June 22
We traveled today; our Newfoundland/Labrador excursion has come to an end ad we are heading back to Nova Scotia aboard the ferry. We left our Pirate’s Haven and headed to the terminal. This place would be heaven for those that ATV. The location was above a river and the showers were hot and the staff extremely friendly.
It was actually sunny when we left but the fog rolled in for part of our journey. Fog gives everything that mysterious touch. We got to the terminal with a LOT of time to spare, but you never know with transportation! We parked the truck and wandered around. We mailed some post cards, and had a quick breakfast. We didn’t want anything too much and looking over the menu we wondered about the “beans and bologna.” Really? It really was a really good plate of pork and beans and fried bologna! Bologna is a serious option for food up here; we also noticed prominant diplays of the Canadiain version of SPAM, and Vienna weiners!! In fact, we saw a cookbook dedictiated entirely to different ways to cook bologna. We kid you not. The ferry’s free magazine even had recipes for Vienna sausage “corn dogs.” Be honest, how many times have we had a hankering for some fried SPAM? I personally haven’t even bought Vienna sausages since the boys were little. I always thought there was something unusual in their texture. Fried bologna, on the other hand, is awesome!
We drove straight in and didn’t have to take the steep ramp to the gut today. Straight in and straight out, level 3. It wasn’t too busy again. We wondered what ferries do if they are really light with passengers. Do they need some kind of ballast to make sure it sets low enough in the water? The schedule doesn’t run as much until the “season” so perhaps that forces people’s schedules to make it fuller. And what about those motorcycles that pulled in? Do they secure them somehow after we’ve gone upstairs so they don’t topple over? The boat was pretty “wavey” both trips!!
We actually got a “car wash” for this trip. Why? We wondered too but she also asked us whether we had any potatoes on board? Or plants with dirt? A little research shared that Newfoundland/Labrador is struggling with potato “warts” and Nova Scotia is being very active in trying to keep this out. We had a little dirt around the bottom of the truck as some of our campsites are dusty so they washed it off! Interesting!
It was a gorgeous day on the water but still cold once she got moving. We napped, and read, and walked around. Cheryl had set aside some work to do for some upcoming training BUT the FIVE PCs were offline. This is a 7 hour trip so perfect! And they WERE working on Monday! One finally popped up online but then the keyboard didn’t work. Obviously a sign that work was not on the agenda for the day but a Clive Cussler book from a little library. A little known fact about Cheryl: She has read a LOT of books but never any Clive Cusslers. She’s ordered them for the tons of boys that love that kind of book but not until now has she read one. It is okay. It has a lot of things about mercenaries and such in Africa so it is hard to keep up but it is good and it will be finished. :) Perhaps, one day, another Cussler will be read.
This ferry had two options for pets. One was to keep them in your vehicles, and the other was a container on level 7 that was labeled, “Kennel.” On Monday, it was very rainy and the kennel door was closed. Today was warmer and sunny so it was open. EVERYTIME someone walkd out on deck the kennel erupted into a chorus of barking! Amazing!!
On level 7 were also the lifeboats. They resembled nothing like imagined, but they looked sort of like wide, flat submarines? They were encapsulated! Andrew figures it had to do with the water temperature, which makes perfect sense! The Bass Harbor fisherman that took us out said that this time of year in Maine, a person would get hypothermia in just 10 minutes. It is probably less than that in Canada with the Labrador current coming from the north!
We are driving the Cabot Trail, a partcularly scenic route highly recommended by all who have driven it. The drive is spectacular. Trees and water, very curvy roads reminiscent of the northern 1 of California!! VERY curvy. The guardrails don’t look new as most of them have minor and major dents and scrapes. :O
We opted to stay at the Cape Breten Highlands National Park. There was someone still there when we arrived but we had to pay in the mornng. Our campsite was close to the amazingly clean and roomy washrooms, our neighbor was an older lady (guessing late 50s to mind 60s) and her dog. They slept in the back of their van. It was relatively full, no electric though, and LOTS of mosquitoes!! We had to hightail it in the truck as soon as we got cleaned up.
Nightly night!
