Ring, ring!
Scot Free III
Frank & Anne
Fri 4 Oct 2019 13:48
Left the tranquillity of Maskills Harbour and motored to Baddeck, very little wind and flat seas, in stark contrast to the previous day’s trip. Baddeck is a picturesque and vibrant village, the largest one on the shores of the Lakes.
The bad news, on arrival, was that the marina was full. Became clear that many boats, hauled out before the hurricane, didn’t go back into the water and many pontoons were taken out to avoid damage. Space is very limited. So on a buoy in the lee of Kidston Island with a lovely view.
The launch service is available but the vessel is somewhat unusual, not a smart club launch more like a floating derrick, probably used for lifting buoys. It did the job and took us ashore.
Season’s end has come early, with premature haul outs and bitterly cold weather. 3 degrees first thing.
Good to explore this pretty village. Best coffee yet at Bean There, followed later by lunch at The Freight Shed on the quay - crab cakes and mussels -excellent not a chip (sorry French fry) in sight. Makes a change.
Off afterwards to THE museum in Baddeck, The Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site. A fascinating, informative museum dedicated to Baddeck’s most famous resident. Born in Edinburgh, Bell moved to London then Canada with his family, and as an adult moved to Boston where he initially worked as a Teacher of the Deaf. Mabel, his future wife, was one of his pupils.
Famous for inventing the telephone, ( it is said his was one of the most valuable patents ever), he established Bell Labs and became technical adviser to The Bell Telephone Company.
Visiting Nova Scotia on holiday, they fell in love with it, bought 50 acres of land near Baddeck and built Beinn Bhreagh, Gaelic for “Beautiful Mountain” as a summer home. It later became their permanent residence .
Bell was a scientist, inventor and engineer, his major interests being flight and aerodynamics, but he often lost interest in his many inventions at the point when he could have made money from them.
Once in Baddeck, it seems it was his wife who funded most of his experiments. I was amused by his wedding presents to his wife especially the additional one!
