Red is the New Gold

Last night we had a quiet evening in the town of Sheet Harbour on the eastern coast. We did find a brew pub close by called Sober Island Brewing, named for Sober Island off the coast of Sheet Harbour. I wish I knew what the story is behind that name, as I am certain it could be a good one, but for now, I haven't found anything reliable to explain it. The brewery closed at 6 pm, and served no food, so we went in search of a place to eat dinner. There was not much choice. We have learned that many towns shut down in the evening and finding a restaurant open later is a bit of luck. Last night's luck came in the form of The Slippery Oyster. (see! another great name!). While there really weren't any fresh oysters on the menu, we did have some good fish, which worked out just fine.

The eastern seaboard of Nova Scotia has always been centered around fishing and gathering seafood, including lobster, crabs, scallops, mussels, and oysters. This was the original draw for people to settle here. Timber and shipbuilding were also early industries, thanks to the abundance of spruce, pine, and hardwoods such as oak and maple. For the early settlers of the 1700's, I can only imagine how tough it was to eke out a living in this wilderness and rough weather.

Typical east coast stream where gold was located.

It was the discovery of coal and gold along the eastern coastline in the 1800s that attracted a wave of immigrants to Nova Scotia, causing the population to triple. The black of coal and the gleam of gold became the primary sources of income, while timber and fishing turned into a poor man's livelihood. This situation persisted well into the 1900s. Our friend Katie, whom we met in Pictou with her husband, Ben, earlier on this ride, shared how her father was embarrassed to bring a lobster sandwich to school for lunch, as lobster was considered poor man's food. Now, lobster rolls are highly prized, costing anywhere from $10 to $20 each and regarded as a delicacy.

Lobster boat and traps

Today, the fishing and lobster industries are significant moneymakers. Locals describe those who own fishing boats and lobster traps as "rich." Nova Scotia accounts for 80% of Canada's lobster production, with most of the catch exported to the United States, China, and Europe, where prices can reach up to $20 per pound.

We saw a few of these trucks taking lobster traps to the shore today.

As global ocean temperatures rise, lobster, along with other seafood and fish populations, is moving further north. For places like Nova Scotia, the future of lobster looks promising, making the red of lobster it's new gold.

Tonight we are staying along the Salmon River just a three hour ride outside of Halifax in a great little place with lobster rolls for dinner. Needless to say, I am looking forward to it!

Salmon River Country Inn and Mermaid Eatery