Digby Harbour in the Annapolis Basin © Aconcagua, Wikipedia
With its slow pace and relaxed feel, this beautiful area is one of the world’s best spots for whale-watching.
Close to Digby, what looks on a map like a thin, skeletal finger (the last two ‘bones’ are actually islands) stretches for almost 75km and separates the Bay of Fundy from St Marys Bay. Geologically, the Digby Neck, rarely more than 3km wide, is a continuation of North Mountain, which separates the Annapolis River Valley from the Bay of Fundy. Both Brier and Long islands are made up of Jurassic basalt lava – as the lava cooled, it sometimes formed vertical polygonal columns such as Balancing Rock.
The pace of life in Nova Scotia is generally pretty relaxed, but if you want to slow down even more, enjoy natural splendour, and take a holiday from your holiday, this beautiful area is worth some time. A line of wind turbines is a relatively recent addition to the landscape.
There are few services, but just enough: pretty villages and good hiking, some of the province’s best birding opportunities and what may well be the best whale-watching opportunities along the entire east coast of North America. Although the majority of visitors drive straight to their whale-watching trip and (when it is over) drive back again, try to allow yourself more time to explore this beautiful region.