Big Tancook Island ….

For the first time in nearly five decades I went for a bike ride ~ in fantastic weather to Big Tancook Island. Well actually no cycling was done to the island itself, that required a 50-minute ferry ride from Chester on the “William G. Ernst” with a brief stop at Little Tancook Island.

Big Tancook Island is the largest of many islands in Mahone Bay. It measures approximately 4 km (2.5 mi) (north to south) by 1.6 km (1.0 mi) forming roughly a "C" shape. Its area is 550 acres (2.2 sq km) with rocky shorelines, open fields, softwood forests dotted by ponds, residential properties and fish stores. It is separated from nearby Little Tancook Island to the east by a 1 km (0.6 mi) wide strait called "The Chops".

The island was once a summer fishing ground for Indigenous peoples. The word "Tancook" is an anglicized Mi'kmaq term that translates into "facing the open sea." Originally settled by German and French families in the late eighteenth century – today the island is home to around 120 full-time residents with the population doubling during the summer season. It is the perfect place to hike, bike or stroll beaches in search of shells and sea glass.

The roads for cycling are truly awful, with nothing but loose gravel complimented with dozens or perhaps more accurately hundreds of potholes. The cars on the island do not require to be registered and therefore have no need for license plates, and I would assume also no insurance. Interestingly I noticed on a few occasions while biking along, it was easy to know that a local was approaching from the rear ~ because in most cases the muffler was blown giving out a rather loud warning ….

Today’s pics ~

Leaving Chester and sailing across Mahone Bay ...

Arriving for a brief stop at Little Tancook to drop off supplies ...

Arriving at Big Tancook and the island tour ...

Little Tancook viewed from Big Tancook

The island's emergency vehicles

The school which has four students

The dark blue vessel is the ferry  “William G. Ernst”

Leaving the island and across a cloudy Mahone Bay to Chester ~

Unloading empty crates, a trailer and a bike

It’s been two years ….

Since moving here to the South Shore, I always try to do the Gaff Point hike at least once a year. But to my amazement, I discovered last night while looking through my photo files, that it’s been two years since I last did the hike ~ in reality it only seems like a few months ~ such is the rate that times passes by.

The Gaff Point hike starts out at the stunning 3Km crescent shaped Hirtles Beach, offering a beautiful beach wander to the trailhead. When I do the hike I always plan to arrive just after high tide, this allows me to walk on sand a few hours later when the tide is lower at the end of the hike, rather than on pebble stones and beach rocks. I prefer to navigate the pebble stones and beach rocks at the beginning of the hike.

To achieve this, I was on the 10.00am ferry and arrived at Hirtles Beach half an hour after high tide ~ as the official “South Shore Tide Watcher”, it is my job and duty to always know the tide times …!!!

As usual the hike was absolutely marvelous, with its stunning seascape views, fantastic scenery with a mixture of beach, estuary, forest, heather and rugged coastline with steep cliffs. Along the way, it was a joy to stop and chat with other like-minded hikers, who seemed to be enjoying the morning outing as much as I was.

The Gaff Point hike is always a great day out, I may go back again during mid to late October to see what the fall colours look on the trail.