Secret Lake Found and Lost in Nova Scotia

Yesterday we stepped away from our current obsessive-compulsive-behaviour that is otherwise known as gardening and kitchen painting and we went swimming!

We’ve asked lots of people around here where they go swimming and we’ve had answers like “Oh, at Fred’s Hole (unmarked), down the Parker Road (unmarked). Or, at Big Lake (unmarked), which is legally named something else that the locals stubbornly refuse to call it. But more on that later. The directions were all rather vague.

It’s been hot and dry here and we’ve been wanting to find a spot to swim so badly, that when we were invited yesterday to a birthday potluck preceded by an afternoon picnic at the lake, we were thrilled to go!

In the sixties, Nova Scotia Power flooded a part of the Tobeatic Wilderness area to build a power dam. The resulting Lake swallowed up 6 or 7 smaller bodies of water and now, 40 years later, it looks like this.

This lake, like the majority of the freshwater lakes in Nova Scotia,  is so secret that the official govt. map doesn’t even show how to get there.

Instead, the map says: “The information in these maps is believed accurate, but has been drawn from a number of sources, therefore errors or ommissions may occur.” A hint: it’s near the ‘Faith, Hope and Charity Lakes Area’. In fact, it might even be IN that area.

At least it sure felt like it should be. You see, we had to drive down an (unmarked) logging road to get there..SITTING IN THE BACK OF AN OPEN PICKUP TRUCK. This was thoughtfully recommended by our friend Peter, who was concerned that the pieces of the underbelly of our car might get ripped away if we tried it ourselves. After all, even the ‘official’ roads that precede the logging road get washed out and declared closed every year after spring melt. Here’s the raw, bumpy footage that leaves out the narrow misses of plunging into deep ditches.

So after that thrilling ride, that we would have had to pay big bucks for in Disneyland, we arrived.

Our swimming mates have been coming to Big Lake for over 20 years to swim and to picnic and to camp, but you will find neither a food stand, nor camping facilities, nor signs or even a garbage receptacle. When we arrived, there was a family there, noone else and no garbage anywhere to be seen. Most people carry out what they bring in and will begrudgingly, but willingly, pick up the litter of others.

As for food, all the friends brought finger foods to share such as

• cut up cantalope pieces
• cheese pieces
• homemade cookies
• greek bread

We talked and swam and canoed and threw horseshoes and enjoyed the cool, refreshing waters and the bug-free environment. It was so peaceful and a perfect afternoon.

Later we went back to Rob and Julie’s house in Victory for cake and for a delicious pot luck diner.

 

I’ve been sworn to secrecy and I did promise not to reveal the exact swimming location to you. The fear is that the place will be overrun with tourists. Well, this request won’t be too hard for me to fulfill. After a glass of wine and some of Pat’s homemade birthday cake (strawberry shortcake with real whipped cream, made with local strawberries and local cream), I’d have a really tough time describing the route seeing as how we were facing backwards and all. All I can tell you is that you’ll need 4 wheel drive, watch for the deep ruts in the road, you’ll pass a LOT of trees, the road narrows a few times to the point where you’ll wonder if you’re still on a road, don’t forget your food, and expect paradise at the end of the road.