Peggy’s Cove, Wildfires & Rain

As of today, the wildfire at Long Lake is 8,234 hectares and still growing. We got hit last weekend with an offshore hurricane. While we have had much, much worse hurricane-wise, this one was far enough offshore that we did not get any rain, but we got enough wind to double the size of the wildfire. Since then, we have had very little rain. We’ve had a little here in Halifax, but not enough in the Annapolis Valley where the fire is. There have now been houses lost as well, about 20 they are saying. I feel so bad for the people that have lost their houses. One couple is due to have their first baby in September.

Since we are off this weekend, we decided to try and get out. At 4 p.m. yesterday, they lifted the ban on going into the woods in 7 of the 18 counties in Nova Scotia. Just the very top 7, which includes Halifax, so we can technically go into the woods now, including the nature paths and parks that were off limits. We’ve decided, though, that we are not going to yet. Just because they lifted it doesn’t mean it’s fully safe. Someone else might still start a fire that we might get caught up in if we go into the woods. So we have decided to stay out a while longer. It sucks because we like to hike. We so desperately need more rain.

Instead, today we decided to go to Peggy’s Cove. I unfortunately did not get one picture, though, because we never made it past the washrooms and info center at the entrance to the village due to an incident. We parked to use the washroom before continuing farther into the village. When we got out of our car, we noticed a van in front of us and to the right was only partially in the spot, and there was another car in the lane in front of it. Everyone was in their cars, so we didn’t think much of it. We used the washroom and came back. On the way back, we saw the van try and pull forward and back into the spot better, as they were partially hanging out of the spot.

The car pulled forward and started honking at them and going at the side of the car like he was going to hit it. Inside the van was a woman, her mother or mother-in-law (I assume), and her 4 young kids. Inside the car was a young couple in their early 20s. He got out of the car and started swearing at the mom in another language. She got out and started walking towards us and said, “He’s harassing me, and I have my 4 young kids in the car, and I don’t know what to do.” So Edward, who is a large guy, moved towards her to protect her as the guy who got out of the car headed right for her and me. He got between them and asked the guy what was going on.

The guy told us she took his spot, and she told us she didn’t mean to but didn’t realize he was going for the spot, as he was going against the arrows the wrong way and she couldn’t see him coming around the corner. Once she pulled in, he blocked her and would not let her get back out, and he started harassing her. So another guy who was walking up and I both told him to move on and find another spot. The other guy even said, “We are leaving, leave her alone and take ours.” So he agreed grudgingly, got in his car, and followed him over a few spots. He proceeded to try and take the spot while the other guy was still trying to get out of it. In the meantime, a third car took the spot.

We all kind of laughed because, well, karma. But he got really mad, got out of his car, and came at me and the woman with the kids again. I yelled at him to stay where he was and put myself between her and him. My husband came around me and got between me and him and told him to get in his car and leave. At this point, my husband was really mad and told him to just get back in his car and leave. He could have made two of him, so he’s pretty intimidating. In the meantime, my husband told me to go to our car and see if he would get back in his and take my spot so that he would leave her alone, and he started walking with her towards the bathrooms because he was scared to walk away from her or the kids.

The guy did get in his car and then proceeded to block me. I rolled down my window and yelled at him again to get the hell out of my way. If he wanted my spot, he had to let me out. So he backed up a bit, and I forced him farther. At that point, I was willing to hit him with my car if it kept me and her safe. So he backed off. I went around and picked up my husband, as someone else took over from my husband and walked with the woman, her mom, and the kids towards the info center so they could let someone know what was going on. We followed her to ensure she got inside there and that he and his girlfriend went another way, and then we left.

At that point, I was just mad and said I didn’t want to go that way and risk running into him again, so we decided to go back to Halifax. Instead of heading into the village, we went shopping for some things we needed. It was our anniversary a few days ago, 9 years, and we had planned a day, but by that point it felt ruined. To salvage it, we went out for supper. Overall, the day was okay. I just wish we had gotten into Peggy’s Cove as planned.