For a luxurious & invigorating vacation this summer, that you'll never forget, I invite you to visit The Beach House on Hatfield Road, the loveliest Nova Scotia cottage - to rejuvenate on the beach, be stimulated during visits to local museums, hike on the trails in Cape Chignecto Park, and finish your day at a live performance at Ships Company Theatre in Parrsboro.

July 10, 2004

Beaches

Beaches almost surround the Beach House, and I can assure you that there is nothing like falling asleep to the sound of the Bay of Fundy tides coming in and going out. The ocean beach in front of the house is about 3 miles long and virtually deserted.

The marsh beach, on the east side of the Beach House property, changes every day as the tides come in – truly an adventure and an example of nature’s pristine elegance! Walk across the ocean floor to the other side when the tide is out, and when the tide comes in, ask yourself if it was really possible that you actually made that walk!!

Fundy Geological Museum is an easy 15-minute drive from the Beach House. It really is the most wonderful place to discover an ancient world. Where else would you have the chance to see some of the oldest dinosaur bones in Canada and to meet some of the ancient creatures that lived here millions of years ago – the world’s first reptiles, an ancestor of frogs, early dinosaurs, giant dragonflies and a sow-bug-like creature as long as a baseball bat.

Fundy Geological Museum also gives you the extra special opportunity to explore Nova Scotia’s mineral treasures exposed when the amazing Fundy tides washed away the sea cliffs. The geological museum has a gorgeous collection of amethyst and agate gemstones.

When you visit the Fundy Geological Museum, be sure to say hello to Marilyn Smith in the education office and tell her that you had a virtual introduction to her while reading about the geological museum in The Coast News!

Ottawa House is a beautiful 21-room old mansion built in 1775. Ottawa House, once the summer cottage of Sir Charles Tupper, Prime Minister and one of Canada’s Fathers of Confederation, is about 4 kilometres from Main Street, Parrsboro. So, have a seat on the front steps, experience Sir Charles’ s spirit, watch the same view as he did, and give a thought to how Canada has changed since his days as Prime Minister.

Ottawa House is dedicated to celebrating and interpreting the cultural, seafaring, lumbering, and social history of the Parrsboro Shore area. Some of its annual activities include Seaside Scavenger hunts, Teddy Bear Picnics, Canada Day heritage poster contests, and a Message-in-a-Bottle Program.

The Age of Sail is a short bike ride, 5-minute drive, or a half hour walk from the Beach House. The Age of Sail looks over the tidal Greville River, and brings to life the lumbering and shipbuilding history of the area through pictures, videos, story telling, models, artifacts and hands-on exhibits.

When you visit the Age of Sail, a must is to see an extremely old video about a sea voyage on a sailing ship – just absolutely great fun! After you’ve seen the video, drift back to the present and treat yourself to a coffee or a bowl of delicious chowder at the Port Hole Tea Room.

Joggins Fossil Cliffs, the world’s richest, most representative and most significant Coal Age fossil site is one of 11 locations named to Canada’s tentative list of potential United Nations World Heritage sites. This is how this works – only sites on the list can be nominated by the federal government for the UNESCO designation over a 10-year period beginning in 2005; all sites on the list were recommended by a Minister’s Advisory Committee composed of Canadians recognized as leaders in their respective fields.

The Joggins Fossil Cliffs World Heritage Committee is a sub-committee of the Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association. As this project moves along, the Committee anticipates that all three levels of government will be involved with plans for a multi-million dollar interpretive center. This news has been extremely exciting for the community and for everyone interested in Nova Scotia’s natural history. So, visit now before it becomes even more internationally famous!!

Many thanks to Ron Robinson of Cumberland Regional Economic Development Association for permission to use information from his article about the potential for the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which appeared in Cliffs Note, the community newsletter of the Joggins Fossil Cliffs World Heritage Committee.

The Joggins Fossil Cliffs are a simply stunning drive from the Beach House. When you visit there, go to the Joggins Fossil Centre and the Beachcomber Gift Shop, owned and operated by Don Reid, whose love for his life’s work is truly inspiring – introduce yourself to Don and tell him you learned about the Centre and his love of fossils in The Coast News

Cape Chignecto Provincial Park is the largest of Nova Scotia’s provincial parks. It is an absolutely unique environment, with old growth forests, ancient trees draped with mosses, steep ravines, and fields of wild flowers that blanket the ground beneath forests of sugar maple.

Cape Chignecto peninsula is a vital habitat for moose, white-tail deer, black bears and wild cats. Peregrine falcons swoop over the cliffs and seals often sun on rocky out-droppings in late summer.

Cape Chignecto has the most splendid landscape that rises from tidal waters, with many of the cliffs rising 600 feet from the Bay of Fundy. Chignecto includes 18 miles of never-to-be forgotten pristine coastline.

Cape Chignecto Park’s nine phenomenal coastal trails are adventures all levels of hikers. These trails run from Red Rocks, an easy ½ hour hike, to Mill Brook Canyon Trail, a very challenging 6 to 8 hour hike, to Cape Chignecto Coastal Trail, which takes 3 to 4 days. For additional information about Cape Chignecto Park and its trails, have a look at the web.

Ships Company Theatre

Ships Company Theatre has made an enormous contribution to cultural life not only in the Parrsboro area, but also throughout Nova Scotia.

Ships Company Theatre has something for everyone this season, its first in its new facility:

Have a look at Ships Company schedule for up to date information about the 2004 season. The first show, the World Premiere of Parrsboro Boxing Club, is the perfect piece to open the new theatre. Parrsboro Boxing Club, based on the novel by Bruce Graham, tells a very personal story of the journey of Duff Martin. Parrsboro Boxing Club was written and directed by Ship's Company former artistic producer, Scott Burke.

The Hatfield Centre

The Hatfield Centre, the conference and retreat arm of The Beach House on Hatfield Road, is developing nicely. Some of the recent events held at the Hatfield Centre include Ship's Company Theatre's Board and staff retreat in February 2004.

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