Along St. Mary's Bay
The French Shore, and why the west walls go green
Clare is a long, thin municipality along Highway 1, with almost every home within sight of St. Mary's Bay. The prevailing westerlies bring fog straight off the water and onto the bay-facing walls, and the salt comes with it. Behind the houses, spruce shades the back walls. Front or back, something's always damp.
That's why the west face of a Meteghan house goes green, why the shingles in Church Point streak black, and why the front steps in Mavillette are slick every foggy morning. It's growth, not dirt, and pressure alone won't fix it. A soft wash kills it at the root, and a proper rinse clears the salt film. If the term is new, read what soft washing is.
Communities we cover around Clare & Meteghan
Digby town, Smiths Cove, Bear River and the Neck have their own page. Clare route days often connect with Yarmouth's north end (Port Maitland, Beaver River) on the same run.
What we see on Clare homes
Bay-facing homes along Highway 1. Most of Clare's houses line the shore road with the bay side taking the weather. Vinyl and painted wood both green up on that face first. Soft washing kills the growth and leaves the paint alone; high pressure on an older Acadian farmhouse is how paint gets stripped.
Big properties and outbuildings. Clare has more barns, sheds, garages, and shops beside the house than most of the Tri-County. We wash them on the same visit as the house, same method, so the whole property matches and you're not paying for two trips.
Church Point and the university. The homes around Université Sainte-Anne and the big wooden church get the same fog off the bay. Older painted wood on that stretch gets the gentle mix and an honest look at the paint first.
Cottages at Mavillette and Cape St. Mary's sit right on the beach and take the full westerly. Siding streaks, steps go slick, and the salt film never really leaves. A spring wash before the season is the normal request, and June is the month for it.
Booking from Clare & Meteghan
Clare runs on route days: a few jobs along the shore from Salmon River to Weymouth grouped on the same day, sometimes connecting with the north end of Yarmouth County on the same run. That keeps travel off your bill. Tell us where you are and we'll slot you into the next Clare run.
Quotes are from photos, so there's nothing to wait for. Text two photos to 782-446-3384 or use the quote form, and you'll usually have a number within 24–48 hours.
Timing tip: businesses and rentals want to look right for the Festival acadien de Clare in early August. Book July for that, and May or June for the cottages.