Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl Festival

It’s ALL for Lobster & Lobster for ALL!

The beautiful south shore of Nova Scotia from Barrington to Peggy’s Cove fills the month of February with everything lobster. Stay & play, sip & savour, and shop & hop around, as you enjoy over 160 lobster experiences. It’s ALL for lobster and lobster for ALL!

Lobster Crawl Roll Off

My good friend Lucie and I hit the road to Saint John, crossed over to Digby on the Bay Ferries’ Fundy Rose to began our lobster indulgence adventure. ADJA Studio and Gallery in Liverpool was our first stop to take in a lobster fishing inspired exhibition of painting, sculpture, jewelry and photography. The whimsical lobster-loving cat painting by local artist Andre Haines was my fav. Lane’s Privateer Inn was our next destination for a mouth-watering lobster roll, with generous chunks of lobster and a zippy horseradish mayo on a fresh Brioche roll with a side of hand-cut fries paired with a lovely Las Moras Chardonnay, of course. This gal’s got game and so does this lobster roll chef - it was one of 18 restaurants competing for the Annual Lobster Crawl Roll Off festival title.

The Grill at The Quarterdeck Resort

We settled into our 2-bedroom luxury loft accommodations at Quarterdeck Resort a couple hours later and before you knew it, we were oceanside enjoying a bowl of Summerville Seafood Chowder chock full of delicious scallops, haddock, shrimp, and… you guessed it - lobster, accompanied by a warm, freshly-baked heavenly jalapeño & cheddar biscuit with whipped herbed butter. The Grill at Quarterdeck’s motto “A view you will always remember - A taste you will never forget…” rings very true.

Lovely Lunenburg

After what was an eventful evening, with 110 km winds knocking out the power at 10 p.m., (bringing a kind delivery of extra blankets and flashlights from management), we tucked ourselves in for the night. Despite no power in the morning, we awoke to fresh coffee delivered by Angela, the thoughtful manager of Quarterdeck Resort. A new day with promise of much quieter winds, sunnier skies and NS Power crews out to restore electricity along the coast had us optimistic. So, we set off to Lunenburg for the day, to explore the vibrantly painted 18th & 19th century homes of this designated UNESCO World Heritage site. Lunenburg was open for business with warm boutiques & art galleries, coffee shops and seafood restaurants so we spent the day wandering about enjoying the best example of preserved wooden British colonial architecture in North America. Visiting Lunenburg, I tell everyone, is like opening a brand new box of crayons on the first day of school.

Blue Rocks

Breathtaking Blue Rocks, just a stone’s throw away from Lunenburg, is a serene fishing village tucked away from the world, and I never miss a chance to take it in. Fishermen, artists and local residents are seemingly unaware of the stunning hamlet they are living and working in (or so they say). I am in awe at every turn in the road here (but go slow because it is a bumpy one). No wonder this is a haven for filmmakers, painters and photographers as well as hikers, bikers and kayakers. We were even treated to an extraordinary sun snow-shower over the most photographed fishing shed in the county on our way out. It was a magical moment I will never forget.

Barrington - The Lobster Capital of Canada

My phone rang with news the power outage was lingering back in Summerville, so thanks to the combined efforts of many, we were graciously relocated to Salty Shores Inn in Barrington Passage. Natasha, the Salty Shores Inn & Cafe owner, welcomed us overnight and Lucie & I stayed on the next day to explore the Lobster Capital of Canada and boy are we glad we did! Salty Shores is the bee’s knees, it is so cute, cozy, and comfortable, plus it is ideally located for nearby adventures. Things always happen for a reason, and what appeared as an inconvenience turned into an opportunity to discover more hidden gems.

Cape Sable Island

Locals were sure to tell me, to drive across the causeway, and do the loop around Cape Sable Island, at the most southern point of Nova Scotia. The scenery along the drive is spectacular and this is one place I must return to explore further.

Lucy the Lob-STAR

She’s kinda famous around here… Lucy, the Lob-STAR of it ALL, especially on February 2nd, when she crawls out of the ocean to make her yearly weather prediction. “Six more weeks of winter,” she whispered, but for the most part, it looked more like spring with bare grass on the golf courses, and pussy willows blooming. Living next to the ocean has a lot of benefits, and February is the perfect month to come out of hibernation, and crawl along the south shore of Nova Scotia and enjoy all things lobster. A windstorm and resulting power outages affected a few of our plans to take in the Lobster Chowder Chowdown Showdown in Chester Basin, and to make it all the way up to Peggy’s Cove, but we still had plenty to do and with over 160 experiences awaiting you - there truly is something for everyone. Lucie, my friend - not the lobster, and I had so much fun. Feeling a wee bit guilty before we left Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack, we dove into the award winning lobster roll. But don’t worry folks, Lucy the Lob-STAR just enjoys relaxing in the spa here.

Lobster Beer

We made a beeline next for Mahone Bay. It is quiet during the winter here, but walk into Saltbox Brewing Company, and you will soon discover this is where it is all at. We pulled up a stool and enjoyed a good ole kitchen party, as locals jammed and many gathered to enjoy traditional maritime music. Morgan, the effervescent manager, gave us a walkthrough of the brewery’s craft beers & ciders while we tipped back a cold Crustacean Elation. We were pleasantly surprised that this ‘lobster beer’ is not at all fishy. This pale ale is just a slight salty with a touch of butter, and has an overall nice finish. We also tried the tart & sweet pink Haskap Cider. Then John, local brewmaster, put down his guitar and joined us for a chat. His passion for brewing developed quite naturally and he and Morgan are both great ambassadors of Saltbox, living by their motto: ‘Think social, and drink local’ as when they are not working, you will still find them hanging out at Saltbox enjoying a brew or two.

Quarterdeck Lofts

We returned back to our luxurious loft on the hillside at Quarterdeck Resort to enjoy our view of Summerville Beach. The Scandinavian design, polished concrete floors (heated in the bathroom), private balcony & kitchenette, along with flat screen TVs in our bedrooms, plush pillow top beds, heated towel rack in the bathroom, large walk in rainfall shower and fuzzy bathrobes & slippers had us never wanting to leave again. The living area also has a large flatscreen TV, WiFi, microwave, fridge, coffee machine, and is air conditioned in the summer. The mile long sandy beach, scrumptious menu offerings at The Grill, and the recreation facility with an indoor pool, gym, and sauna, and outdoor spa had me saying, “I’ll be back to the Quarterdeck Lofts!”

White Point Beach Resort

We spent our very last morning at White Point Beach Resort. We took in the Lobs’Art Show - a curated collection of lobster-inspired art by White Point artists. Then, because it wouldn’t be a trip to White Point without seeing the bunnies, Lucie & I strolled the scenic shoreline and met some resident rabbits before catching the ferry back home.

Two Claws Up for Lobster Poutine

Bay Ferries gets two claws up for their yummy feature of lobster poutine served on-board the Fundy Rose. It was the absolute perfect ending to our Lobster Crawl!

Seas the Day & Shellebrate

Seas the Day & Shellebrate! Crawl a’Board by clicking on the banner above for all the deets on Nova Scotia’s 2024 South Shore Lobster Crawl. Learn more about Lunenburg, Blue Rocks & Mahone Bay by clicking on the text links or photo links below.

This article was sponsored by: The Quarterdeck Resort, Bay Ferries, Saltbox Brewery, The Nova Scotia South Shore Tourism & Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Follow Maritimes Maven on FaceBook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Threads & Twitter. Be the first to receive my latest articles by clicking on the ‘subscribe’ link at the top of this page. PIease share articles you love with your social media community. There’s No Place Like Home!