Discover the Strait tours allow for anyone to experience what the coastal waters of Nova Scotia have to offer.
Discover the Strait was founded in 2022 by Wes Surrett and Linda Townsend, which found its beginnings in a separate project both were a part of, working with Northumberland Strait fish harvesters. In working with these harvesters, they noticed many had employment gaps in the off-season that could be filled by offering tourism experiences to visitors of the province between July and August.
“Working on that project and getting to know some of the fishermen in the area; we noticed there was an opportunity and there was also a gap in the market for marine-based experiences for visitors,” said Townsend. “So, we started by hosting some workshops in partnership with the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia.”
From these workshops came an idea of what these marine experiences would look like and the legalities regarding providing a safe, enjoyable experience to tourists in the area. With funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Discover the Strait was able to certify several fish harvester’s vessels as passenger vessels.
By March 2023, captains Hal, Amy and Jamie were fully certified to offer a wealth of tours.
“Last year we kind of started late into the season, but all the fishermen were able to get their feet wet. They all really enjoyed it,” said Townsend.
“Most fishermen love to be out on the water, they love to be on their boat, so it was a perfect opportunity for them and a perfect reason to keep their boats in the water and transition into a different profession during the fishing off-season.”
Discover the Strait offers a number of tour packages, allowing customers to see the sights, go fishing themselves or enjoy a meal on the water. One of these packages, the I Love Lobster Tour, lets people experience the Nova Scotia lobster fishery firsthand.
“You can sail to your captain’s fishing grounds, where they will haul a lobster trap from the ocean and explain how they lobster fish and information on the fishing industry on the Northumberland shore,” said Townsend.
“You have an opportunity to help haul the trap yourself, so it’s a more immersed experience. With that, we have our partnership with Overstreet Café, and they provide lobster roll lunches for all the passengers.”
Another package, known as the Pictou Island Sea and Sand Tour, takes passengers to a “little hidden gem” in northern Nova Scotia for a day on a secluded beach.
“It’s a small island that very few people get to experience,” said Townsend. “The water is absolutely stunning over there, the beaches are beautiful, there’s lots of wildlife, too, and our captains have fishing rods onboard so folks can mackerel fish. They can swim off the boat, play with all the water toys and basically live like a local.”
The Fisherman for a Day Tour, at $350 per person, gives passengers the opportunity to live a day as a Nova Scotia fish harvester during the fishing season in the Northumberland Strait through the months of May and June.
“It is a full day of fishing with a lobster fisherman. You arrive at the wharf bright and early; 4:00 a.m., if not sooner. Before you head out on the strait, you get fitted with safety equipment and get a full safety briefing before leaving the wharf,” said Townsend. “Then you can spend the day observing what it’s like to be a fisherman on the Northumberland Straits. You get to experience a beautiful sunrise, because you’re at the wharf bright and early, and you’re usually back at the wharf no later than 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. You get to experience all the excitement that happens around the wharf — the fishermen selling their lobsters to the buyers — and you leave the wharf with two live lobsters you can take home.”
In all their operations, Discover the Strait also looks to benefit other local businesses by partnering with them to enhance the tours they offer.
“What we try to do with a lot of our tours is partner with other local operators; whether they’re food operators or service operators, just so we can create unique experiences for our visitors,” said Townsend.
