Why are we fascinated by lighthouses? Are we awed by their size and power or is it their solitude we seek? Do we admire them for the lives they have saved or are we inspired by the untold secrets they hold?
We had plenty of time to ponder these questions as we followed the Lighthouse Route on the South Shore of Nova Scotia.
Apparently everyone read the TripAdvisor about Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse being one of the most photographed sights in Canada because when we arrived, the place was teeming with tourists on foot, on bikes, by car and in huge buses. It is hard to romanticize about ship captains risking their lives in treacherous waters with the sound of clicking shutters filling the air.
Teeming with tourists
We continued on to a more remote spot accessible only by a single lane dirt road and guarded by battalions of hungry mosquitoes.
Port Medway Lighthouse fit our picture of the lone guardian shrouded in fog with its light flashing an intermittent warning to the unsuspecting.
Medway Head Lighthouse
Although Gull Rock Lighthouse was too far from shore to see well, it was located off a beautiful beach in Lockeport.
We took advantage of the picnic benches to have a quiet lunch as we listened to the calls of the very friendly seagulls, flying nearby, hoping for a snack.
Gull Rock Lighthouse
Perhaps the best one of the day was the last, Sandy Point in Shelburne.
We arrived late in the day at the deserted local Community Center, which sat directly in front of the stately lighthouse.
Seeing no signs to the contrary, we decided it would be the perfect place to watch the setting sun and spend the night.
Happy Happy Hour
We sat on the deck of the center delighting in our good fortune and toasted the end of another fantastic day on the road.
Sandy Point Lighthouse
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