Summer is usually a beautiful time of year in Cape Breton, weather-wise. However, the summer of 2023 was not so great in terms of the number of nice days there were. I recently heard that it was the wettest summer on record. I believe that; I'm sure it rained at least every second day and at times, it rained for days at a time!
The swimming season was off to a late start and it wasn't until much later in the season that I finally made it to my favorite beach at Inverness and when I did make it there, I made sure to go back as much as possible. I went three weekends in a row and each time I went, I thought it would be my last. The weekend at the end of the first week of September was my last beach trip to Inverness and it was perfect in every way I can think of.
You may be wondering why I love the beach in Inverness, Cape Breton so much. Well, there are many reasons besides the fact that it's my favorite beach. It's sandy, It's long, the water is always quite warm, the scenery is nice and the sunsets are incredible. That's why when I plan a trip to Inverness Beach, I plan it strategically. Everything has to be just right. The temperatures need to be in the mid-20s at least, low winds to the south and low probability of rain or other adverse weather conditions. I always leave very early in the morning but the main goal is to always be on the beach right before sunset no matter what. That's the highlight of any day spent in this magical place.
On that final day I had on Inverness Beach, it was calling for great weather and ideal conditions so I set out early and drove straight to that little town on the west side of Cape Breton Island. It seemed strange that there were hardly any cars there when I arrived as I usually have to search for a while before finding a place to park. I drove right to the edge where I could look out over the water and was even more surprised by what I saw there; Very high tide, rough water and lots of wind. I was crushed. I drove all that distance to be faced with the worse kind of conditions for swimming.
I knew sometimes conditions changed later in the day at Inverness and because low tide would be that evening, I thought I had a chance at enjoying a sunset swim. I left Inverness and drove to Cheticamp, had a coffee, sat on the boardwalk for a while and took a scenic drive along the back road at the foot of the mountains before driving back to the Margaree area and stopping at Chimney Corner. The water was nice and calm there and there weren't many people around. At around 5:30, I drove back to Inverness. I was right! The conditions had changed and by that time, it was a perfect evening for a swim in those warm, clear waters.
There was a nice rolling wave that evening and the water was as it always is; clear right to the bottom. I stayed in for about an hour, got out for a bit before sunset and than just before the sun went down, I entered the water one last time. I swam right into that spot where the last rays of the lowering sun come down over the water and swam into that beautiful sunset. Nothing is more relaxing. I could have stayed there forever just floating in that red strip of light on the clear, blue sea.
I didn't want to leave because I knew it would likely be my last trip there for the year. But I had a long drive home and I would be alone on that long highway through the Margaree Valley. It's days like this that I think about when the snow is falling and the days are cold. Thoughts of sunsets, clear ocean water and warm breezes keep me going during those long winter days.
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