Open Jaw :: On The Town ::

With Martha Chapman
25JUN08

The beautiful Bluenose II – in person!

Tourism Minister Bill Dooks with some of the delegation from N.S.

Straight from the Fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island: a “French naval officer” and a “Swiss mercenary”

Sailing Aboard A Legend

It’s one thing to turn on a dime. But to sail on a dime – or to be exact, on board the Canadian legend the Bluenose II, pictured on every Canadian dime – is a thrill indeed.

So there were many smiles among the 75 lucky souls who boarded the Bluenose in downtown Toronto last Friday. Included among the happy sailers were several members of the 100-strong team of tourism reps in town to promote all things Nova Scotian. Ashore was a tented area with exhibitors including Pier 21 (Canada’s “Ellis Island”), White Point Beach Resort and the new “Economusées” – small crafts museums throughout the province.

And business is looking good for the province that’s so proud of plaid. According to Randy Brooks, N.S.’s genial manager of travel media relations, “Business is way up from Ontario and western Canada – even Air Canada has increased its lift.” And summertime is packed with festivals sure to please clients who love music, food, entertainment and tradition.

Aboard the 161-foot long vessel (considerably bigger than a dime), Nova Scotia’s minister of tourism Bill Dooks told the enchanted crowd, “This is the opportunity of a lifetime, to be aboard the Bluenose, Nova Scotia’s ambassador, in Toronto. Keep this memory in your heart – and you’ll not be disappointed when you experience a lifetime of vacations in Nova Scotia.”