Our Own Private Island

On our recent trip to Nova Scotia, we arrived at our second stop on an island just off shore.

We drove from the Digby area south through and past Kejimkujik National Park between what seemed like hundreds of lakes, large and small. The day’s promised rain had arrived and came at varying degrees of intensity from driving to a light mist.

We had speculated on whether or not our island was private or if there were other homes on it. Speculated on if there was a way to park on it or if we’d need to lug our stuff on foot across the small causeway crossing to it from land.

The Airbnb host’s instructions indicated that we would need to turn into another home’s driveway then cut across their lawn slowly, so as not to disturb the neighbor, on a right-of-way then down across the causeway, over which we could drive. Mystery #2 solved.

As we drove slowly, as instructed, across the neighbor’s yard the island came into view. It was shrouded by a light fog which was accompanying the light rain. It looked almost mystical.

We crossed the causeway and pulled up to the cabin, a rustic but modern one-room deal with a wood stove and a Murphy Bed and a detached bunk house with only a queen-sized bed and no other accommodation. We determined it would be best to sleep in the cabin with the bathroom to comply with our mid-night bladder needs (or my mid-fifties ones anyway). We puzzled out the Murphy Bed, attempted the internet (which was far from high-speed at about 70 kbps) and started a fire in the wood stove.

We made plans to make s’mores with the provided materials at the fire pit and use the sea kayaks or canoe when (and if) the rain decided to pass by. We had been told by reviewers to look for the eagle’s nest and that we would likely spot some seals, so we made plans for some wildlife viewing.

We called family and friends and texted photos then we settled in and watched the fog shift and move, listened to the rain pound on the metal roof and subside and watched night fall upon us on our own private island.