Sharing a Nova Scotia secret

When Arlete Hodel and Dick Skaug left Tampa, Florida, last Feb. 1, their original goal was to bicycle through to Ohio and take the route of the historic ‘underground railway’ down to Alabama.

That sounds ambitious enough for a couple in their late 50s. “We had no intentions of coming to Nova Scotia,” Hodel said, “but because we were ahead of schedule when we arrived in Bar Harbor, we decided to come to Yarmouth on the Cat (ferry) for a short visit.”

A look through the Doers and Dreamers Guide for Nova Scotia was all it took to steer them in a totally different direction. “After going through the guide, we decided a bicycle trip around the perimeter of Nova Scotia was too much of an adventure to pass up.” said Hodel.

Hodel and Skaug had talked about housesitting somewhere for part of the winter as they traveled north. It was during a sightseeing trip down Digby Neck that the opportunity presented itself. “We were returning from a visit to the Balancing Rock when our idea of housesitting came up in a conversation with a gentleman from East Ferry,” Skaug recalled. “He directed us to a lady in Whale Cove whom he thought might be interested in having us house sit for her.”

In the subsequent six weeks, the couple cycled 1,300 miles on the secondary highways around the province—rain or shine—and say they found the traffic lighter and the drivers polite. “Each night, I would set up the tent at the campsite, while Dick would bike to the nearest grocery store and then cook whatever he had purchased for our supper,” said Hodel. “After cycling all day, his suppers were wonderful.”

Through email and pictures, Hodel and Skaug became enthusiastic ambassadors for Nova Scotia as they shared with their American families and friends the rich history and many points of interest they discovered along the way.

The adventure took Hodel and Skaug from Yarmouth through the Annapolis Valley, along the Minas Shore, across the Tantramar Marshes, down Route 7 on the Eastern Shore of the province and on around the coast of Cape Breton by way of the Cabot Trail. “The Cabot Trail was beautiful,” said Hodel. “Once we left Cheticamp, it was uphill all the way to the top and even though we were very conditioned physically, I was not embarrassed to get off the bike and walk.”

When asked what part of their Nova Scotia adventure stood out, Hodel said, “Everything was a treasure chest. I couldn’t pick out any one thing, as there was so much to see. The scenery was just beautiful and the people so friendly.”

Her partner, Dick Skaug, has his own choice. “Stopping at Tim’s for a hot cup of coffee often afforded us the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people. Tim Horton’s and Frenchy’s were my favorites. We only carried three outfits each and being able to shop at Frenchy’s helped us dress cheaply as we encountered the different climates.”

In early November, Hodel and Skaug returned to housesit in Whale Cove in anticipation of the winter ahead. “It has been such a nice treat to relax, explore the trails and shoreline, do handwork, read and enjoy baking,” Hodel said. “Dick takes the shuttle to do errands in Digby once a week.”

It isn’t a lonely time for the couple. “There is so much water activity in the Cove,” Skaug said. “One can spend hours looking out the patio doors watching the wind and the tide, the eagles in the air and the whales in the Bay. The whales put on quite a show for us one afternoon. We enjoyed watching the activity around the wharf as the men geared up for lobster fishing.”

Hodel adds that she finds the solitude and beauty of the fishing community remarkable. “We don’t know if we’ll ever get back to Whale Cove so our goal is to soak up every experience and enjoy every person we meet.”

Hodel and Skaug have reaped the benefits of living in a small fishing community, especially getting to know their neighbors. “We have enjoyed eating lobster, listening to the stories and learning the history of the community through our neighbors, Frank Stanton and Rae Tidd and their families,” said Hodel.

After wintering in Whale Cove and after nearly five years of cycling, Hodel and Skaug are ready to put away their bicycles and head out on a new adventure. “Bicycling around the perimeter of Nova Scotia fed our dream for adventure” he said, “but now we are hoping to live and sail on a catamaran.”

Hodel smiles. “We have the time, each other and it is an attainable goal. We will sail according to the confidence we gain. Who knows, maybe we will sail back to Whale Cove.” “Our trip to Nova Scotia just sort of happened,” said Skaug. “We hope that through reading this, someone else will buy into our idea of going out and having an adventure. We don’t want to keep the wonderful experiences we’ve enjoyed in this province a secret.”

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