The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

B 6 - The Oakville Beaver, Tuesday D e c e m b e r 30, 2003 West Wind students experience the Maritimes By Faye Adamson and Gordon Phippen S P EC IA L T O T H E BEAVER West Wind Montessori School's trip to the Maritimes was filled with exciting adventures, comical events and a lot of mud! Altogether, there were eight stu dents, three teachers and my dad, Richard Adamson. Our trip lasted 10 days. We visited three Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia. Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. On June 12, we departed Toronto on a two-hour flight to Nova Scotia's capital of Halifax. We arrived in the rain but luckily the weather quickly improved and by day's end we were playing on the sand of Martinique Beach, the largest sand beach in the province. During our first couple of days in Nova Scotia we spent most of our time exploring the beautiful Eastern Shore near Halifax. We also visited the South Shore, home of scenic Peggy's Cove. Mahone Bay, Chester and Lunenburg, the home port of Canada's racing legend, the schooner Bluenose. The Bluenose appears on the Canadian dime and her replica, the Bluenose 11, can be seen alongside the Fisheries Museum wharf at Lunenburg's colourful water front, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. On the first day Natasa Stratis. Alex Roibas and I were walking (well actually we weren't walking, we were mud hopping) along the shore at the edge of Petpeswick Inlet when we found a dead starfish. We decided to put it on a rock so that we could cany it back to show Avin Veerakumar, Evan Creighton and Bianca Wurster. When we were almost back at the rock path that led to the back of the house, Natasa (who was holding the starfish at the time) screamed so loud that Avin and Bianca who were walking through the trees by the rock path came running up to see what had happened. I went back to help Natasa and see what was wrong with her. She was looking at the ground and pointing to the starfish which was moving. Two days later Kathleen Bishop, Emma Marescotti and teacher Miss Joanna Blackwell arrived and we got ready to leave the next day en route to Cape Breton's legendary Cabot Trail. Our plan was to live in the two recreational vehicles (the West Wind Expedition Education motorhome and another 30-ft vehicle we had rented) for the rest of the trip and leam as much as we could about the local historic sights and landmarks of the region. We would travel over 2,500 km. by journey's end. The Gordon Phippen · Special to the Beaver Alex Roibas at Peggy's Cove with the Nova Scotia flag. three boys, Mr. Gordon Phippen. teacher Mr. Cameron Peck and my dad slept in the Expedition Education motorhome and Miss Blackwell and all the girls were going to enjoy peace and quiet in the other home on wheels. Our first night's destina tion was an RV park on the rugged Atlantic coast just out side of Louisbourg. The next day, we could step back in time as we explored the spec tacular historic French fortress built in the late 1700s. That night, Mr. Phippen bor rowed a car and managed to get all 12 of us to a concert performed by a local fiddler named Jennifer Rowland. The concert was a brilliant evening of Celtic music and dance and we were all amazed by her performance. After the show, we got to meet Jennifer and all got autographed pic tures. We then decided to walk back to our 'temporary home' and enjoyed the cool breezy night as we recalled funny memories of our own Celtic music night and Lobster Fest held at the West Wind Amphitheatre a couple of evenings before our depar ture. After a day visiting the spectacular Fortress of Louisbourg and viewing life as it was in another time, we proceeded to Baddeck, a beautiful town on the shore of Bras D'or Lake. There we vis ited a museum dedicated to the famous inventor, Alexander Graham Bell. We of course learned about the telephone but also of his many other inventions and interests including kites, aircraft and hydrofoils. Bell is buried in Baddeck on the grounds of his beloved estate, Bheinn Breagh (beautiful mountain in Gaelic) which overlooks the lake and scenic Cape Breton Highlands. The