First week in Baddeck 2013

Baddeck Wed Aug 14 to Wed Aug 21, 2013

Beinn Bhreagh  means beautiful mountain in Gaelic. This peninsula of land offers beauty in every direction you look – with trails through wilderness, shoreline along the Bras D’Or lake, and magnificent views, plus people to share it with –both family and friends.

For the first three days we stay at Burns Cottage because our house, Killick, is rented to Jim’s cousins.  Burns is small modified farm house, Jim’s grandfather’s house, now to be used by his descendants. Sara and her friend Andy are staying here for the summer and welcome us. It’s wonderful to stay with them.

Burns Cottage is special to me because it is where I stayed for the summer of 1980- with Jim and our little 3 month old daughter, Keara. It brings back so many happy memories of being a young couple sharing the family summer home of Beinn Bhreagh with our little family.  This is the perch from where I began to learn the joys and complexities of sharing a family property for seven generations.  We stayed here for the summers before Jim’s mom, Teeny, was able make Killick  ready for us in 1984.

I remember my first trip to Beinn Bhreagh in 1977 in July just after I married Jim.  Now it seems incredible that I knew Jim for three years prior to our wedding and he did not bring me here until after our marriage! I can still feel the magic of discovery that I felt those few days I explored Beinn Breagh as a young bride.

We stayed at The Point. The big house was full of people. Every bedroom was taken. We had to stay in AGB’s big wooden bed on the porch facing the flower gardens! We ate every meal at the huge table in the dining room.  In awe, I felt like I was stepping into an era gone by – with maids waiting on me and cooks cooking, gardeners gardening – even chauffeurs driving. I did not know this side of Jim’s family!

I am happy to say that life on Beinn Bhreagh is quite different now – much simpler!

Jim and I are happy to share our beautiful red roofed summer home with our friends, Ethan and Trudy. We take a walk down the Golden Wedding Road to the tarns.  

We hike up the mountain to see the magnificent view from Mabel and Alexander Graham Bells’ gravesite.  

We visit many family members. We enjoy checking out the various houses – some new, some remodeled old ones.  It is interesting to see how each family creates their space on BB.

By Saturday we can move into Killick. Ethan and Trudy can appreciate all the work we’ve done in the recent years; new roof, new windows, new configuration of rooms upstairs and can see all the projects that remain as we make our ‘anchor’  more user friendly for our family. After Teeny’s tragic death in 1988, Jim and his brother, Bob, own the house. For 25 years now Bob and Anne, Jim and I have shared this great summer house. All our grown-up kids, and now their spouses and fiancés also enjoy the wonders of  Beinn Bhreagh.

One of our favorite things to do at Killick is relax on the big wrap around deck. Trudy and Ethan love that, too. Time slips by as we sip an extra morning coffee, an afternoon cup of tea,  or an evening glass of wine looking out over the waters of Baddeck Bay. One afternoon we snapped one self-timer photo as we hung out on the deck and then another one after our late afternoon swim down at Killick’s beach.

We also love hang out in Killick's big living room by the fireplace. Our dear friends Barb and Clarke join us for fun conversation and a game of cards.

 See kittycat asleep on the couch?

I did not bring my camera to the crab fest that Sara and Andy had back at Burns Cottage, so I do not have any photos to share. Imagine all the people who are staying on BB – aunts, uncles, first cousins, second cousins, and first cousins once removed,  all sitting at tables on the lawn outside, cracking and relishing long legged crab as the sun sets and the Ameoba sails by and eagles swoop and then the bugs start to bite as we munch carrot cake from the High Wheeler!  It was a fun evening.

                 (sunset from Burns Cottage on a previous evening - same sun/same place)

It is sad to bring Ethan and Trudy to the airport shuttle on Monday morning, but we meet Barb and Clarke dropping Jason! There is always something fun ready to happen around here.

Jim spends time doing yard work. Getting rid of the invasive plant Angelica is the big challenge this year. Jim buys a new short handled chopper to get the task done!

I enjoy making applesauce and crab apple jam picking fruit from the trees here.

