White Point, a place to revive the soul
The ocean laps at the shore of White Point, a resort that was established in 1928. The beauty of the water coming ashore is enough to hypnotize you as you sit on the deck at White Point looking out at the cerulean blue of the Atlantic Ocean.
Donna Hachey-Hatt, the Marketing Manager for White Point took time with the travel writers that came to Nova Scotia to visit the South Shore. She unraveled White Point’s history with words like a turn of the century travel brochure. We sipped a glass of wine then reveled in the seafood served in Elliot’s Dining Room while Donna mesmerized us with the highpoints of this Oceanside resort.
“White Point was originally built as hunting and fishing lodge in 1928,”Donna said. “Here there was an ocean teeming with gargantuan blue fin Tuna and trophy sized Salmon. Balsam woods were heavily populated with moose and several species of game birds. We had eager anglers and hunters that flocked to our slice of the scenic South Shore. Their wives and children enjoyed the amenities of the resort, while husbands pursued their sport. Many families returned annually some staying a month or more and occupying the same cabin and eating at their regular table in the dining room overlooking our kilmetre of boulder dotted white sand beach.”
In the early days this was a haunt for guests arriving from steamships from Boston and trains along with Canadians. In the 1980’s, the resort transferred from seasonal to year round and it a resort and has expanded to a conference center where groups can come and focus on the topics at hand. The reins of the resort passed from the original owners to Robert and Alicia Risley. White Point expanded their accommodations and there is room for everyone.
A family place youngsters (old and young alike) delight in the rabbits that are all over the resort that come hopping when a sack of food is shook.
In 2011 the resort suffered a devastating fir and the main lodge was destroyed. The fire happened while a wedding was getting ready to take place. Using a bit of creativity, Donna and the staff were able to shift the location and the wedding with the help of the local community chipping the celebration went off without a hitch.
White Point resort is an iconic place for locals and visitors alike. “The community rallied around us, the next day locals brought muffins and bread,” Donna added.
The Risleys rebuilt the main lodge using local labor and Nova Scotia products. There is a lot to do at the resort including paddle board which amazingly I took part in. I was shocked to find that I could actually stand on the paddle board and enjoyed my float in the lake. One writer rather than try out the paddle board had a spa treatment that she said was magnificent. There is also golf, kayaking and an array of activities available for families. Head to White Point for a vacation, a conference, a wedding or family reunion, or just enjoy doing nothing. Check out http://www.whitepoint.com/things-to-do/things-to-do/ for details.
