Ship Sails in the Shape of a Heart to Thank Nova Scotians

Schooner Bluenose II sailed in a rather original way on the last day of the 2020 season. The followed-route created the shape of a heart in the Lunenburg Harbour, reported The Chronicle Herald.

The move, according to the schooner's captain, was inspired by a pilot who flies in the shape of hearts. “Just what he does is so cool, from the recent Terry Fox one to the heart early in the year,” Captain Phil Watson told The Chronicle Herald.

RELATED: PILOT WRITES MESSAGE IN THE SKY: "STAY HOME" 

This one’s for you, Nova Scotia. ?
Your heart and your strength is second to none.

From the bottom of our hearts, THANK YOU for making our summer so special. Your waves, smiles, photos and kind wishes mean the world to us. #NovaScotiaStrong

Inspired by @DimitriNeonakis pic.twitter.com/qldJI45pxI

— Bluenose II (@SailBluenoseII) September 14, 2020

“It’s a great way to use modern technology and show people how you feel,” he added.  

Watson explained that this year's mission was different from previous seasons and was all about reminding people of their inner strength. “Our whole thing this summer was sort of Nova Scotia strong, Bluenose strong to remind people how resilient they are,” he said.

And Nova Scotians responded well, even searching for the schooner as it sailed from town to town. Watson reported that in every little harbor the ship would sail to, someone would post a photo online, revealing how much they appreciated seeing it.

“We went along the coast of the Bay of Fundy and every time the road came down to the beach there were two or three cars parked there watching the boats go past. It was incredible.” That's why Watson believes drawing the heart was the perfect way to finalize this season.

“It was a way for us to say thank you to all the people that came out to see the ship, but also remind people what we’ve accomplished in the past and what we can accomplish in the future,” he said. The giant sea heart was roughly 0.37 miles (1.6 kilometers) long and took about an hour to complete. It was also the first time Watson had undertaken such an endeavour. 

“In fact we were just about to start it and I looked at the chief mate and said, 'I really wished we could’ve practised this somewhere,'” Watson added. Despite not practicing the move before, the heart turned out beautiful and sent an even more touching sentiment to all Nova Scotians.