Peggy of the Cove

One of the many beautiful views on the road to Peggy's Cove.

What is it about the sea that so inspires the creation of folklore?  Maybe it is the inherent danger of the ocean.  The sadness of sailors lost, the women who forevermore walk the widow's walk searching the sea for men who will never come home.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that for most of human history no one knew what really lay beyond the horizon and it was more comforting to make up a good tale than live with uncertainty? Whatever the reason, it is a rare seacoast town without some tale to tell and Peggy's Cove is no exception.

Hugging the eastern point of St. Margaret's Bay, Peggy's Cove feels remote, but it is only about 25 miles from the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The lore surrounding this little seaside town is centered on how it came to be called Peggy's Cove. The most romantic version tells the tale of a young girl who was the sole survivor of a shipwreck.  She had no memory of her name or of her past.  Taken in by a village family, she came to be known as Peggy of the Cove.  The simple, less colorful version, is that Peggy was simply the wife of an early settler and the town was named for her.  The pragmatic and straightforward version is that the town was named after Saint Margaret for whom the bay is named.  

Personally, we like the idea of the shipwrecked girl who found not only salvation, but a new life in a new place named just for her.

Located at the tip of the Chebucto Peninsula, Peggy's Cove has easy access to Saint Margaret's Bay.

  

Remnants of a time when Peggy's Cove was an active fishing area.
The little village now depends upon tourism.

Peggy's Cove lighthouse is a big draw for photographers and ...

 ...  locals boast that more photos are taken of Peggy's Cove than Niagara Falls.
Hmmm...another bit of lore?

Lobsters are a big business in this area and if you ever visit
we recommend you try the lobster rolls.

Painter and sculptor William de Garthe created this monument to Nova Scotia's
fisherman from a 100' length of rock outside his gallery in Peggy's Cove.

There isn't much beach but the rocky shoreline of Nova Scotia is breathtaking.

Peggy's Cove