If you know me, you know that I have some pretty wild dreams.
But nothing is more on brand for me than my wish to meet Lucy the Lobster, a six-pound, 25-year-old weather-predicting crustacean from Barrington, Nova Scotia, on the most important day of the year for a meteorologist lobster.
And this year, my dream came true thanks to my friends at Visit Barrington.
Let’s start at the beginning of this magical story that I’m sure many of you are reading and thinking – this can’t be real life. A lobster predicting the weather like a groundhog? Surely this is a fever dream?
Great news – no, this is not a fever dream. Lucy is real, and she’s a true gem from the sea! Let’s dive in.
Barrington sits on the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia, just 45 minutes east of Yarmouth and about 2.5 hours from Halifax. It’s also a two-hour drive from Digby, where travellers can sail across the Bay of Fundy to and from New Brunswick on the MV Fundy Rose with Bay Ferries.
Being a mermaid and all – this was my preferred travel route, and I was thrilled to sail with Bay Ferries for the first time on the snowy morning of January 31st. With Groundhog Day just two days away, the countdown was on, and ask anyone who saw me on board that morning, I was grinning from ear to ear!
I was also grinning because my Bay of Ferries experience was a dream. If you’re travelling from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia this year, I can’t recommend this ferry enough. As someone who travels by ferry regularly, I can confidently share that Bay Ferries is so much more than just a ferry ride – it’s an experience. I’ll be sharing more about my experience soon!
Barrington proudly holds the title of the Lobster Capital of Canada and is home to a thriving fishing industry and some of the world’s best lobster. This coastal community has a deep connection to the sea, which shines through in its traditions, culture, and way of life. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl, a month-long celebration on the South Shore every February that showcases Barrington’s rich maritime heritage and love for its most famous catch.
Over the years, I’ve heard that Barrington – also known for its breathtaking white-sand beaches – was a must-visit Nova Scotia destination for seafood lovers. Let me go on record to say that I can confirm this is true. I had some of the best seafood of my life on this trip, and you’ll hear about that AND the beaches very, very soon.
Let’s get back to the weather predicting lobster – Lucy.
She is after all, the reason for this article and this bucket list trip!
Back in 2018, Lucy the Lobster crawled out of the ocean for the first time on February 2nd in Barrington, Nova Scotia and whispered her prediction while local bystanders waited on bated breath – would it be the dreaded six more weeks of winter or early spring for south shore? Only Lucy could tell.
Since 2018, Lucy the Lobster has become a legend not just in Nova Scotia but on a global scale, garnering media attention beyond just the Maritimes. She even has her own book — Lucy the Lob’STAR – written by a fellow lobster lover, Pam Wamback and her own merch collection.
Not to brag on Lucy’s behalf, but she has a PERFECT track record of correctly predicting an early spring or six more weeks of winter every year since she landed this coveted weather predicting gig. Even one year, when Nova Scotia’s famed groundhog, Shubenacadie Sam’s prediction differed from Lucy’s, in the end – Lucy was right! Go Lucy!
To say I was emotional about finally getting to meet Lucy after dreaming of this moment for years, would be an understatement. When I saw her little Lucy-size Sou’Wester proudly on display at Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack in Barrington, I may or may not have teared up.
I mean, look at it. Isn’t it the most darling thing you have ever seen?
On the morning of February 2nd, I jumped out of bed before the sunrise. It’s a wonder I slept the night before, I was so excited. I quickly dressed in my warmest attire before heading out to the Cape Sable Island Causeway where Lucy would make her big appearance. Yes, it was chilly but it was the most beautiful morning with cotton candy skies to welcome her.
I gathered around with locals, fellow travel media (and new friends), the incredible team behind Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl and of course, another Maritime legend — the Kilted Chef — as we waited patiently for Lucy to come out and make her prediction.
And when she finally arrived – by slightly different means of transportation due to the frozen ocean that morning – all those years of waiting melted away with just one look into her sweet, beady little eyes. Lucy is truly something special, and Nova Scotia—especially Barrington—is beyond lucky to have such an extraordinary ambassador.
We were all hoping Lucy would grant us an early spring, but on such a beautiful morning, it was no surprise she saw her shadow—signaling six more weeks of winter. Still, when you’re face to face with such a charming creature, how could you possibly hold it against her?
The Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl is so much more than just Lucy’s grand appearance – though in my opinion, that moment really does take the crab cake for me.
If the idea of a month long celebration of lobster excites you and makes you want to – shell-abrate – than let me tell you more about the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl.
