Lunenburg
Nova Scotia
A true diamond. Founded by German immigrants of the real industrious variety it soon became the center of the region. Lumber export, Grand Banks fishing and of course shipbuilding were the main sources of considerable wealth. This was the cradle of the New England Schooner, one of the fastest and most beautiful ships under sail ever built. Waterfront and town have undergone considerable loving restoration over the last few years and are now a part of the Unesco world cultural heritage. We felt honored to be able to moor our little boat right in front of such impressive scenery.
"Bluenose 2" is the exact replica of a sailing legend built here in Lunenburg in 1923. The original was lost near Haiti in 1947. Soon after a trust was set up by wealthy Nova Scotians and in 1965 the No. 2 was built, by the same shipyard that commissioned the original. Craftsmen who were apprentices in their teens in 1923 were now able to put all their experience into the new one just before well earned retirement. Since then "Bluenose 2" has been Canadas ambassador of good will all over the world and has been sailed enthusiastically by hundreds of young people showing that the spirit is still alive.
One of the yards still builds the traditional dories, a symbol of the hard life of the past. Up to 10 of them were put on deck of one of the Grand Banks Schooners and once arrived on the fog pestered fishing grounds were launched with 2 people on board. These 2 now had all day to catch as much fish as possible with lines and were hopefully picked up by their "mothership" at sunset. Sometimes they weren´t. With their load full the schooners then would race home to one of the bigger New England harbors. The first to arrive would get the best price.Today this is all history along with the fish. There is no more cod on the Grand Banks and all the big trawlers are sleeping at the pier. Whether the fish will ever come back nobody knows...
