The 2020 Campobello Island Seaglass Festival

There was once a time that this mermaid dreaded September. But ever since the first-ever Campobello Island Seaglass Festival in 2019, well—let’s just say that I have a whole new appreciation for the arrival of September.

And while this summer I have shared many guides and how-tos for planning the perfect New Brunswick adventure, I’m excited that this and my next post on East Coast Mermaid are a behind the scenes look at two very special September adventures with some of my favourite people.

We knew very early on this winter and spring that the Campobello Island Seaglass Festival was going to be a little different this year.

And while the idea of a three-day festival with hundreds of seaglass lovers sailing to the island to comb the beaches, attend a beachcomber bazaar and get together to talk all things seaglass was squished by 2020—a whole month dedicated to the love of seaglass was a pretty spectacular compromise.

And trust me when I say that we had just as much fun AND still met some new beachcombers who will be seaglass siren sisters for life!

ISLAND HOPPING TO SEAGLASS FESTIVAL

One of the best parts about visiting Campobello Island is getting to take two ferries and visit the very charming Deer Island along the way. This summer, on both of our visits to Campobello, we made sure to stop for lunch on Deer Island at Ocean View Takeout and oh em gee! Their lobster rolls are DELICIOUS! They’re so good, I had one AGAIN this time around.

On this trip, we also made sure to stop by to see our friends at Boatique, the cutest little coastal apparel and gift shop on the island.

Not only did I pick up a new Grunden’s jacket for whale watching, ferry rides, and seaglass adventures on foggy days; we got to meet the lovely owner Sheena and get a tour of their lobster trap workshop. Which was girl boss central and I LOVED it!

If you’re visiting Deer Island, make sure to stop by and say hi to the fellow mermaids at Boatique!

SEAGLASS FOR DAYS

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned seaglass-professional, you will have no trouble finding seaglass a plenty when you visit Campobello Island’s best seaglass beaches. And Stephanie, the Founder of Campobello Seaglass Festival has done an incredible job at putting together a Seaglass Treasure Map (access it on their Facebook page) to help you find the best spots on the island for the most magical pieces of glass.

And of course, I couldn’t wait to share some of my best finds from this year’s festival with you.

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you know that I’ve been having a PRETTY stellar seaglass summer, especially when it comes to finding stoppers. Which, three months ago, I’d never found a stopper in my 35+ years of beachcombing.

But tell the universe you want to find a stopper and you won’t only find one, you’ll manifest finding three before the summer is over. Including this spectacular turquoise glass stopper!

Got teeth on your seaglass bingo card? While this odd find might look like glass costume teeth that you would buy at a Halloween store, it’s actually the trim of a glass light shade.

And seaglass insiders tell me, if left in the sun, the white will turn a shade of purple. How cool is that?

As much as it was a summer of stoppers, it was also a summer of insulators! And I found TWO on this trip—one that turns red when illuminated with a flashlight and one that turns purple. These special finds have become a new favourite of mine this summer!

And lastly, it was my first summer of pirate glass and shell yeah, did I ever find some amazing pieces on Campobello! Including this chunky black piece that was my first find when we docked on the island! How is that for a great start to the festival?

PLAYING WITH WHALES

The weekend wasn’t only dedicated to seaglass, pirate glass and more seaglass.

We got to spend some time with a humpback whale named Chevron and our favorite sea captain, Captain Mackie Greene who is also the Co-Founder of the Campobello Whale Rescue Team.

Our afternoon cruise with Mackie and Island Cruises Whale Watching was AMAZING (as it always is) because we got to spend a few hours on the Bay of Fundy with Chevon, a notoriously friendly humpback around these waters.

While Chevron was a little lazy, we did get to see some impressive dives and have a few up close and personal moments with him. Something that takes my breath away every time. Seriously, how amazing is it that these creatures are right in our backyard?

At the end of the cruise, I was thrilled to be able to present a cheque for a $1000 to Mackie on behalf of Sandy Toes Shop to the Campobello Whale Rescue team. It’s an organization very close to my heart and one that we have now donated $3,000 to since last August thanks to both my companies Crystal Richard & Co. and Sandy Toes.

These donations are made possible because a girl—who should have been born a mermaid—chose to follow her dreams, make waves, and use that success to make a difference however she could.

I don’t talk about this often enough, but I actually went to Dalhousie University to become a marine biologist. And while I changed majors, graduated with a psych degree and went on to start a global digital public relations company—my love for the ocean and its creatures never went away.

It feels VERY full circle that while I never became a marine biologist, I still found my own special way to help protect our oceans, our whales, and every other gentle creature that calls the sea home. These trips to make these very special donations are everything to me!

Oh and thank you to Mackie for the new hat! I wear it VERY proudly!

NOT JUST ABOUT SEAGLASS AND WHALES

The weekend wasn’t just about seaglass and saving the whales, though that was a pretty big part of it.

While the island is small and restaurant options are limited in September, we had two INCREDIBLE meals at Herring Cove Restaurant that I’m still dreaming about. That lasagna? YUM.

And a weekend visit to Campobello Island wouldn’t be complete without many trips to the island’s lighthouses and of course, making a point to catch the sunset each night.

This trip, we especially enjoyed watching it from Friar’s Bay as there were plenty of seals in the bay to entertain us.

While it might be late in the year to plan your 2020 trip to Campobello Island, I really do hope this post and all of the island love we’ve shared this summer inspires you to plan your 2021 trip.

Can’t wait until 2021? Seaglass September continues until the end of the month AND the Campobello Island ferry service has been extended to December 1st. There’s no better time like the present to make your island seaglass dreams come true!

AND if you visited the island this year because of East Coast Mermaid, please let me know! I’d love to hear about your trip! Just leave a comment or DM me on my shell phone.