June 23, 2018
We slept in slightly as we needed to make sure the Visitor’s Center was open so we could buy our national park pass and pay for our night of sleeping. We got a map and headed on our way through the Cape Breton National Forest. We had several thing highlighted that we wanted to do and there is enough to do that a person could just pull in a camper or stay in a cabin or hotel. We did drive by Old MacDonald’s farm, from 1930. :) We also drove past a car parked on the side of the road near a path in the grass with grass growing around it. We didn’t see a house or cabin but you never can tell as the trees or so thick.
The drive was magical. More trees, more amazing ocean views and then St. Lawrence Bay views. UP the mountains, and then curving down and around. Small towns, each with their own little charm. Trees and plant life just hanging onto the rocks and crevices. NO cell service the entire day. We stopped at pullouts and lighthouses and more pullouts. We intended to pull off for a waterfall, but suddenly we were at the 2nd one. Hmm. We then realized that our first pull off was actually closed and unmarked as they were replacing a bridge so we had a detour in that area. The 2nd waterfal l was down a beautiful path, rockyand rooty but lovely. The brook gurgled and was always close. We followed, chatted with, and then passed a retired couple carrying some heftycameras. He was born in Detroit and has family in Michigan and Terre Haute, Indiana. He has a fine art studio and takes lots of pictures of the area. The trail got busier as we were heading back to our truck. If you stopped, the mosquitoes attaacked! They had big signs warning of moose, bear, and coyote (no mention of mosquitoes?) and what to do if you encounter any. We did see a moose track but nothing beyond that. We had to cross three bridges to get to the falls, and what was interesting is that the supports were actually boxes of rocks. So the water could flow through.
We then pulled off to hike the Skyline trail. It had two different options which became one as you hiked as the one trail was closed off. It was a fine rock trail with warnings about moose, bear, and coyotes. Sigh. You gradually went up a slow grade, encountered a very large gate and enclosed area. Hmmm. It was to keep the moose OUT. Moose were common and then hunted to near extinction. They introduced them again and discovered moose LOVED their birch trees and could decimate an entire forest to nothingin a short time. They were trying to get different trees to grow and didn’t want the moose interferring. We did overhear a couple, “Oh, the moose are gone.” as we were going out and they were coming back.
The trail ends on a cliff above the gulf. Undescribleable. You’ll have to see the pictures. It was windy and there were steps DOWN DOWN DOWN to varying levels for viewing. It was really windy and you really had to concentrate to not be blown off. But the view. Wow. We didn’t count the steps but we’ll see if we can find out how many. It got busier as we were heading back. The temperature has been warmer today, actually above 70! But the wind keeps it cool. We didn’t see any moose but we did see a squirrel and a chipmonk.
Some more weaving and driving UP and DOWN, and we are near a beach on the St. Lawrence Gulf. The beach is mostly rocks, really smooth and varying colors. It was really neat to hear the waves as they came in and went out, the sounds of those rocks rolling back and forth.
While up on top the Skyline hike cliff we noticed a lighthouse in the distance. This was also circled on our map. We traveled some more of the Cabot Trail (the national park is part of the trail) and then drove across a causeway to the Cheticamp Island. We turned onto a non-paved road and into a …. cow pasture. Yes. There was a big sign alerting us to the fact that we were now on private property, were alllowed to be there only during the day and to watch out for cows. We didn’t see any to start but it was a fairly long road. We rounded a corner and there was a herd of really pretty brown cows!! They didn’t even give us a second look! We drove on and the lighthouse (Pointe Enragee) was cordoned off with tall metal fencing, so no access. It may have been the most remote one we’ve encountered? We’ll get back to you on that as our vacation isn’t over yet and the Port Bickerton may have been.
We wanted to get as close as we could to our ferry terminal for tomorrow as we are heading to Prince Edward Island. We were finishing up the Cabot Trail and Andrew and Cheryl both thought they saw an eagle. Cheryl saw it flying and it disappeared into a bunch of trees; a few seconds later Andrew sees it on the river bank. Eagles are amazing regardless of where you see them. We had to turn around and park safely so we could get out to take a closer look. Lovely.
