My partner and I moved out to Musquodoboit Harbour in 1996.
It's a bit of a long story: I moved down to Nova Scotia in 1992; I had received what I named a spiritual call to come to the ocean, specifically the Atlantic, as when I visited BC the Pacific struck no chord for me.
I was setting up support groups in Shelburne, and invited Linda as director of Self Help Connection to help out. We met. The second time we met I found myself dressing up in a black lacy bra and underwear, my first clue as to my attraction for her, and the rest is history. We moved out here as Linda had recent and ancestral connection to the Petpeswicks and I wouldn't live in a city anymore.
So back in 1996 there wasn't much going on. We started to have dances at home for our lesbian friends in the city, Silver Frith and Carol, Sam Meehan and Kim Vance, and other community members. It went from there to garden parties, dances, and meals together. Gradually we met more of our straight neighbours and felt welcome. When Jim Turner and Paul Nicholl were thinking of moving out, we met with them to share our experiences in this place of quiet acceptance: don't bother me, I won't bother you sort of thing. Now their business, Blue Nova farm is an entity out here. Alan Banks and Shaun set up the Harbour Breezes Daylilies.
When did it become a destination for the gay community, I'm not sure; what I do know is we have a strong and visible presence. I'm grateful for the call to come to this place we call home.
