A Poem by Ray Alexander Fraser

The Highlands of Cape Breton are Whispering the Spring Thaw

by

Ray Alexander Fraser

The Highlands of Cape Breton are whispering the spring thaw: 

The seagulls squeak, the eagles screech and the crows start to caw. 

The wind shifts, the birch lean and the spruce stand their best, 

The Highlands of Cape Breton begin their slow chant of West. 

It rises up to Cape St. Lawrence across the melting seas; 

It spins with the tides, circles around and bends back to the trees; 

It carries through the flat harbour of St. Lawrence's Bay, 

Stopping at the Crosses, wailing West as it makes way. 

West. West. West. 

The Highlands continue their wail, continue their lament. 

West. West. West. 

The northern ocean rumbles, filled with discontent. 

West. West. West. 

The mighty whales thrash about the shore crashing to the sand. 

West. West. West.

The chant will not stop until you bring your clan to this fabled land.

Northern Cape Breton On Film

Whales with Northern Cape Breton Nova Scotia's Highlands as the Backdrop

We purchased a video camera for Oshan Whale Watch and the First Mate Cheryl Fraser, has been taking some lovely videos and I have been uploading them to YouTube (above). You know how it goes, you buy a Volkswagen  so all you see on the road is Vokswagons; naturally, I have been watching more videos than I have been uploading. Here are some the treats I found when I was supposed to be working.

Above is a video of setting Lobster Traps in Neil's Harbour.

 I like this video a lot because, well, I'm a fishermen and because they use similar lobster traps to us, so it easy for me to be biased.  Further, I went to high school with the gentleman who uploaded the video.  We haven't talked in a while, but if I saw him on the wharf we'd lean against the traps and have a nice chat about hockey, fishing, and the weather - which is not idle conversation when you work on the sea.  It would be just like it was fifteen years ago, except back then it was hockey, girls, and the weather.

The next video I liked is one by Eagle North Kayak 

I am extremely biased towards Eagle North Kayak because their owner, capebretonmike on youtube, and I were both in the Drama Club together at Cabot Jr/Sr High (I was the junior at the time), and capebretonmike was a founding member of the Cabot Jr/Sr High Environmental Club; I joined shortly after it was created.

When I planned to write this blog, I figured I would just showcase videos by people that I know, because, well, I am biased.  But, the following video was too cute for me to pass up.

Did John Cabot get that reaction when he landed?

Now, how do you get to the Aspy Bay Dive Bomber's location? How the heck should I know? I am a whale watching fisherman with no time for hikes in the summer, but guess what? A friend of mine, Dennis Doyon, runs a guided adventures business, Sea Spray Outdoor Adventures, and he would gladly take you to places like this. Since I mentioned Dennis, he would be upset if I didn't include some winter videos, which is his favourite time of year.

It's Spring-time in Northern Cape Breton, which to us is still Winter!

Lastly, I will post the two most biased videos without commenting on them, because even I have to admit these videos are added because they are personal to me. One is of my mother's home village of Meat Cove, the other is of a sunset filmed above my house.

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed looking through some videos of Northern Cape Breton, I really should be working and I shouldn't be looking forward to winter, but I love winter and all its frigid glory.

I know, this is a blog which ended up being more biased than I planned. But what can I say, when you live at the Top of Nova Scotia you might be biased, but you are also blessed.

Arts North Anecdote

I didn’t make it out to the boat today, which makes me cranky, but I was happy to read the following tweet this morning: 

"Everyday we will try to feature a local business today check out Art’s North http://ow.ly/5posx" via northcapebreton 

I wasn’t clever enough to come up with a 140 character reply to express why I am happy; instead, I'm going to tell a little story. 

Last year (2010), my childhood friend David Goldberg battled leukemia and won. I have known David for virtually all my life. A native of Philadelphia, David and his family have been coming to Nova Scotia, in particular my home village of Bay Saint Lawrence in Cape Breton, since David was a child. Each summer David and I explored the lakes of the Aspy, the hidden hiking trails of the highlands, faraway swimming holes at Neil's Harbour, the pristine shores of Cabot's Landing, the twists and turns of the Cabot Trail, and the many cliff-bound beaches throughout Northern Cape Breton. Needless to say, David and his family were devastated over David's battle with cancer and heartbroken when they couldn't make it to Cape Breton because of  his illness. 

Enter Naomi.

David's girlfriend wanted to get something authentically Cape Breton for David. She called me (I had never spoke with her before) and asked for my help. I immediately told her that if she wanted something truly Cape Breton, Arts North was the place to go. The owner-operator, Dennis Doyon, quickly found an item that fit Naomi's budget, was easy to ship and was something David would love. It was easy for Dennis to help pick something out for David because our community is so small; Dennis has also known David for over twenty years.  David loved the gift. Dennis loved helping out. And now, the wonderful piece of  pottery, crafted by Linda Doyon, is a centerpiece in David and Naomi's apartment.