About a Cape Breton wedding

Waiting for the ferry at Englishtown on the mainland of Nova Scotia, heading towards Cape Breton Island - about four minutes away by ferry. One car has just driven off - the "run" between the mainland and the island. It  would likely take about five minutes or so to swim across - it's not 100 yards...though perhaps the current is pretty strong.

This particular ferry runs on a cable between to two staging areas. I shot this photo through the car window as the person in front of me waited for all the cars coming our way to leave the ferry. It's an ingenious set up - three anglers went across with us - not in a car though having parked on one side of the waterway. I saw several others standing on the bank with lines in the water as we moved towards the spit of sand and gravel sticking out into the water, that frankly looked far to fragile to be part of a ferry system - but I guess it's sturdier than it looks.

Of course being a nosey parker I wanted to know what the anglers were fishing for. "Mackerel," came the quick reply, two fellows looking me over giving me the "just a tourist" kind of look a single woman driving up the coast would normally get it seems to me. They sort of chuckled at my interest, looking amused at each other.

I stopped on the side of the road after leaving the ferry to see if I could get a shot of them - but that didn't work. So on I went, winding my way eventually up a huge hill.

There were many hills, many curves and often I was by myself on the road. There certainly were no traffic jams.

At the base of one mountainous hill (one which said that I was about to climb some two or three thousand feet high) were two bicyclists - looking up towards the grade which was at least a 45 degree angle at that point and discussing rather heatedly what they were going to do next. If it had been my car I was driving I might have offered them a lift.

Finally I made it to my destination - going through some mist, some rain though mostly just grey skies, into Cape Breton National Park heading towards Keltic Lodge where the wedding was being held and we were all staying - families and friends of both bride and groom.(I did tell you I was going to a wedding didn't I? That's why I was in Cape Breton.) I had to stop and take a photo of Ingonish Beach across this stretch of ocean - it's a beautiful beach at any time and has some great walking trails along it. When I was 13 I first walked on that beach and swam in the 45 degree water. What an experience. I took the photo to remind me of my childish adventures there so many years ago.

Finally I came up past the golf course - which is one of the best in North America apparently and saw the Lodge. What a lovely place it is with a wonderful story behind it (I'll see if I can remember it for a future blog). Before long, we all felt like family, staff and guests alike hoping that it wouldn't rain for the wedding to take place in a couple of days. The people of Cape Breton are such a delight - if you get the chance to visit that island grab it. You'll never forget it.

So the rain held off, though it was supposed to thunder and pour at 3 p.m. when the wedding ceremony was to start. The setting overlooked the ocean with Cape Smokey in the background.

Doesn't it look romantic? It was a lovely ceremony, beautiful bride, handsome groom, happy families and friends... and an amazing setting as you can see.

There are some things that will stick in my memory for a long time - and this was one of them. I was very privileged to be invited and to be able to spend time with my cousin and her husband. Their son was the groom. But to do that, have a vacation and savour the beauty of this amazing, rugged wild part of Canada all at the same time - what a fabulous time out of time.

Hope you enjoy the photographs and the idea of a romantic outdoor wedding. Maybe it will bring back memories for you, or set you dreaming?