In Lunenburg we love to complain about the winter hereabouts.
But should I find myself on the dock having a gam with someone, in a short while into that conversation we get around to agreeing that winters really aren’t so bad here in Lunenburg. But the truth is that spring can be cold enough and can seem long enough before we are joined by the blessings of fine warm sunny weather once again. And yet this same cold spring is shot through with days so lovely and pretty you could cry. Summers are delicious here, and autumns are as good as can be and stretch long into the latter part of the year.
Bayport Wharf, Nova Scotia
Just now as I write this, here on the shores of South Cove, maybe three miles south by sea from town, it is a cold damp windblown spring day with a howling biting breeze slanting out of the northeast rushing across the harbour kicking up white caps scattered across the slate gray waters. Tied up Lobster boats at the nearby local village wharf tugging at their turquoise mooring lines. Too rough to head out today. If you find yourself out there in your ship or fishing boat you just deal with it. Gulls atop the stone breakwater that protects that wharf, feathered heads pulled down into their shoulders and wings, huddling from the winds. They must be cold too. Even the zillions of dandelions (it is spring after all) popping up in the new verdant young green grass have closed up their fuzzy yellow heads hoping, perhaps, for sun soon. We will see. At our house we probably use up almost half our split firewood stacked under the eaves that heats our house after March 21st, the day winter is officially over – and the day spring officially has sprung. Also spring around here may be a good time to head to Barbados or Grenada, Jost Van Foxy’s or Kokomo for this “spring” stuff to pass or ease into warm weather.
But back in “Da Burg” things are shaking some and opening up for the year. The famous Schooner BLUENOSE II is all crewed up now. Captain and crew are hard at work getting that magnificent and capable vessel ready for the coming season. Winter cover is off, massive amounts of sanding and painting – all hoping, praying, for decent weather. Bending huge sails, overhauling massive peak blocks, reaving off running rigging, testing all systems, inspections galore, training up the new green hands. Big job for that most excellent Captain Phil Watson – best in the business he is. He has a couple very good and experienced officers by his side to help, and is also not altogether displeased that he has some Bosun School alumni and former world voyage seafaers from this Picton Castle on his crew this summer. Gabe and Dustin are the mates this year in BLUENOSE with many years and blue-water miles in PICTON CASTLE as well as in BLUENOSE II. Solid seafarers, excellent leaders are they, and well-rounded as well. Anyway, a ton of work to get her or any ship ready for sailing after a long winter but she will be looking sharp in no time. That’s guaranteed. And up at the schooners office fellow PICTON CASTLE veteran Maggie lends her enormous expertise to wading through the complexities of planning and overall ship management with a level of capability rarely seen as Director. It pleases me to understand that our ship contributes in some way to the ongoing success of Canada’s outstanding Ambassador Tall Ship.
From across the BLUENOSE’s fine clean decks and beautiful slanted steering wheel we can see our Barque PICTON CASTLE in the background resting happily at the hospitable wharves of the Adams & Knickle Scallop fishing company. Our wharf, a few piers up towards the east end of the harbour was condemned. This wharf, by the way was the original 1921 fishing Schooner BLUENOSE’s wharf once upon a time. We eagerly await hearing of plans for its renewal. The last wharf in town needing this attention as part of the waterfront renaissance we started in 2005. A&K is the last major fishing outfit with ships in town, bringing home the catch since 1896, in schooners, from dories, and now big trawlers. And great friends to the waterfront and town too.
PICTON CASTLE is awaiting a new keen Bosun School gang. Keen to learn the ways of ships, boats and sailing and to get a good start on their passion of seafaring. Bosun School is just around the corner. We have room for a few more enthusiastic mariners to join us. All summer long; learning seamanship and messing about in all kinds of boats and enjoying the Lunenburg waterfront. Pretty good time too. Check it out.
Photo: Captain P. Watson 2025