next day, we toured the beautiful Cabot Trail, named for explorer John Cabot, the first European to chart the local waters of Cape Breton. The highway took us over steep mountain climbs and along soaring cliffs rising from the sparkling sea far below. We saw eagles, a black bear and a wolf in the highlands near the fishing vil lage above Cheticamp. By the time we arrived in Prince Edward Island, (by ferry - we left via the Confed eration Bridge), we had fin ished reading all of the books we had brought with us and began to trade with each other. Also, we were getting a little annoyed that everywhere we went took about twice as long as originally expected because we had to stop about every 10 minutes to take pic tures of the prolific fields of lupines along the roadside. The sight of endless pur ple, pink and white lupines was truly breathtaking and we enjoyed their beauty at seem- Your Total W edding Experience G e n u in e E sta te Saturday & Sunday Ja n u a ry 10 th & 1 1 th 1 2 n o o n to 5 p m A U C T IO N S A LE TU E S D A Y , January 6, 4:30 p.m . Preview fro m 3:00 p.m. Antiques and Collectables, etc. from 6:30 p.m . ^ Fashion Show Times 2 & 4pm daily A t T h e B u r lin g t o n C o n v e n t io n C e n tr e 1120 B urloak Dr. (2 blo ck s N o rth o f QEW ) l/i/** these great PRIZES: · .33 Carat Diamond Solitaire Pendant (value $1900.") · Designer Wedding Gown · Herbal'Magic 1 Year M embership ALSO SEE: f ^ A lfifta C b a u ffe u r e d ! !* S h o p p in g S p r e e K in g 's C o u rt B a n q u e t Hall 1159 K in g R d.( B u rlin g to n This is a new hall fo r the Shafer Auction Co. Directions: King Rd.. is 2 blocks west of the IKEA store on Plains Rd. in Burlington. A n exceptional offering from the Estates of Hyde, Tonelli, Lehman, Bryson, G ross and Others. A ntique and Estate furnishings in oak and walnut, assorted glass, china, pot tery, silver, silver plate, dinner ware, Royal Doulton, etc. Terms: Cash, VISA, Interac. 5 % Buyers Premium. FOR A BRIDE & HER 3 GUESTS! Enter to win. ONLY at The Bridal Sbou · F a s h io n S h o w s · P r o d u c ts & S e rv ic e s J r - > T --------------------------------------I P re se n t th<s coupon at the d c o r a n d receive S2 00 I O FF R egular A d u lt A dm issio n Ja n u a ry 10th & 1 11th. 2004 at the B urlington C onvention C entre sp o n so red b y . .. ] Shafer Auction Co. Ltd., 905-634-6300 Pictures at iw ww .auctionsfind.coin/shafer \$2.00 OFF One coupon p e r person B A R R Y 'S JEW ELLERS LTD. THE DIAMOND SI I'KRSTORK A Vision For Tomorrow & W inter Skatew ay 102.9 J -.tf co-sponsored by.. Promises & Lace Burlington Post T H E STUD O A K V I LLE An interactive learning environment for children and visitors to Oakville. A natural Butterfly Park and Winter Skateway at the Waterfront. VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.burlingtonbridalshow.com Consider this unique G ift Each donation of $50 or $100 will be acknowledged with a permanently inscribed* paver in the park. Donations for trees and benches are also possible, please call 905-825-2245 for more information. Tax deductible receipts will follow. *som e re s tric tio n s a p p ly pr' M l Va» Ymeref 110 Nelson St., Oakville (at Lakeshore, 2 streets East o f Bronte Rd.) The Best Care and The Best Value . . . You Deserve It! For appointments ca ll 905-827-2228 We Provide: Comprehensive Eye Examinations with The latest Computerized Testing Equipment for Vision & Eye Health Assessment Donation Form (pay by visa, cheque, cash) Name ___________________________________Total Enclosed $ __________ Address_____________________________________________________________ City______________________Postal Code ______________________________ Tel:________________________________ Fax: ___________ __________ Inscrip tio n: (lim ite d to 12 spaces each lin e , in c lu d in g p e rio d s , m a xim u m o f 2 lines) Come jo in us for Quality Fam ily Vision Care Mail to: Bronte Butterfly Foundation, 2368 Lakeshore Road West, Oakville L6L 1H5. For more information Tel: 905-825-2245 Fax: 905-825-8622 email: brontebutterfly@butterflys.ca A Large Selection of Fashion Eyewear. All types of Disposable and Bifocal Contact Lenses Visual