Tusket Island Tours - Arcadia, Nova Scotia

Esther D.

Très belle journée, 4h environ. Simon, le guide, musicien, chanteur, entrepreneur, comptable, instituteur, chef, est très sympathique et généreux d’histoires personnelles. À ne pas manquer

Vanessa M.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What an incredible land and sea adventure with Tusket Island Tours! As a family of five with young children (20 months, 4, and 5 years old), Simon delivered exactly the genuine local experience we were hoping for.

The 30-minute boat trip to Big Tusket Island was perfect for our little ones. We spotted seals along the way and learned how to haul a real lobster trap - getting a firsthand look at what actual lobster fishermen do daily. Simon's knowledge and friendly personality made it educational and fun for everyone.

Once on the island, the kids were in heaven with the sandbox and endless space to explore while we soaked in the stunning scenery. Simon's hospitality was incredible - guitar playing, storytelling, and that seafood chowder! It's a combination of local seafoods from these waters (scallops, haddock, potato) that truly must be tasted to be believed.

This tour strikes the perfect balance of adventure, relaxation, and local charm. Simon's passion for his home and genuine care for guests really shines through. It's exactly the kind of experience that makes traveling with young children not just possible, but absolutely wonderful.

If you're visiting Wedgeport and want to experience the real Nova Scotia spirit, don't miss this tour. Highly recommend for families!

Thank you for an unforgettable day, Simon!

ARTS J.

What an incredible day on Simon’s boat! The weather was perfect, the sea was as blue as the sky. Enjoyable fishing boat ride with five of us and seven others to Big Tusket Island, with houses and landscape so picturesque it’s ridiculous. On the island at Simon’s home he played guitar, sang some Stan Roger’s songs (great voice) and made us an incredible seafood chowder, with hot dogs for the kids. Simon knows his stuff. He has many interesting stories and has lived in the area all his life. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! THANK YOU, Simon.

Scot A.

I took Simon’s tour in July 2025. The boat ride to the island and the knowledge Simon shared about lobster fishing, Tusket Island, and the surrounding region was good. At the island, he continued the history lesson, supplemented by some YouTube videos, then sang some songs.

Our group was then told that there would be no meal. Actually, he told the other family on the tour, he never addressed me directly or explained why. He clear knew before the tour began as he didn’t bring any food, but didn’t tell his customers until the tour was 1/2 over. It was at that point, a 5 year old on the tour told her parents she was hungry, so we took the boat back to the mainland, with no more discussion. Simon asked us to leave him alone.

Considering the meal was a selling point of the tour and it was not provided, I expected an apology and at least a discounted fare. Neither was offered, so I left the tour disappointed and hungry. I would not recommend the tour.

Jenna S.

Incredible!! Went with my family and had an amazing experience on this tour. We loved learning about the history of the islands, hearing about the lobster fishing industry in this area, the INCREDIBLE seafood chowder 🤤, and it was such a sweet surprise when they played and sang music to wrap up dinner. HIGHLY recommend this , whether you’re visiting from away or live locally, you will absolutely enjoy this experience.

Hot tip- they time their tours with the tides. We were lucky enough yo get an evening tour and the sunset on the way back was SO good! Definitely recommend trying to time your tour with the sunsst.

j H.

Simon and Jimmy presented a fun and informative tour of the Tusket Islands history and lobster fishing industry. We got a run down on how the traps are hauled and a little info on the lobsters themselves. The tour is on a large wide lobster boat (pretty stable) and runs from Wedgeport around the islands with a short stop on one. You can even book a fish shack (nice cottage) and stay for a night or two. We enjoyed Simon’s seafood chowder, or you can request a head of time to have Râpe pie as an alternative. Simon sings and entertains on the return trip. Great people and a lovely bite into Nova Scotia life.

Allie B.

When our family of 7 were visiting Digby, Nova Scotia this summer, we were looking to spend some time fishing. We did some research and found Captain Calvin's number on the Tusket Island Tours website. We contacted Calvin and he promptly replied and we worked together to arrange a day that worked for both our schedules. When the day came, we met at the wharf and that was the start of an amazing experience!! Calvin is an exceptional guide. He started by taking the time to ensure we were all aware of how to fish safely for the trip and that we were all comfortable with what we were going to do for the next 4 hours. We headed out a few kilometers from shore and started fishing. Calvin spent the travel time telling us about Southern Nova Scotia, lobster fishing, the different species of fish we could be catching and stories of his life on the water. He also was very interested in our stories and kept a very easy going atmosphere while on the boat. Soon after the first hook hit the water and there were times when almost all of us had fish on our lines at once! While Calvin was clear that while the fish may not always be biting, we still caught quite a few haddock, mackerel and a few other species as well. After many unsuccessful fishing trips in her life, with Calvin's excellent guidance, my wife finally caught her first ever fish and it was the largest haddock catch of the day. At the end, he sent us home with a couple bags full of haddock fillets which made for a couple amazing dinners!! Would 100% recommend Calvin for a fishing trip and we will definitely get in touch when we are back in Nova Scotia!!

Nicole R.

While our family was staying in Cape Forchu this past August, our AirBNB host suggested we call Tusket Island Tours when we asked about Deep Sea Fishing. Lucien was away on holidays at the time, but gave us Calvin's phone number, and after a couple of days of checking options and the weather, we booked our afternoon out on the Atlantic. Our captain, Calvin, was amazing! We had such a great time! Definitely one of the highlights of our summer holidays. We caught about 12 Haddock, one of which our son caught that was 21'' long, which I'm sure Calvin will always remember :). Highly recommend going fishing with Tusket Island Tours if you are visiting the west coast of Nova Scotia, such fantastic people!