Kayaking, Tangier, Nova Scotia by Coastal AdventuresKayaking in Tangier © Coastal Adventures

Once the host of several gold mines, this tiny town is now home to great sea kayaking.

The rugged Eastern Shore, where an isolated band of islands stretches from Clam Harbour to Canso. This forgotten wilderness forms a compelling mix of natural and human history. Some of these outposts are just tiny specks, scarcely breathing air at high water, whilst others are huge forest-covered expanses that dominate the horizon, and beckon to the inquisitive traveller. Explore abandoned lighthouses and shipwrecks, uncover those vanishing signs of our own transient history, or camp on a deserted isle where your only companions are the seals and the seabirds, far from the summer bustle. Tangier is an ideal place from which to start.

This small community (population: 115) once serviced several gold mines. It is now home to an excellent sea kayaking company, Coastal Adventures, which is also one of the only places offering kayak rentals along the entire Eastern Shore. Come for expert advice, half- and full-day kayak excursions that include visits to uninhabited islands, and a range of longer (multi-day) packages. Also just off Highway 7 at Mason Point Road is the simple Prince Alfred Arch, erected to commemorate the (1861) visit to the local gold mine by Queen Victoria’s son.

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