Cape Breton, the green hills of the Cabot Trail 

According to Cape Breton Tourism, the Island of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, is rated as the top island to visit in North America.

A green getaway dotted with lakes and washed by the blue waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean, it lures tourists from the four corners of the world.

One of the top spots that entices tourists is the village of Baddeck with a population of 900 set in green forests and edged by deep blue waters of a shimmering bay, it is the jewel of Cape Breton.

It is at its best bursting with colors from the spring to autumn seasons and best enjoyed along its downtown shopping area with baskets and boxes overflowing with flowers, ivies and all things colourful to celebrate the blossoming warm seasons.

With its identity as a bustling resort town during its high seasons, its special character remains as a quaint village. Rather than tourists changing the face of this destination, Baddeck turns the tourist into a Baddeckian – calm, at ease with nature, enjoying the cleanliness of unadulterated and water making for a re-born tourist.

	Bald eagle photo by Beverley DeSantis (TMAC)		Scottish piper on the dock

Outdoor activities abound – sailing regattas, bird-watching, hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding and in the winter, even dog-sledding. There are many activities enjoyed by all ages and wonderful venues for family getaways. Even Baddeck’s theatre productions or Ceilidhs are embedded in the culture of the village. Held during the evenings, the lively performances are reminiscent of the bygone days of public theatre. Go ahead and ask anyone in Baddeck about events and sites because in this centre of the Cabot Trail, it is also the home and heart of hospitality in Cape Breton.

We had come to Baddeck to sail for a while on the rolling waves of the Bras d’Or Lake, the largest inland sea in Canada. Soon we were comfortably seated on Captain John Bryson’s ship, Amoeba schooner, a 20 m (67 ft) hand-crafted vessel. The schooner sleeps 8 comfortably, and can take up to 42 passengers per tour. His voice boomed “Sit down folks! Remember, this is not the Titanic. The schooner was built not to tip over.” Someone shouted ‘What?” Captain John replied, “I didn’t say sink!”

Gently, the schooner which was built by John’s father in the 1970s, and had already made six trips to the Caribbean, set sail.

Boarding the Amoeba schooner

“Look! See the bald eagles overhead?” All eyes on board watched as Captain John threw frozen fish into the water and eagles swooping down to grab the fish. It was like a picture out of the movies – the beautiful creatures of the sky being fed by human hands. The picturesque scene ended with the voice of Captain John booming. “Did you know that eagles mate in mid-air? That’s why we have the expressions ‘the mile-high club’ and ‘I don’t give a flying ….’ and the term ‘quickie’.”

The sun was shimmering on the waters as our boat slowly moved along the waters of the bay. Captain John kept us entertained with his jokes and anecdotes. For him, life is good. His attachment to his schooner, the care-free life atop the waters and his true love of Baddeck gave the passengers a feeling of comfort and ease.

	The Amoeba is underway		Captain John at the wheel

When one of the passengers asked “What type of people do you take sailing every day?” He did not hesitate. “Oh! I take all types of groups. Wedding parties, birthday and anniversary celebrants, school groups, and any other organizations you can think of. But my best groups are always those who celebrate divorce. There’s usually only one person missing.!”

Still laughing from John’s jokes, we cruised by and caught glimpses of Alexander Graham Bell’s summer mansion Beinn Breaugh that sits atop a forested hill. Dotted along the same hills are the homesteads of Bell’s descendants. I reflected on this great inventor’s legacy and how he added to the way of life of the modern age and also how he changed the course of Baddeck’s history. Bell loved the scenery around Baddeck which inspired his great works. Baddeck reminded him of the Scottish Highlands from which Bell hailed. He felt he had come home by purchasing large tracts of land in Baddeck and calling it home. He lived, loved and created in this ethereal setting.

The wheel records the history of the Amoeba

Past the Bell remains, Captain John gently turned the schooner around and we were on our way back. The rolling waves were gentle in their caressing of the schooner. The air combined with the drops of water gave a feeling of calmness. We looked around at the sloping green hills and they seemed to add beauty to our small schooner atop the water making the scene a picture postcard of beauty.

Captain John, still entertaining us, asked if we wanted to have a look at new reading material that he claimed he “couldn’t put down”. “Sure!” we all said. He pulled out a large paperback and displayed it promptly. “Sailing for Dummies is my new bedtime reading!”. Even the comedy added to my relaxed state.

I sat back enjoying the brisk pure air and slightly cool breeze enveloping my body. It was a fitting end to a few hours of sailing amid the breathtaking vistas of Baddeck and its allurements.

After we docked some of the passengers headed towards the nearby Alexander Graham Bell Museum while others stood in groups discussing the cruise.

As we left my daughter turned to me saying: “I don’t know what I enjoyed more – the jokes or the soothing breezes or the people on board. Baddeck has a trait of forgetting life’s worries.”

If You Go

1) It is best to have your own car or rent an auto when visiting Cape Breton. Taxis are rare and beware gas stations are a few and far between.

2) For lunch, a must is to visit the Chanterelle Country Inn & Cottages where the halibut is divine. Served with roasted garlic and cherry tomatoes, the dish diffuses the flavours of Cape Breton: 48678 Cabot Trail, Baddeck, Nova Scotia B0E 1B0; tel: 1-902-929-2263, toll-free: 1-866-277-0577; email: ebusch@chanterelleinn.com; website: www.chanterelleinn.com .

	Chanterelle Inn halibut en cocotte with roasted garlic and cherry tomatoes		Chanterelle Inn owner Earlena

3) For dinner, the Bite House is the place to be. However, reservations must be made weeks in advance. Baddeck is to dine at the Bite House. A 12-seat restaurant located in a fully-renovated 100-year old farmhouse just on the outskirts of Baddeck, guests are given a 5-course meal, all gourmet dishes that are created from local organic ingredients. Dinner is $60 CAD plus tax. The menu changes monthly: 1471 Westside Baddeck Road, Baddeck, Nova Scotia B0E 1B0; tel: 1-902-322-1436; email: eat@thebitehouse.com ; website: http://thebitehouse.com/

4) Accommodation: if you prefer experiencing 19th century Canadian history, consider lodging at the Telegraph House Hotel. Built in 1861, is owned and operated by the 5th generation Dunlop Family. This is where the first office of the Trans-Oceanic Cable Company was located and where the first telegraph messages were sent from North America: 479 Chebucto Street, Baddeck, Nova Scotia B0E 1B0; Tel: 1-902-295-1100, Toll-free: 1-888-263-9840; email: stay@telegraphhouse.ca ; website: http://www.baddeckhotel.com/index.html#bottom

5) Sailing Bras d’Or Lake in Baddeck, contact: Captain John Bryson, Baddeck Wharf, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia; Tel: 1-902-295-1456; website: www.amoebasailingtours.com

6) For further information about Cape Breton Island, contact: Destination Cape Breton Association, P.O. Box 1448, Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6R7; Tel: 1-902-563-4636