About SeaCat's Rest

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Prior to arriving in Nova Scotia, Ruth and David lived in Barbados in the Caribbean. On Barbados, an Octopus is called a SeaCat. Partly because Octopi are such intelligent and clever animals, and partly because we made such good friends in Barbados that we never want to forget them, we decided to call our little haven the SeaCat's Rest. There is more to that story. 

We brought two rescue cats, Oscar and Aspen, from Barbados. We wish to reduce stress on them in our home and to ensure an allergen-free environment for guests, hence our no-pets rule. Our cats are not permitted in the rental unit or outside. So SeaCats was appropriate from that perspective too. And there is more to that story.

A number of "cat" creatures inhabit Isle Madame - marine otters, marine catfish, wolf-fish, chimaera-fish and harbour seals - all of which are also termed Sea Cats. There is also a great deal of other wildlife and sea creatures to see and observe. And there is more to that story.

Arichat and the Isle Madame have a rich and quite tempestuous history. Arichat Harbour is also the deepest natural harbour on Cape Breton - French, British, and Canadian ships would berth here, make repairs here, and operate all manner of businesses (including smuggling) from here. And there is more to those stories.

There is also mystery. Who was Isle Madame named after? Was it the Marquise De Maintenon, the second wife of Louis XIV? Why were they married at midnight? What was the affaire des poisons? And what haunts Cape Auguet? And there is more to those stories.

John Paul Jones (the "Father of the American Navy") sacked Jerseyman Island at the mouth of Arichat Harbour in September 1776 and captured 9 ships, 3 of which then foundered in a storm on the 25th September. And there is a lot more to that story.

From catastrophes to catechisms to catenary curves (anchor lines) to cat-o'-nine-tails to catoptrophorus birds (willets and sand-pipers), the SeaCat needs a Rest. And so, we write stories.