Pictou - the home of first Highland Scottish Immigrants

We awoke to overcast weather which deteriorated as the day progressed. The rain started to fall just as we were leaving a small winery we had visited on the outskirts of Tatamagouche and it steadily increased in intensity as we headed in the direction of Pictou. It abated long enough at the campground at Pictou to get the power and water connected, and the laundry done but shortly after it started again. It was overcast as we headed to church this morning but the sun was out by the time the service ended. We left the motorhome in the church car park and walked down to the wharf to visit the replica of the first immigrant ship to bring the first 200 Scottish Highlander to Pictou in 1773. Thus began the wave of Scottish migration that has had such an impact on the development of the province of Nova Scotia (New Scotland). The conditions aboard must have been terrible as the journey took about 10 weeks. It didn't smell that flash when we went down into the hold (keeping in mind that this was a replica) so one can only imagine the stench back then. The town is strewn with tartan and Scottish music. We took the motorway for the next 83 kms and ended up at our next destination, Antigonish. Fortunately for us the Highland Games had just finished today otherwise we may have been looking else where for a campsite. The town and district has a population of 18,836, and St Francis Xavier University students adding another 5000.