The historic town of Chester was just another town that we passed through too quickly to truly take in, in 2022. Hoping to do some kayaking while the sun was out, I quickly looked for a place to launch and a few spots to check out. As I traced the coast, I saw the vague outline of a rust-colored ship in a small cove south of Chester. Suspecting it was a shipwreck, we threw the kayaks on the car and headed down for the afternoon. It was a windy day, but thanks to the many protective islands and coves in the bay, we were able to find a launch site and set out. It was a nice sunny day, and for the most part, the wind was manageable.
Chester Bay is a beautiful spot, surrounded by cabins and summer homes. While it is an area that has been increasingly gentrified, it is still possible to find a place to see the water and launch from.
We traced the shores curiously, looking at the many beautiful houses surrounded by pine trees. As we rounded a pine tree-covered hill, we entered a well-protected cove. Sure enough, at the far side of the cove was the rusted remains of an old ship. There was nothing distinguishing on the ship’s hull, and aside from a few hatches and old gears, it was almost featureless. We estimated it to be about 70-80 feet and very likely an old fishing trawler that had outlived its use in Chester before being scuttled in the cove. With that added to the growing list of things to look up, we continued north.
The islands of Nova Scotia are incredible, each offering its own unique stories and places to see. And as we would soon learn, they provide excellent protection from wind and waves. We approached the bridge and causeway to the island, where we could feel the current blowing through the bridge. On our side of the causeway, there was a light breeze and calm water, but on the other side, strong wind and 1/2-foot waves splashed against the bridge. We struggled to paddle through the bridge but managed to make it over, where waves began coming over the front of the boats. We made it a little further, but struggling to keep from moving backward, we signaled to each other to return and quickly floated/surfed our way back to the bridge and back into the calm waters on the backside of the causeway.
After a quick break on shore, we made our way back to the launch site, coming in just in time to enjoy the last bit of sunset on the local wharf.
The Chester area is a wonderful place to paddle and boat. Even if it’s calling for some winds, it should be possible to find a safe place to launch behind the many islands and sheltered coves.