We wanted a light supper so found a town called Angonish. It is a college town (St. Francis Xavier) and was a pretty nice size. We had a “board” at a local pub, where Andrew tried a couple of local brews and Cheryl, the local tap (water!). The board was smoked salmon, some salted salon, some greens, cucumbers, dark soda bread (OMG) and onions with a very nice spread of some kind. Light fare that is very tasty. This town looked llike it would be a fun town to spend some time in, a little Scotland!
We made our way to the ferry to get some information. We wanted only a one-way ticket to PEI but they don’t sell them that way online. The entry guard said to just show up and we’d pay once we landed on the other side. Okay. Hmmm.
We found a campground nearby so we don’t have a long drive and it was interesting. LOTS of RVs. The most we’ve seen these past weeks. Maybe all of them put together! Many looked to be “residents”. We got the most amazing little sight tucked in the back, electricity and water, but the WiFi won’t pick up. Unbelieveable!! But it is what it is. And it cost… $0. He told Andrew, “Merry Christmas.” I am assuming it was too late to use the CC machine and we are leaving first thing in the AM or they weren’t expecting anyone else. There are a few mosquitoes out. A park ranger said they are really bad now but disappear in July. They really LOVE Cheryl. :)
Nighty night!
June 24, 2018
The gorgeous moon and stars disappeared sometime during the night as the rains started and the wind picked up. There is something to be said for sound sleeping during rain!
The ferry left bright and early. We lined up, ran into the terminal just to move around a bit and made our way back to be loaded. This ferry runs back and forth all day, the trip only 75 minutes long. Everyone rushed upstairs and when we caught up and walked by, everyone was in line for food! We got a quick bite after the rush. It was still raining and, unfortunately, the forecast for the entire day looked the same. Rain and 50 degrees is cold.
Prince Edward Island is a lovely island, not too many trees really, gentle hills, ocean or Gulf of St. Lawrence views. It became a British Colony in the 1700s and federated into Canada in 1873. It’s primary focus is agricultural and there are fields upon fields upon fields of…. Potatoes!! We were surprised too! But there are about 200 families that grow 25% of all of Canada’s potatoes on this island paradise! We wondered what was planted in the mounded rows and thought it looked potato-like, and it was. We did pass a field or two of corn (maybe 2” tall!) but most fields were dedicated to potatoes. They also were fields of cows, sheep, and alpaca (which we did not see). The ground is a reddish brown color, so the beaches and unpaved roads and, eventually our truck sported it. We took many unpaved roads to catch a few lighthouses.
Our first was the Woods Island was right after we departed the ferry. This had a small, miniature model next to the real thing, along with a huge playground, complete with wooden houses and wharf overlooking a small “pond.” What fun for the kids! It was just a tad too early to go in. It was originally built in 1876 and actually finished by a local farmer. It had to be moved further inland in 2009 due to erosion.
You’d think finding lighthouses on a relatively flat island would be super easy but we went down three different roads to find Cape Bear. There are some trees and some hills and turns and house. What is interesting is the road is dirt. It was rainy so it was muddy. There wasn’t rock on the top at all, even though there could have been a rock base somewhere below the muck.
Cape Bear was built in 1881 and the Marconi Wireless Station was constructed here in 1905 to communicate with the icebreakers (ships designed to break up the ice!) that linked the Island with the Mainland. On April 14, 1912, a Marconi Operator by the name of Bartlett received the “first in Canada” distress call from the Titanic. The lighthouse has been moved several times, relocated the first time in 1947 due to erosion and it was moved northwest. It was moved again in 2015 back eastward and is being developed as a historic and heritage site. We were allowed to climb up this one and it amounted to us climbing ladder/stairs. They were narrow and steep! The view was great even if fog kept it close to shore.
Next up the road was the Point Prim Lighthouse. It has the distinguished honor of being Prince Edward Island’s oldest lighthouse, built in 1845. It is actually a brick tower, one of the few round brick lighthouses in all of Canada. Now it has wooden shingles on the outside. We climbed this one as well, same steep ladder/steps to the top. In the gift shop there was a poster showing all the shipwrecks of this area and the cemeteries for all those lives lost at sea. Wow.
