One of the great things I like about traveling in Nova Scotia is that so much of the seashore is accessible to the outdoor adventurer.

In part, that is due to the fact that many of our secondary highways follow the winding seashore, leaving you mere steps from a sandy beach or a place to examine the vast array of beach rocks and perhaps discover a fossil or two.

Another reason the shoreline is so accessible is the network of parks that have been established to give access to and preserve valuable coastal areas.

I'm a kayaker, as well as photographer, and it's nice to be able to have this ready access . . . to drop my boat in the salt water on a whim and perhaps visit a nearby island or piece of seashore not readily accessible on foot.

Two of my favourite parks are located side by side near Port Joli on Nova Scotia's South Shore between the towns of Liverpool and Shelburne.

One is Kejimkujik Seaside Park, part of the inland Kejimkkujik National Park. The other is Thomas Raddall Provincial Park, a large camping and picnic park named after a well-known Nova Scotia author.

The parks are located on opposite shores of Port Joli Harbour, which itself is a bird sanctuary. The seashore at Keji is reached by a 25-minute walk from the information centre on the Port Joli road. At Thomas Raddall, the seashore and beaches are a mere 10-15 minute hike from the camping/picnic area.

Both parks offer a mix of white sand beaches and plenty of rocky shore to explore. They are prime bird watching areas; seals can be seen sunning on nearby rocks and the pure white sand is like powder in your hand.

As a bonus, there is the nearby fishing village of Port Mouton and it's collection of beaches including Carter's Beach. There is a small, but great seafood restaurant here as well as cottages if you're not into the camping scene.

I'll let you check out the web sites below if you want more information, but in the meantime have a look at these photos I took on a recent weekend.

Kejimkujik Seaside Adjunct National Park

Thomas Raddall Provincial Park

Three rocks on the beach at Thomas Raddal Park could be mistaken for eggs of the endangered Piping Plover that sometimes nests there, so be careful where you step and what you pickup. Beach rocks have been smoothed and rounded from relentless pounding by the Atlantic surf.

Carter's Beach at Port Mouton

Websites to check:
www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ns/kejimkujik
parks.gov.ns.ca/parks/thraddall.asp
www.queens.ca
www.destinationsouthwestnova.com
www.exploreourshores.com
www.novascotia.com