In contrast to Lindsay’s opinion (which, truthfully, holds merit), there are few paddling experiences more exhilarating than navigating a city’s harbor front. Beyond offering a unique perspective of urban landscapes, it provides a fascinating glimpse into the industrial and maritime facets of the city, all while navigating the waters with a constant awareness of oncoming speedboats and outgoing container ships. Despite having explored the outer and inner reaches of Halifax Harbor, the Bedford Basin remained uncharted territory for us until a day beckoning with 20-degree temperatures well into the evening, prompting us to embark on a kayaking expedition from Africville to Wrights Cove.

The Africville boat launch is one of the most accessible boat launches in the harbor, but despite this, there is usually plenty of parking. After checking to see what boats were entering or leaving the harbor, we paddled out around the massive piers of the MacKay Bridge and traced the shoreline towards Wrights Cove. Aside from some curious seals, the paddle was quiet and easy. Rounding the gypsum piers, we watched the dump stone neatly into a pile before winding our way around some old steel and rounding Navy Island into Wrights Cove.

The cove is mainly a marina now surrounded by condo buildings but is peaceful enough to make you forget you are outside the city. After exploring the island from the water and admiring the hundreds of small starfish in the cove, we rounded the backside of the island and headed back to the car with haste.

Despite the haste, we got in after the sun had dipped down, and just as we began loading the kayaks on the car, a growing rumble in the air made us realize we were lucky we made it. We watched from shore as a container ship had just popped around the corner and quickly towered over us as it passed beneath the nearby bridge.