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Louisbourg
July 19, 1999
We arrived in Louisbourg about 2:30 p.m., not bad at all considering the stops we made. We had left Antigonish around 10:00 am, stopped at the Quilt Market in Port Hawkesbury and had lunch in St. Peter. It was about 140 miles in all. After checking in at the Louisbourg Harbour Inn (a B&B) it was over to the local Laundromat to wash the last 10 days of laundry. Our next stop was the common balcony at the Inn (as opposed to the private one with room #3) where we sat sipping a bottle of wine and watched the harbour and fishery below. There was a good stiff breeze and we started to get a little chilled. This was a devilish treat as it had been in the low 80's all day. We went to the Grubstake for dinner but they didn't have a table right then so we went down to the waterfront where we discovered they were having a antique car show. So we looked at the cars then went to dinner. We managed to have exactly the same meal we had two years ago. After dinner we went back to the waterfront and voted for our favorite cars. There was also an exhibition of highland dancing which we stood and watched since we hadn't seen any highland dancing in so long (it had been 24 hours). Then it was a quick stroll along the promenade and back to the room for the night.
The visitor information
centre is located in the S & L Railway Museum,
which recalls the importance and romance of the railway era.
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Some of the guest staying at
the Louisbourg Harbour Inn were re-enactors who
were taking part in the French and Indian War Encampment at Fortress Louisbourg.
One couple even travels with their own cannon. Some views from the Inn's balcony:
Sail Boat, local Fishery, Louisbourg dock / harbour and the Louisbourg Playhouse.
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July 20, 1999
Breakfast was as we had remembered (from two years ago), scones, juice, fruit and dry cereals. Michelle is still there; we remembered her from the last visit. After breakfast and chatting with the other guest we headed to the Fortress. We opted for a two-day ticket which you purchase at the Fortress visitors' center. From the center they bus you to the Des Roches Fishing Property which is outside of the fortress. We stepped back in time to the 1700's till mid-afternoon then, exhausted, we left for the day. After hearing about how the British had landed south of Louisbourg, at Kennington Cove, both times they captured the fortress from the French, we drove down to Kennington Cove. Now, it's a beach, really a lovely spot. We sat for quite a while and watched kids build sand castles.
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When we got back to the room we called Teri, our daughter. Everything was fine back home in Baltimore. The cats didn't even miss us. We went to the Grubstake for dinner again. Ed had the shrimp and scallop flambé and I had Digby scallops. Then a walk around the promenade to work off some of that delicious dinner.
July 21, 1999
Had another lovely breakfast
and met some people from South Carolina and others from Texas (it's their 4th trip to
Louisbourg). Then we went back to the Fortress to go through buildings we hadn't
visited yet. We talked with the animators in the buildings and learned a lot about
life inside the place. Some of the houses were really quite posh. Some of the
re-enactors from the encampment had put up their tents and we could see it would be a busy
next few days there. When we first found out about the encampment we were sorry we
were going to miss it, but we enjoyed the fortress and were happy to be there when it was
less crowded.
We drove down to the Royal Battery (which is mostly piles of rubble)
then went to Main-a-Dieu, a little fishing village with a huge boardwalk system.
Back in Louisbourg we stopped at Bagnell's gift shop for some gift shopping. For
dinner once again we enjoyed the food at the Grubstake. After dinner we went down to the
main dock and watched the Bluenose II dock, as did every other person in town. The
Bluenose II was in town for the Encampment and starting the next day they would be giving
harbour cruises. That evening we decided to go to the performance at the Louisbourg
Playhouse so we left the dock and headed to the show. The show was fine, singing,
music and jokes mainly about Cape Breton. One of the performers, Kimberly Fraser, is 16
and plays Celtic fiddle and step dances at the same time. She made the whole show worth
it.
Here is a photo of Louisbourg Harbour Inn from the city dock.
Also a picture of two 1700's re-enactors.
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July 22, 1999
Today started out great. We had breakfast, packed the car and checked out. then we hustled down to the pier to see if we could get on the 9:30 a.m. cruise aboard Bluenose II. We could, so we did. What a blast! We left the harbour under diesel power then raised sails. It was too cool, we were out for more than two hours with the wind whipping our hair, it was great! Here is a couple of photos of re-enactors who came along on the cruise.
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We sailed by the site of The Royal Battery, past Fortress Louisbourg, then past Battery Island and Louisbourg Lighthouse. We probably were in the Atlantic before we headed back. A Canadian Coast Guard Ship passed us while we were out and when we returned to Louisbourg it was at the dock.
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And, of course, Ed had to
drive around the harbour to take a picture of the Bluenose docked.
It was noon by the time we actually left Louisbourg.
Please be sure to check out this link to Fortress
Louisbourg.
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On
to Fortress Louisbourg |
please check out these links: Louisbourg Harbour Inn |
