After checking out the Bay of Fundy, a bit like the Hauraki Gulf but with tsunami sized tides, we headed to Halifax, a bit like Tauranga but different.

Halifax is a small town with a big fort. And handy to some terrible disasters. All the dead people from the Titanic came to Halifax. Their luggage went elsewhere, but such has always been the curse of the modern traveller. And, on a more sombre note, the bombed Swissair Flight 111 crash site was on the horizon off the coast. Maybe it’s easier to joke about boats sinking because we’re not going to be travelling on one.

Halifax City is guarded over by a giant citadel, constructed to defend the naval base in the harbour below. The town was so well defended that it was never attacked. However, in a twist of photographic oversight, I was so busy looking for details to photograph that I never actually took any photos of the entire citadel.

After the citadel, we headed down into the city and checked out the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, which included some artifacts from the Titanic – but no luggage.

The next day, we headed out to Peggy’s Cove, about an hour’s drive from Halifax. Carved out of the rocks by a glacier or something equally good at chiselling rock, the little cove is postcard picturesque. The cove has enough room for some buildings, a wharf, and a handful of boats. And bare, scraped smooth rocks everywhere. With “scramble” becoming established as our new family motto, we have discovered another wonderful playground – it’s just going to be a challenge to come back.

After being plagued with haze in the BoF, the air on the coast was so incredibly clear (for Canon geeks, it was like my eyesight had suddenly been upgraded to L-series).

After gulping our fill of fresh, completely invisible air, we piled back into our little home and headed north for Cape Breton.

The Union Jack flying proudly over the citadel – Halifax Citadel, Nova Scotia.

A demonstration of firing a breech loading rifle – cutting edge technology at the time – Halifax Citadel, Nova Scotia.

Demonstration of the 6lb canon – Halifax Citadel, Nova Scotia.

A poor student on his summer job, but he was very convincing. The kids were too scared to stand next to him for a photo – Halifax Citadel, Nova Scotia.

This Royal Artillery soldier was much less scary than the serious guards on duty and the kids were happy to pose with her – Halifax Citadel, Nova Scotia.

There were two cruise liners in port, the QMII and a little Dutch number, so the flag pole was all dressed up. The flags are from the days when people wanted to know what freighters had arrived in port, and each flag represents a specific company – Halifax Citadel, Nova Scotia.

The grizzly fate that awaited pirates, at the Museum of the Atlantic – Halifax, Nova Scotia.

A deck chair from the Titanic, recovered after the sinking and gifted to a minister who had performed long hours saying last rites for the dead – Museum of the Atlantic, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Halifax from the water. Taken from aboard an old ice breaker that was part of the Museum of the Atlantic – Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Swiss Air Flight 111 memorial. The crash site was where the edge of the memorial intersects the horizon – Whalesback Beach, Nova Scotia.

Peggy’s Cove lighthouse from the Swiss Air Flight 111 memorial site – Whalesback Beach, Nova Scotia.

Peggy’s Cove lighthouse – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

Karen and Kyla – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

The girls running down a rock face – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

Troy scrambling to avoid ibeng photographed. He spent ages ranging all over the rocks, enjoying them just cos he could – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

It can be pretty hairy out on the Atlantic – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

The last of an ocean swell saying hello to an Ariel-with-legs – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

Troy enjoying being king of his rock pool – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

Some guy with the Peggy Cove lighthouse – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

Kyla looking for ships in distress – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

Two fishing boat tenders cuddling in the middle of the cove – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

The mouth of Peggy’s Cove, with the Atlantic beyond – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

Fishing boats in the cove. The water was so beautiful and clear, to match the weather – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.

A lobster trap that is stuck on land now – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia.