What's It All About, eh?

Cape Breton evokes deep memories and strong emotions for me as well as a deep appreciation for the beauty of my adopted island. My hopes are that you too might find the photos evocative - maybe a view you've not enjoyed before, or an 'Oh I've been there', or if from away that you may be encouraged to visit this fair isle so that you might come to love and breathe Cape Breton as I do. One word about place names that I use - some are completely local usage while others are from maps of Cape Breton that I've purchased over the years. I frequently post travel and other photos that are of interest to me - and hopefully you.

On the right hand side bar find my take on Single Malt whiskey - from how to best enjoy this noble drink to reviews (in a most non-professional manner) of ones that I have tried and liked - or not. Also musings, mine and others, on life in general.

Photographs are roughly 98%+ my own and copy-righted. For the occasional photo that is borrowed, credit is given where possible - recently I have started posting unusual net photographs that seem unique. Feel free to borrow any of my photos for non-commercial use, otherwise contact me. Starting late in 2013 I have tried to be consistent in identifying my photographs using ©smck on all out of camera photos I personally captured - (I often do minor computer changes such as 'crop' or 'shadow' etc but usually nothing major), and using
©norvellhimself on all photos that I have played around with in case it might not be obvious. Lately I have dropped the ©smck and have watermarked them with the blog name.

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NOTE: TO ENLARGE PHOTO, CLICK ON SAME - If using Firefox also click f11 - photos will fill the screen ...... ----------------------------------- ......TRANSLATION BUTTON AT TOP OF LEFT COLUMN!

Newfoundland Landfall

© July '12    photo by smck
© July '12    photo by smck

© July '12    photo by smck
© July '12    photo by smck



© July '12    photo by smck



As the ferry approached Port aux Basque, the land of Newfoundland looming out of the water into the misty gray of the day seemed to conjure the feeling of Cabot and his crew staring at this strange new world. A world of uncharted depths and reefs, a world of dreams of gold and exotic spices, fresh food and water and a myriad of unknown thoughts of the crew. Then a glimpse of another ferry tumbled me back into the 21st century where all was structured for our comfort - port and charts, electronic wizardry like magic pin-pointing our every move. Still the closer glimpse of the barren hills of the coast to our starboard raised that ancient-of-days feeling in me once more and I knew that I was closing in on our anticipated vacation on this great island. The red buoy only some small hundred meters from the shore gave me comfort with its physical presence steering us in measured depth to the dock - although I've no doubt that its innards conceal its own electronic daemons. As we drove away from the dock toward our first ad-hoc day ashore, we said adieu to the ferry, Atlantic Vision, a beautiful well appointed ship - but one inclined to roll easily in the small light waves of our voyage from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to Port aux Basque, Newfoundland, much to my wife's discomfort. Well the return trip would be another ferry and another day.

Bonaparte Gull

© Jul '12    photo by smck

© Jul '12    photo by smck
Actually I'm not really sure if this is the native Bonaparte Gull or the Little Gull from Europe which has successfully been breeding on the east coast on North America after straying here in the late 20th century -
but I believe it is the Bonaparte.

Bird On The Run

© Jul '12    photo by smck
This photo taken with my 16x and then cropped digitally even larger - however I really like the water colour look that resulted.  Between a back road in L'Ardoise and the shore.

N.S. Control Survey 8, 2539

© Aug '12    Photo by smck

© Aug '12    Photo by smck

© Aug '12    Photo by smck
Here I am at Nova Scotia Control Survey 8, #2539 with the crows watching me photograph the island in the distance