surrounding dunes and the wetland marsh region. People were on bikes, jogging and pushing baby strollers down the trails. Some focused on a destination with little concern of others while others were seeking solitude enjoying a day out in the sun stopping at every information sign learning more about the birding wildlife in the park.

Surfing Lawrencetown Beach

The most talked about beach in the region is the Lawrencetown Beach. It is the “HIP” beach of the Eastern Shore. The beach is famously known as a surfing beach. On one end is a white sandy beach decorated with families, blankets and umbrellas while at the other end is a pebbled, rocky beach dotted with sightseers perched on rocky boulders taking in the spectacle.

The waves, foaming at the mouth with white water chaos, consistently crashed the shoreline providing experienced surfers with some good air time while others lost their balance and met face to face with the hard wet sand disappearing under a froth of white water.

Martinique Beach

Martinique Beach is located at the end of a long peninsula near the village of Musquodoboit. The long sandy beach spills over on one side of a long grassy sand dune while on the other side of the dunes are grass lawns littered with picnic tables. This beach is ideal for picnics, with one picnic table located after another. Boardwalk walkways climb the dunes connecting with the beach. The beach crawls along the coast for what seemed like forever with large sections uninhabited by beach goers ideal for beach walks.

Clam Harbour Beach

Continuing east on Highway #7 is another beach named Clam Harbour Beach. The beach, notably, exposes massive sleeves of wet sand at low tides ideal for sandcastle building. A boardwalk pathway zig-zags through a canopy of forests leading up to a large pavilion and the sandy shores of the cove.

The dunes form a wall backing the beach therefore shielding the sandy shoreline from view. Many beachcombers were scattered from one end of the cove to the other. Some in large groups, some peacefully hibernating at the far end of the beach enjoying their own piece of sandy paradise.

Taylor Head Beach

In Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia we stopped for some views of a waterfall creek. Taylor Head Park – another beach in a string of beaches on the Eastern Shore lay ahead. Taylor Head Park is a less known traveled beach. Crowds are smaller, but the beach – by no means – was less beautiful than any of the other beaches. The park provides some of the better hiking trails in the region. The trails explore the dunes and wetland marsh areas on Taylor Head while skirting the coastline of Sheet Harbour. The beach area is protected by the cove and just off shore are some rocky outcroppings. Clinging to the rocks were children playing. The cove is also an access point for kayakers seeking to explore the coves and bays of the region.

To change up the views on the coastline Bro and I later stopped in at the Port Bikerton Lighthouse. The lighthouse is remote and sort of out of the way. On arrival however, the lighthouse was a bit of a disappointment but not the views. The lighthouse was battered and bruised, peeling with paint like a bad sunburn.

On the road again we continued east on Hwy #211 (Mariner Highway) only to be surprised by an unexpected ferry crossing in the middle of nowhere. The cable ferry connects the highway and once there – there was no turning back. With the wind blowing, sun beaming down we enjoyed the short break waiting for the ferry as it dragged itself across the river to come and get us.

Grassy Island National Historic Site

Next we headed to the eastern tip of the Eastern Shore to the village of Canso, Nova Scotia. A small village making an effort to revitalize itself after the collapse of a local factory. The community is the home of the Grassy Island National Historic Site, Black Duck Cove Park and the Chapel Gully Trail. For such a small village the area is a growing tourism destination with no crowds.

Next we gear up for our research mission exploring Cape Breton Island for a week or so. Can it get any better… who knows and who cares because all is good in the world of EH Tourism and the CanadaEH.net Travel Network.