New to Canada (Nova Scotia) WHERE to CLIMB????

[shpw]

Please help!!
I have been climbing for years and now find myself in Canada after living in Scotland for many years.
I am usually based in Digby / Nova Scotia, but sometimes end up in PEI.

I went to Halifax yesterday to replenish my very limited climbing gear (due to weight restrictions on my flight over) at MEC and found them very helpful and not overly priced.
SO....Now i have a new 60m rope, 8 extenders, 9 black diamond nuts sized 5-13, tricams 1 and 0.5 and plenty slings to go along with rock shoes, harness, ATC, chalk etc etc.
What i didnt manage to get was a rock climbing guide for NS.
Hence my next (huge) amount of questions.........

I happily trad lead climb severe / very severe (HVS max) UK grades. I will try anything on a top-rope or bolted.

1: Is the gear i have enough and useful for NS?...

2: Are there any areas for climbing with a good selection of climbs (not bouldering preferably) where i can trad / top-rope and lead climb?...

3: Where should i avoid regarding getting eaten alive by bugs?...

4: Where is relatively easy access from Digby?...

5: We are planning on heading down to Terence Bay this week to hopefully climb at either Sorrows end / Easter Island / Crows Nest / Crystal Crescent Beach / Chebucto Head / Medicine Wall ........... Any recommendations as to which is good and for what?...

6: As well as routes worth doing (within my capabilities) at these and how to actually access the rock from the roadside / parking areas?...

7: How about camping at them or near by?...

Many thanks,
Simon.

[Zamboni]

You can spend most of your time at Main face, first face, and Sorrows end. I wouldn't bother with all the other stuff you just listed. You can rent a cabin at main face. There is no camping at first face, but there are woods a short distance in any directing to camp ninja style. you can camp right at the base of sorrows end. There is climbing along digby neck. I suggest a full set (or as close to one as possible) of cams depending on how far you plan to run it out.

Enjoy.

[martha]

Simon,

I'm from Digby originally, and often visit my folks. I'll let you know next time we are there and we can hook up. There is some bouldering, and a few short sport routes in the area. For Trad, you'll have to head to Halifax area or better yet, get on the Digby Ferry and make the short trip from Saint John to Welsford for some of the best Trad around. I'm sure you could get any number of climbers to pick you up off the ferry in SJ and get you to Welsford.

There you can camp out and stay for a bit.

Cara

[Scooter]

Crows nest is filled with hard trad lines (just need a kayak or canoe to get there. only a 20 min paddle max). Columbus wall has some fun trad lines as well.