After a rather chilly night with temps in the mid-forties we wake up early to a murky morning. We have a coffee to drive the chills out of the bones and decide to take it easy today. First we find a post office to send back home some of the too much items we have packed and which are just taking space and adding weight. We drive through North Sydney, NS and along Rt. 305 to Sydney, NS and further on Rt. 4 to Glace Bay, NS. Here we pay a visit to the Miner's museum and learn about the dangerous work mining underneath the ocean floor.
Mining Museum, some pieces from above and below ground
A lunch box for every miner who died in the 1979 explosion
We continue the afternoon exploring a bit the city of Sydney, do some needed shopping, and explore the harbor front and a couple of must see sights. The morning haze has given way to some sun, and sitting in one of the many eateries we let the day pass by.
A thank you to the wartime merchant navy who played a vital role in bringing supplies over the Atlantic to supply the troops. Many of those left from Nova Scotia and as they were not made for military transport, those convoys of old and dilapidated vessels were considered "tramps", slow convoys (hence the marking SC) to identify them. Often without warning merchant ships were torpedoed or bombed, and the sudden explosion or burning of ships loaded with ammunition or fuel left many of the sailors to the sea. Many of those 177 convoys who left Sydney, NS, a total 48 convoys were attacked, and a total of 226 ships were lost through sinking by German U-boats.
A monument in memory of the immigrants to Cape Breton
A fiddle in recognition of the importance the fiddle music played in the heritage of Cape Breton
And another perfect day comes to an end:
"A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for." - Unknown
Happy your adventure has begun!
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