Halifax meets the Caribbean: All aboard the tiki tour!

Stephen Jeddry realized his dream in 2023 when he built his own tiki vessel to start a tour business in Halifax, N.S., after seeing them around the Caribbean.

The one downside, however, was the weather during his inaugural year.

“Nova Scotia had the worst weather in our history," he shared with The Weather Network. "We had raging forest fires and raging floods. This impacts us greatly as tour operators. A lot of people will shy away from coming to Nova Scotia when we have extreme weather conditions like this. So we picked up the pieces; the rest of the summer we had a good summer; we made it through the winter, and now we're back again.”

He even doubled down and built a new, larger addition to what he calls his 'tiki fleet'.

“When people see [a] tiki, they see relaxation, they see the Caribbean, they see warmth, and they see cold drinks. So, when people come to me, that’s what they’re looking for. I tell everyone, the stress has to stay on the dock,” said Jeddry.

Most of the lumber used is Atlantic white cedar, with the hut itself made in Fredericton and shipped to Halifax to be added to the boat.

If there are any weather warnings on the harbour, Jeddry will cancel his tour and issue a full refund.

“I’ve been working seven days a week since February, and to see the excitement, the pleasure, and the happiness of the people on the docks that see my vessels go by and see people have fun, it’s humbling, and it’s a sense of pride.”

You can hop aboard a tiki tour as Jeddry hosts a bachelorette party in the video above!