It’s hard to resist a good pirate story. And Halls Harbour has a doozy.
Samuel Hall had been born in Kings County but moved early in life to the New England states, where he lived for some time. Like all Maritimers, though, he eventually felt the call of home, albeit for all the wrong reasons.
In 1779, Hall — now Capt. Hall, to the crew aboard the Mary Jane — returned to the county with a dubious mission: to terrorize the locals and loot what they could from local farmers, stores and houses.
Twice, Hall and his crew successfully plundered nearby settlements. But the third raid didn’t turn out so well for the prodigal pirate.
While most of the crew was out conducting its nefarious business one day, a group of militia decided to defend their territory and staged a takedown. The men fired on the Mary Jane, which was tucked away in a protected cove that would eventually bear Hall’s name. Just three unlucky souls had stayed behind to protect the ship, but they were no match for the militia.
Wounded and likely feeling their vulnerability, they told the militiamen where Hall and the rest of the band could be found. By the time the militia arrived, though, Hall had already fled.
Of course, a pirate story wouldn’t be a pirate story without a lost treasure.
Legend has it that when Hall swiftly escaped the clutches of the militia, he was forced to leave behind a chest of gold he had buried somewhere in Halls Harbour.
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Why Halls Harbour chose such a scoundrel as its namesake is anyone’s guess. The tiny community in the Bay of Fundy certainly has plenty of other outstanding features.
Like the metre-high tides in the harbour that buoy the fishing boats up at high tide and leaving them stranded on the shore a mere six hours later. And there’s plenty to do as you while away the time between tides.
A half-kilometre hiking trail leads from the main road up through the woods surrounding the harbour. Although short, the well-maintained path is a pleasant hike along the ferny forest floor, and can be walked either as a loop or as a one-way trail that ends at another spot down the road.
The beach at Halls Harbour is a great place to spend a couple of hours, either alongside the wharf or farther down the shore at low tide, below the vertical cliffs.
Fishing is still a mainstay in this community, and that’s evident not only from the boats tied up along the wharf, but also from the offerings in the Halls Harbour Lobster Pound, the local restaurant. Order your meal at the adjacent gift shop, which is surely home to every lobster-themed souvenir on the planet.
After you’ve had your fill, head over to Paints and Pots, a little art gallery and shop featuring the work of artists who live nearby, including painters, cigar-box guitar makers and potters. This little shed, tucked away behind the gift shop, is also called Captain Hall’s Treasure Chest.
Who knows? You might end up finding the scoundrel’s buried treasure there.