Nova Scotia dreaming....

I went to camp here for 3 summers in the mid '60s. It was great. It was my first trip out of the country and away from home for 2 months. The building that you see on the hill was the Main - we all had our meals there and that's where we were able to bathe. We also had singalongs there and campers were given their awards there - I remember getting most improved camper one year. There were several other cabins on the property and my favorite was the one on The Point.

I loved my summers in Nova Scotia. There were times after returning to New Jersey that I would recall scenes from camp as if I were still in Sandy Cove - of walking across the cove when the tide was coming in so quickly that it made my heart race just thinking of it. Those tides of Fundy are truly amazing. Of singing O Canada and The American Anthem first thing each morning before breakfast and raising the flags of each country. Of horseback riding on the beach and cleaning out the stalls. Of the clay tennis court that had to be rolled out - we used wooden tennis racquets then. Of sun bathing on the basketball court. Of steaming clams on the beach and finding sharks' jaws there. Of Helen Anthony playing the piano and singing. And Miss Marge seemed so scary and menacing at times. Miss Anne Claude was from Saskatchewan, which she pronounced at Sass ka CHEE wan. I found that so hilarious and endearing. Miss Liz had no eyelashes and when we were feeling mean, we called her Miss Lizard. Miss Peg was our counselor one year and she was great - she eventually married John Warms, a teacher in our school who was responsible for getting me to Arcadie. He was a counselor at the boys camp that my brother went to, Camp Aldercliff. Unfortunately, John passed away suddenly earlier this year.

I'm not sure why I'm thinking about Canada - most likely because I spoke to Lark yesterday; she lives in Canada now - BC to be exact, the only other Canadian province I've visited. She also spent time in Nova Scotia, but not at this camp. I kept in touch with only one of the campers and actually had the chance to see her again in California, 30+ years after being at Arcadie. It was great. We've lost contact, but I still remember that reunion with much fondness.

And I remember Arcadie to this day. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me. The camp is no longer there; some of the buildings were sold to former campers and counselors as private residences. I'd love to go back and see the property again one day.

Here are a couple of articles that I found on the internet which mention Camp Arcadie:

A Young Girl's Riding Lessons Lead To Some Lessons About People, Too
Sports Illustrated


60 years ago

May 26, 1949 – A new through bus line from Montreal to the Maritimes was expected to give a boost to tourist traffic in Nova Scotia. International Coach Lines planned a route across Maine, re-entering Canada at St. Stephen and terminating at Saint John where passengers could catch the ferry for western Nova Scotia, or transfer to SMT and Acadian Lines buses for Halifax and eastern Nova Scotia.

Liberals in Digby and Clare chose education official T.A.M. Kirk as their federal candidate, while the PCs opted for Yarmouth accountant Donald Filleul.

A story noted the many tourist facilities and owners in Sandy Cove: Harbour View Lodge, Mr. and Mrs. Eric Gozna; Hillcote Farm, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Gidney; Poplar House, Mr. and Mrs. B. Thurber; Brookside House, Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Saunders; Lakeside Cottage, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Morehouse; Scott’s Villa, Mr. and Mrs. Scott Sypher; Chestnut House and Bonnie Brae Croft, Mr. and Mrs. Percy Harris; and Camp Arcadie, a girls’ camp operated by Helen Anthony of Digby.

Margolian’s Digby store, which opened the year before, expanded to include a bargain basement section.

‘My Dear Secretary’ was playing at the Capitol Theatre with stars Laraine Day and Kirk Douglas.
Nova News Now