The Bay Hammock Company

[This next guest runs a lovely business with her husband in the beautiful Peggy’s Cove Area. If you’ve ever experienced the luxury of a hammock and wondered how you can get your hands on one, you’ll be pleased to know you can find a local shop that carries them. A unique gift idea for those who are outdoorsy in a loungey sort of way.]

By Anne Chisholm

So here we were, my husband Arch and I, retired and living near our families in Nova Scotia after 45 years of living and working in Ontario. We played golf and bridge, but not all the time. We enjoyed our time with our families, but they had to work for a living. We needed something to do. We were a bit at sixes and sevens when we stumbled upon the assets of a defunct hammock maker that once operated in the Head of St. Margaret’s Bay. We contacted the owners and after several discussions purchased 6 antique rope making machines, some hand-made hammock weaving looms, & shuttles and a hammock tying table along with the bits and pieces that were required to make hammocks and hammock swings. Most importantly, we were able to hire their Master Hammock Maker, Lynn Sallans, a skilled and creative artisan who can create whatever we (or you) can dream.

Photo credit: Virginia Zuluaga from Flickr

Photo credit: Virginia Zuluaga from Flickr

That first summer we set up our hammock making facility in a building at the old military base in Mill Cove NS and sold the hammocks we made from a roadside stand in Hubbards NS. Then we started looking for a permanent home for our business, which we found on the Peggy’s Cove Road, in Seabright NS.

As we started to renovate the building and open our hammock making business in Seabright we were sure of only one thing – we wanted to establish a business that would be fun to operate and a fun spot for customers to visit and shop. As we are making and selling hammocks this wasn’t too hard to do. The first summer in Seabright we felt our way along. We hung hammocks out among the trees on the lawn, added a couple of picnic tables for customers to use and, on nice days, Lynn worked outside, weaving hammocks and hammock swings. People loved dropping in, enjoying a picnic; swinging in the hammocks and watching Lynn weave the hammocks. But, their favourite thing was watching our antique rope-making machines at work.

The challenge was to set our shop up so visitors could see and follow the complete hammock making process from making the rope to finishing and hanging the hammock. Then we learned of The Atlantic ÉconoMusée Network. This is a network of shops that make their products using traditional handcrafting methods. These shops, which are self supporting businesses, are set up as working museums where visitors can learn the history of the craft and watch the products being made. We applied to join, were accepted, and officially opened as a rope and hammock making ÉconoMusée in June 2008.

So, five years later, here we are, busy and having fun. When you drop, in Lynn or Arch act as you tour guide, showing you around the shop and demonstrating how the rope and hammocks are made. Hammocks and hammock swings are set up for you to test drive. The picnic area remains so bring along a snack lunch to enjoy outside when you come

We are open 7 days a week 9am to 6 pm in June, July , August, and September, 11 am to 4 pm Wednesday to Sunday in October, November, December, March, April and May and by appointment or by chance in January and February.

@BayHammocks is located in the Peggy’s Cove area of Nova Scotia.  They handcraft hammocks and shade sails for customers around the world.

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