We then went in search of sea glass. Sea glass isn’t actually native to oceans but is the result of glass bottles and such finding its way into oceans and the oceans then doing their magic in smoothing them out and rounding the edges, a process that takes 30-40 years at least. Some research said that we could find some close to where we were, but when we arrived we thought, “No way.” and we were right. The beach was called Canoe Cove Beach because the PEI First Nations pole (Mi’kmaq) brought British soldiers ashore by canoe! We got there when the tide was out and it was a HUGE beach, with tide pools, and red sand and red cliffs, really pretty. The water was actually warm and there were a few people out enjoying the area. The rain had stopped for just a bit; there were seals off the coast, a grandma with her grand kids (“Grandma, look at this!” “Grandma, look at this!” “Grandma, look at this!”) The only rocks were hugging the shore and they were the reddish color of everything else. The sand itself was “wavy” and there weren’t any rocks or shells on the beach itself. Needless to say, no sea glass, but a leisurely walk on a beach is always good for the soul. Actually in the water knee deep - pretty warm for a cold day.
COWS Creamery happened to be on the way to our next destination, so, of course, we had to stop. It has been touted as the best ice cream in all of Canada, and perhaps beyond. They have free self-guided tours but the factory wasn’t running today. The ice cream was extremely good, and the gift shop offered insanely funny t-shirts and other souvenirs, all with a cow theme. Doctor Moo, Cow Wars, The Cows on the Bus Go Moo, Moo, Moo, and SO MUCH MORE. Too funny. Apparently they are as well known for their whimsical attire as their ice cream! (Voted best in the world --- Ben and Jerry is #10 on same list--- rest overseas)
Anne of Green Gables is a book first published in 1908 by Lucy Maud Montgomery, born and raised on Prince Edward Island. She had an interesting life up to this point, writing and publishing MANY articles and short stories. It was this book and its sequels that propelled her and Prince Edward Island into international popularity. “Anne of Green Gables” is listed as one of the most popular books for children by MANY lists! The entire area where she grew up and wrote found places in her books as well. Many places have “Anne” themes for enticing tourists to come in to shop or sit a spell. We visited the house where she lived (and was later married) and were allowed quick glimpses into the rooms, completely intact as they were then, with original furniture and other things. We drove past her birthplace (she only lived there for 21 months) and the fields where she was raised by her grandparents after her mother died. No buildings here remain. We spend time on the grounds of her “Green Gables” and walked the trails. It isn’t even officially “tourist” season and yet busloads of tourists were descending on the house of Green Gables!! She actually led an interesting life and we bought a copy of her journal so we can read it at our leisure. We stopped by her final resting place, her grave planted with flowers and lovingly attended.
One more lightlhouse for the trip. We will be leaving the coasts behind as we head inland towards Quebec City. The original Cape Tryon Lighthouse was built in 1905 at Cousins Shore about 2 ½ miles from the cape and it was deactivated in 1969. A second lighthouse was built on Cape Tryon itself and is still active today. It sets high on red cliffs, at the end of a muddy red road.
We head off the island via a causeway instead of the ferry. The Confederation Bridge is beautiful, and eerie when you are driving towards it in the drizzle and it looks like it is floating on air as the fog and clouds and gray of the sea hide its supports. The 8-mile bridge opened in 1997.
We called ahead to assure we’d have room at a campsite only to find out once we arrived that they didn’t have bathrooms???? That is something we have never had to ask. We always ask about taking a credit card or cash, electric and water if possible, and showers, but never have we felt the need to ask about bathrooms (washrooms in Canada). It turns out that this site was a HUGE site for RVs, those that are self-contained! Great view for those that just needed to pull in and out and camp. Not too funny at this hour. They did recommend the Murray Beach Provincial Park just down the road. It literally was less than a mile down the road and not only had the most amazing sites ever with the view, but also they were cheap, had washrooms and showers, electric and water, and a very very kind staff. Our day ended well.
The day in and out of the cold and rain prompted an early to bed so WiFi didn’t even enter into the picture. We hope to catch WiFi on Monday and publish all our days. Tomorrow is a long drive day, 8 hours to Quebec City.
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