August, the warmest month in the year. At least in principle. It’s also the month when we do the most things and update the least. The same goes for this blog, no visible updates during August.
For the warmest month of the year, it all started rather wet. The fog was thick and the sun rays were scarce.
So that would be a good time for a boat ride to watch whales, right? Yeah, right. While the boat trip was definitely not uneventful, the whales stayed out of sight. The trip was provided by a company in Lunenburg, stating that seeing whales was all but guaranteed.
Seals on their rock
I’m not sure if they know what whales look like, but the ones we encountered on the rocks didn’t qualify as whales for me. These seals were enjoying their time on the rocks, just outside of Lunenburg. A few minutes later, we were enveloped in a thick fog; visibility was less than 50m around the boat.
Then it was time for a heavy thunderstorm on the water. Regulations dictated that the skipper seek shelter as fast as possible. And he did that successfully. Except that between rocks in a narrow channel, there were also no whales.
Sea Cave, The Ovens, La Have
On the way back, after the storm, we could see the sea-caves of The Ovens. From the sea, it is clear that these caves were made with dynamite and refined by Mother Nature over the past 150 years.
Cape Sable, Halifax
Back in the harbour of Lunenburg, a small detour around the moored vessels gave us this boat: the Cape Sable from Halifax. I couldn’t find any information about the ship, but the picture was kind of interesting. Kind of.
Summerville Beach
Then it was time to go to the beach. The beaches in Nova Scotia are beautiful, when the sun shines enough they are even great for tanning. The water is for the fish… The above shot of Summerville Beach was not a tanning day shot.
Hey, Baldy!
But sometimes you get lucky. Finally, a bird shot, right? I’m not one to be whining about everything, but I would have preferred to have had my birding lens with me. This one is a heavily cropped shot. But at least it’s a bird 
.
Memorial Car Show 2024
Then it was time for the Memorial Automobile Show in Liverpool. A fun-filled day with lots of unique and antique cars. Well, my definition of “antique” means more than 100 years old, not many cars qualify under those conditions. The Memorial Auto Show in Liverpool is the largest in Eastern Canada, not to be missed.
Ernesto on the rocks
Then Ernesto came along. Ernesto stayed far off the coast, unlike the hurricanes we had last year. As a result, the weather stayed nice, and waves were pounding the rocks close by. Being on the East Coast means that the westerly winds drive the water away, even in the biggest storms. Any wave action must come from hurricane leftovers from the Atlantic. Hurricane Ernesto passed by some 150km east of the coast, so only the swells arrived here.
Coffin Island and the Belt of Venus
After that, summer returned, and all was quiet on the eastern front. On a nice quiet evening on the beach, the Belt of Venus was clearly visible. The island off the coast in the above shot is called Coffin Island. Named after the shape it has, not after its inhabitants (or former inhabitants).
Dust road
Then it was time to hunt for some soundscapes. Nova Scotia is fairly densely populated, but also has areas where there is not a soul in sight. Driving on the above road made my car a few pounds heavier in fine dust. When a car passed by, I barely had enough time to secure my gear in the car and close it before an enormous dust cloud enveloped me. The gear was safe.
Early morning fog
Then, by the end of the month, it became time to enjoy the moody sunrises again. Warmer water provides good steam in the cooler morning air. Getting up early enough to get the pictures was the challenge.
And so passed by the month of August. As usual, we always think we have done or accomplished nothing during the whole month, but in retrospect, things are more positive. I guess it must be my memory that slips… 
Until next time…