Perceptual Testing & Vision Training For Children with Learning Difficulties Thank you to some of the 2 00 3 Butterfly Park Donors: Kilkenny, M atthew t Shauna Oakville Seniors Camera Club Piovesan, Lou McCraken, Susan Ogilvie, Alan Porch, Kathleen M iller, Usa 0'H are, Richard & Erika Progosh, Angela Mitchell, M argaret Peacey, Susan Salari, Kerry Oakville Professional Peters, Frank The Sprott Foundation Firefighters Assoc. Peters, Kelly Wylie, Barry & Angie Laser Surgery Consultation & Co-Management H iew o u ldlo vetoseey o u ! ingly every turn of the road. While touring Canada's smallest province, we visited Green Gables, Lucy Maiide M ontgomery's childhood home, which inspired her classic Anne of Green Gables stories. The farm and sur rounding woods was a beauti ful place to visit. It was easy to see how the lovely gardens, museum and forest trails inspired the author of so many `Anne stories.' After enjoying the amazing red beaches and massive sand dunes of nearby Cavendish we enjoyed a sce nic drive through the beautiful rolling farmland of the PEI interior, home to some of (he world's most productive pota to farms. We also visited the provincial capital of Charlottetown, home to Province House, the birth place of Canada. It was here in 1864 that Canada's Fathers of Confederation first met to discuss the possibility of union. We were all amazed to be in the same room and roam the historic halls o f this remarkable building where the idea of Canada emerged. On our first day in New Brunswick, we went to see the incredible Hopewell Rocks at the Bay of Fundy, the location of the world's highest tides. We had an excellent time run ning through the mud and dar ing each other to run through the gigantic arches formed by the flower pot rocks. This region of New Brunswick's Fundy coast is amazing as tides rush in. turning pillars of rock into islands before your eyes. Before returning to Halifax, we also enjoyed a fantastic trip on a lobster boat with Steven Beers, a fisher man from Richebucto on New Brunswick's Acadian Shore. We all got to take a turn at the wheel and enjoyed a spectac ular beach walk and sunset bn the longest day of the year.; It was a great way to wind do^n our trip.. .the summer solstice on the shores of Northum berland Strait. Before leaving Halifax; we learned of the city's impor tance as a port and also many interesting stories from the waterfront including the dev astating Halifax Explosion of Dec. 6,1917. The largest ever man-made explosion prior to the atomic bomb, it leveled much of the city's north ?nd. Caused by an accidental colli sion o f two ships {the freighter Imo and ammunition ship Mont Blanc), the lilast killed nearly 2,000 people and hurled a one ton anchor sever al kilometres away. The next day, the worst blizzard in years descended on the city adding to the misery and dev astation. Looking down Halifax Harbour from Citadel Hill, above the city's 200-year-old Town Clock, the view is like a postcard. Halifax and ?the communities we visited throughout the Maritimes are both scenic and profoundly influenced'by the sea. No one place in the province is njore than 100 kilometres fromithe ocean. No local we me{Jen route, made us feel lik£ a stranger. Independent |tnd proud, the region, like ;Jier people, is a special experi ence to be savoured. Despite the hardship wrought by hur ricanes, the challenges <rf a fluctuating economy and serving the needs of isolated communities, the Maritimes and her people carry on as always. United by music, community and a timeless code of survival, the region is as strong as its wave battered foundations. A tradition since 1996, Expedition Education has taken groups of students across Canada to destinations as diverse as the Klondike in Canada's Yukon, the magnifi cent Rockies and the rugged coastline and outports of Newfoundland. This school year. West Wind's students will enjoy a journey North of Superior across the Prairies and through Canada's mountain parks, Banff and Jasper. Expedition Education will run a summer camp in 2004. For information call Gordon Phippen at 905-849-9463. Faye Adamson is a West Wind graduate and Gordon Phippen is the school's Director.