Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada... Part 1 of 2

A rainy sail-in into Sydney, Nova Scotia, home of the world’s largest fiddle. This was the first rainy day we have encountered on our cruise and we made the best of it! I started the day with a very early morning sail into Sydney Harbor…  Despite the rain, the scenery was wonderful.  Our friends Laura, Bobby and Donna picked us up at the ship and off we went on the hunt for lighthouses. Cathy had done some research on lighthouses in the Sydney area following the Marconi Trail. The Marconi Trail is a scenic roadway in eastern Cape Breton Island, the route is entirely within the Sydney’s Cape Breton Regional Municipality and runs from Louisbourg to Glace Bay along the island's eastern coast. Our first lighthouse stop was at Louisburg lighthouse, unfortunately, due to the fog we were unable to see the Louisburg Fort. On the outskirts of Louisburg, we came upon the Louisburg Train Station, this restored site was the Eastern Terminal of The Sydney & Louisburg Railway…a nice stop. At Marion Bridge, we stopped at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church. Following the Gabarus Highway, we arrived at Gabarus Lighthouse located on Harbour Point south of Louisburg. Next, we went to Glace Bay and toured the wharf area with the fishing boats bringing in their catch of the day. Our next stop in Glace Bay was the Miners Museum. We also visited the Miners Village depicting the Company Store and Housing. The museum pays tribute to the region's long and rich history of coal mining. It is home to profound stories of miners and their families, and the resource that helped build a nation. We had lunch at the Miners Restaurant and then went on to New Waterford’s Low Point Lighthouse. We came upon Fort Petrie located in New Victoria, on the eastern shore of Sydney Harbor. The Fort consists of remnants of a World War II fortification and bunkers. Back in Sydney we stopped at the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic church. Despite the nasty weather we had a great day with our friends touring. Another fabulous day onboard the Zaandam…  Tonight, Rudi’s Sel de Mer for some fabulous seafood!  Off to Halifax tomorrow.