One evening we are invited to a picnic to Crow Point with Jim's Uncle Gil & family aboard 'Dragonfly'. Sun and rain give us an interesting excursion.

Being on board 'Dragonfly' reminds me of the fun we had helping Gil bring his "new" boat from Gloucester, MA to Baddeck, NS. When people ask us; 'Have you ever sailed here from home?' We can say; yes! Our sons Xan and Fraser were part of the crew. Thinking of this makes me miss my boys and their fiancés who were here at Killick last summer. I like Killick full of happy family! <3

Last night we have a spontaneous dinner at Killick with David, Clea, and Alice –

Fried fish, curry lentils, rice, chard with fava beans and a peach-blueberry tart for dessert! Reminiscing about Uncle Sandy and Aunt Elva is always a fun time.

Today is Wednesday August 21, 2013. This is/was my dad’s birthday. He died just two years ago? Far away from my family, I am surrounded by the memories and lives of Jim’s ancestors. Being at a place where I know so many wonderful people have come and are gone now brings solace to me.  Living and dying seems okay here.  This is a poem Alexander Graham Bell liked – Jim and I like it, too:

Under the wide and starry sky,

Dig the grave and let me lie.

Glad did I live and gladly die,

And laid me down with a will.

This be the verse you grave for me:

Here he lies where he longed to be;

Home is the sailor, home from the sea,

And the hunter home from the hill.

Robert Luis Stevenson

TIME TIME TIME-what has become of you

TIME TIME TIME-what has become of you

Sailing for ten days aboard a 60 foot ketch with four other people is an interesting experience not matter where you cruise. Just the daily interaction of 5 people being together in close quarters poses challenges.

I notice I kept my watch on for the first two days, but did not bother to put it on my wrist after that. My time is ordered by the captain’s schedule of meals, anchoring, and taking up the anchor. He is in control of all the food, the comings and goings of the whaler, and of course, his boat. This is all his and he is sharing it with us, his crew. I am free within the time frame of what he wants to do. This is fine for a few days. Then, a person like me, feels trapped. I want my freedom. I want to be able to come and go as I want. I want time to myself.

I lose track of what day it is and what time it is. My usual reference points of mealtime, work schedule, phone calls, and such have disappeared. I wake up early because I went to sleep early. I eat when I am given food. I steer when it is my turn and help with the sails as needed – but on this trip we seem to be motoring into the wind more that any of us like.

I realize there was a change in plans early on because of weather. I know I fell into the trap of hoping to sail somewhere specific – the Magdeline Islands.  The weather on the two week cruise before we started had been tough. I think the skipper’s experience with that weather is affecting what we do this trip. Caution around storms is something I totally respect! Getting across the Cabot Strait prior to that gale last Saturday was a good idea. Getting to Halifax today prior to what is coming tomorrow is also a good idea. Our schedule is affected by the weather for sure.

I like dodging storms not enduring their wrath while under sail. Even a long day of motor-sailing like today seems transcended beyond time. We move along the coast of Nova Scotia in and out of fog.

Sandy spends a lot of time down below at his computer following the little green boat on the chart. That is us. This tracks our path along the shore helping us navigate carefully around rocks and buoys.

I feel the wetness in the air. It might rain soon. Trudy hands the helm over to Ethan. Jim puts his book down below and places it on the shelf. I ask him if he finished it. He says; “No, but the raindrops are getting it wet.”

We have about two hours until we dock, but what is time on a boat? We go. We just go where we have to go. Onboard, we do what we have to do. That is the simple way of time management while crewing on a 60 foot ketch.

“What is our ETA on that buoy?” Ethan yells down to Sandy.

“5:47”, Sandy yells back.

Ethan says; “It’s raining now, I just hope the strong winds hold for a while.”

This is the time for Windigo to head in to harbor for a safe night at the dock. Tomorrow’s weather prediction is such that tied up to a dock is the best place for us. This might give us time to explore Halifax (or head home to Baddeck early). I like having time to explore new places and meet new people. Though I sacrifice my own time- my control of my own time, I gain so much in sharing time as part of the crew of Windigo. The most valuable thing I gain might be realizing the value of my own time.