Depending on which shores you visit, lobster season varies across the Maritime provinces. In some coastal communities, like Southeastern New Brunswick, the season unfolds in the spring and summer. Along the Bay of Fundy and Nova Scotia’s South Shore, lobster season is a winter affair, and February is peak lobster season from Barrington all the way up to Peggy’s Cove. And while the coastal towns, ports, and harbours may change as you drive up the coast, one thing is true – they’re all shell-abrating.
Just like Lucy’s first appearance, the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl began in 2018, and each year, the shell-abration grows. Like a lobster, you could say the events are market size! Highlights of the crawl include Lucy’s Groundhog Day prediction, a Lobster Roll Off competition, a Lobster Chowder Chowdown, and so much more.
If I could travel back in time and tell a much younger Crystal – “When you’re older, you’ll be asked to judge the ultimate lobster roll competition, where you will eat 11 delicious lobster rolls in front of a crowd, and it will be the best day ever. Did I mention that morning, a lobster predicted the weather?“
I don’t think she would have believed me. And I had a pretty wild imagination when I was younger.
The Lobster Roll Off was equally the best job I’ve ever been given and also the hardest job.
Indulge in 11 equally fabulous lobster rolls, each offering its own unique twist and blend of ingredients. Rate them based on the quality of the roll, the richness of flavour, the creative additions that deliver the essential crunch, and, of course—let’s not forget— rate how generous the portion of lobster is!
It was both an honour and a responsibility I embraced wholeheartedly.
The lobster rolls were each prepared by participating restaurants along the South Shore of Nova Scotia. And I’m thrilled to share that my top pick and highest-rated lobster roll was crowned the Best Lobster Roll of 2025 in the end. Not surprisingly, it was created by the team at Capt. Kat’s Lobster Shack in Barrington which became my favourite restaurant of the trip!
I was too busy eating lobster rolls to snap photos of each roll, but the above photo of Capt. Kat’s lobster roll should give you a pretty good idea of why this roll took home the top prize. It’s truly what lobster roll dreams are made of!
My second favourite lobster roll was easy — the Quarterdeck Resort & Grill’s lobster Roll. It had everything I want in a lobster roll including butter-poached lobster. It was lightly dressed with lemon and parsley and served on a delicious potato bun.
Honourable mention to Emerald Light Kitchen & Bar in Shelburne, NS who created a lobster roll inspired by a Caesar, that included Clamato, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, celery salt, pickled celery, and crispy bacon in addition to the lobster and was topped with a spicy bean, pepperoni, and cold-smoked salmon. It had a bit too much going on for me BUT as someone who loves a good Caesar — I appreciate the creativity!
If there is one thing this competition made me realize, especially when asked to eat 11 different lobster rolls in one sitting, it’s that when it comes to lobster rolls – I definitely have a type. I’m more of a traditional lobster roll kind of mermaid – I want a buttery grilled bun, a light mayo dressing, a sprinkle of fresh herbs (I LOVE dill on a lobster roll) and there’s got to be a level of crunch. Ideally, celery or green onions. So many of the competing lobster rolls checked all of these boxes making choosing a winner even harder. Congratulations to all restaurants who competed – you’re all Lob’STARS in my eyes!
The Lobster Roll Off was held at the Quarterdeck Resort in Summerville, Nova Scotia where I got to stay for the night and oh buoy, more to come on that experience and stay. I absolutely adored this resort and I’m going to gush about it in my next article.
It was the perfect end to what was an incredible weekend that will shore-ly be a core memory for me for many, many years to come.
In the end, Lucy may have predicted six more weeks of winter, which wasn’t what most of us had hoped for on that chilly morning, but after experiencing the warm coastal hospitality in south-western Nova Scotia, I’m proud to say – six more weeks of winter is just more time to eat your weight in lobster rolls and explore this gorgeous coastline ahead of what will surely be a busy tourist season.
And that sounds just perfect to me.
Boatloads of thanks to those who made this article possible.
To Suzy Atwood and the Visit Barrington Community – your coastal hospitality during caused my mermaid heart to do dolphin flips. Thank you for hosting me as your special guest and inviting me to be a part of such a special tradition.
Thank you to Bay Ferries for inviting me to sail with you on the MV Fundy Rose – more to come on this adventure soon. And to Lois & Dave who invited me to stay in their beautiful Ocean Waves Beach House – I’m saving this dreamy, coastal home for the next article and let’s just say, you’re going to want to book this for your next beach vacation.
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