Horseshoe Island

Off the boat again just after 830 for our open top jeep tour with Karl. A man in late fiftied with a great handlebar moustache/beard. The day was gloomy and foogy so we had the jeep roof up, but was still warm so air con on.

Karl had lived in Halifax all his life, but had travelled a fair bit including to Richmond, Barlkes and Wimbledon in London where he had relatives. We went forst to the Titanic Graves. Passed the site of the 1917 explosing whn a munitions ship in harbour heading to WWI collided with another ship. The explosion brought people from their homes who thought it was foreworks and many were injured and blined by the shrapnel.

At the graveyard there are about 150 Titanic victims buried. The graves are in three lines ane curved to look like the front of a ship. This was the nearest land to the disaster so bodies were brought ahsore here and the White Star Shipping Line paid for their burial. Each stone had a number on indicating the order the bodies were found in. Ed spotted number 2 on one stone. Karl pointed out some interesting ones. John Dawson who became Jack Dawson in the film after the director visited the site. Some daid unknown and some otehrs said that then ha d a name on the side of the stone. These were where the id had come later from dna testing and the name added to the original. One was a small child who had been finally names a few years ago and had a laminated picture of him on the grave together with various cuddly toys. Karl said he was always finding out more about the people. One day a box with a fiddle in was on a garve and he learnt ot was because the man had been a violinist in the band. Ed and Tash were really innterested in the graves. Ed especially as he had studied the Titanic at school and this all brought it to life.

From here we headed out of town to some little fishing villages. Karl had brought some blueberries and starwberries as a snack for us - reqlly sweet and some fish pieces to throw over the pier as a fisherman had told him that we should be able to see somelobsters and crabs come out to eat it. It took a few minutes but once the fish bits had settled on the bottom sure enough lobsters came out and grabbd them - they were big ones too! We spenta whiel watching them then drove a little way to a museum dedicated to artifacts from a ship that ahd sunk nearby. Was interesting to see all the mundane items that ahd been recovered. Was great for divers in the area due to all the wrecks. Bought a maop shwoing all the wrecks around Halifax.

Carried on via some more coves and villages. View wasnt picturesque due to fog which was thick in partts but this did make it all very armospehric. We headed to Peggys Cover, a small village witha lighthouse up on rocks. Very popular palce and we saw some folks from the boat who were on a bus tour there. Karl told us how a couple of people every year were killed as swept off the rocks. Was calm today but still many signs warned to keep off the black (wet) rocks and stay on th whiet. Karl parked and took us away from the crowds down a path to scramble on some rocks. They were all smoothed and domed by glaciation. Literally no on else on thse ones and with the fog it was catually very beatiful and peaceful.

We then drove a little way to the busier lighthouse area. Karl pointed out a good local craft shop to visit and dropped us at the lighthouse, arrnaging to meet at the bottom of the hil in about 30 minutes. Ed and I had a good climb over the rocks, which again were smoothed but there were many ups and downs. Took pictuires with the lighthosue then went ton the craft shop. Tried to buy lighthosue picture, painted rock and painted sheel but phone system went down so credit card payments didnt work. Same in all the shops apparently. I only had aenough dollars for the painted hsell so we relcuatabtly took just that. Drove on to Rhubabrbs restaurant for lunch. Sam and I had good lobster rolls, Ed had fish burger, all were good. Karl said he often brought people here as ws consistenly good. HE ate with us too whcih was nice. After this we drove back to Halifax and saw one of the Universities (tehre are 5) and went through some fo the historic parts, including seeing some of the grander houses down byt the water. He dropped us on the waterfront and we walked along the boardwalk back to the baot.

Consensus was this was more interesting for the kids than Charlottetwon ad the main stops at Titanic and Peggys Coiver were more up their street.

Back on baord we chilled. Tash and I went to see America Test Kitchen doing Asian Potstcikers (Gyoza) and another steamed dumpling. Was half hour demo from lady doing cooking and informative. Went to Lido to eat as it was Gala dinner again and we coudn;t be bothered with that!. Met again for the quiz with the other family, then went to see the Dance show (the singers were in it too). This was good and Ed, despite saying he didnt want to see it thought it was great too. One dance near the end to more street music was superb, with all the daners showiung off some ferocious moves. Heard los of folks commenting on that part on way out.Read more