After suffering pain and loss due to addiction, a couple from Vancouver turned their lives around, moved to the East Coast and opened what is believed to be the first sober campground in the Maritimes (Canada), according to CTV News.
“Son of the Sea was named after my son. His name was Dylan and Dylan means son of the sea and he passed away in 2017,” says Racheal Doucette, co-owner of Son of the Sea.
“It’s hard to lose him,” says Todd Mitchell, the other co-owner.
Dylan lost his life to a fentanyl overdose on Dec. 17. To pay tribute to him after losing her father to addiction as well, Racheal and her husband Todd packed up their lives in Salts Spring Island on the West Coast to start fresh in Nova Scotia.
“It was like driving around in circles because it was really small and just being in Nova Scotia was a dream to come here and we wanted a change,” says Mitchell.
“We decided that we would open up an alcohol- and drug-free campground because there isn’t any that I’m aware of,” says Doucette.
They opened last fall but didn’t get a full season because of the wildfires, so they left their site open to those who had to evacuate and then closed for the season. This is their first full season open.
They have eight acres, 10 RV hookups, tent spots, fire pits, kids’ playground and walking trails. It’s all substance-free with no alcohol or drugs.
