Maritimes & New England - 2015
Prince Edward Island
to Nova Scotia
Day 13 - September 30
Ferry from Wood Islands, Prince Edward Island to Caribou, Nova Scotia
Getting ready to set sail
Very windy!
On the Trans Canada Highway in Nova Scotia, near New Glasgow. Like New Brunswick, and unlike Prince Edward Island, very forested.
Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia - but you could probably see that from the picture. Oh, and that’s Kathy…
Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. I think the ferns turn color in the Fall
Skyline Trail - many changes in foliage along this trail
Moose fence. This is to keep the moose out. The Park is trying to re-forest this small area along the trail, and the moose will forage what they plant. Notice that the lower part of the fence is open - guess moose don’t crouch so well
Cow moose. She was about 10 feet from the trail, laying down in the trees, staring at us humans and occasionally nodding off
Bull moose. He was a little further back into the woods than the cow, and this was the best picture I could get. You don’t go chasing after those boys for a better shot
Skyline Trail - what we thought was the end
The end of the trail is down there. The winds were probably 35 mph here on the point. It was hard standing up. As you can see, part of the lower boardwalk is pretty precarious, with no guardrails. So we didn’t go any further. Still an incredible view
From the Skyline Trail viewpoint. The Gulf of St. Lawrence
From the Skyline Trail viewpoint. The Gulf of St. Lawrence
Panorama from Skyline Trail viewpoint. Gulf of St. Lawrence. Cabot Trail Road in the distance on the left
Day 13 - September 30
Cavendish, Prince Edward Island to Cheticamp, Nova Scotia
We left about 7 am from Prince Edward Island. We will miss its friendly faces, pristine rolling hills and beautiful beaches.
The weather was supposed to turn bad today - heavy rain - but it looks like we will have nice weather one more day. Not to worry - the rain is still coming, but we wanted to get to Nova Scotia quickly so we could get at least one hike in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
We took the ferry from Wood Islands, PEI to Caribou, Nova Scotia. It is just over an hour long; we sat between folks from Montreal and from Delaware. So interesting to hear the stories and lives of others!
We arrived about 2pm to our hotel in Cheticamp, Nova Scotia. We were able to check in and leave our things, then hurriedly made our way about 30 minutes into the national park and to one of its flagship trails, Skyline.
The trail is pretty flat and beautifully maintained, and just short of 5 miles. The foliage seemed to change around every turn! Just before the trail’s end, we saw two moose - a bull and a cow. They were just off the trail, but hidden behind the trees, so were a little hard to see and photograph.
The trail ends with a boardwalk and steps that seem to go on forever. The last part goes downhill, along a precarious ridge (down on both sides, no rail). It was easily blowing 35 mph, so we decided not to take the last part. No one else around seemed eager either. But the view from where we stopped was breathtaking!
We returned to our cabin and ate leftover pizza from our dinner the night before. Come on rain, let’s see whatcha got!
Cheticamp & Cape Breton National Park, Nova Scotia
Day 14 - October 1
The view from our cottage in Cheticamp, Nova Scotia. The land on the left is Cheticamp Island. Out to sea is the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Larch Wood Enterprises specializes in crafting cutting boards from the larch tree, which is like a juniper. What is interesting about the larch tree is that although it is technically a conifer, with needles, it is deciduous; the needles turn yellow in the Fall, and the tree is leafless in the Winter
Larch Wood’s saw mill is across the street from this fine cutting room. We bought a cutting board like the one with curved edges that you see beyond the water bottle
Hooked Rugs Crafts is a little store just down the road from our cottage in Cheticamp. It specializes in hand-stitched rugs & wall hangers, and knit caps. Jordan had visited here a week before, and spent some time talking with one of the owners (and a craftswoman)
On Cabot Trail Road in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, on the way to Pleasant Bay
Pleasant Bay Harbor. It is officially outside the Park, but along the Cabot Trail Road, about 45 minutes north of Cheticamp
Our afternoon lunch/dinner spot in Pleasant Bay. Jordan had recommended it. Fantastic - we might just try to hit it again tomorrow!
I had this lobster poutine! Kathy ordered deep-fried scallops. They brought her grilled scallops - so she got both. Scrumptious!
Day 14 - October 1
Cheticamp & Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia
The rain has arrived. It’s not too heavy, but we decided to do some indoor activities - like shopping and eating.
We made our way about 25 km south to Larch Wood Enterprises; they make cutting boards of larch wood. Then, to a couple of gifts shops - Flora’s & Hooked Rugs Crafts, both in Cheticamp. Shirts and oven mits. We might stop back by Hooked Rugs Crafts tomorrow to get something for the Meadview house.
Then, into Cape Breton Highlands National Park. We traveled about 35 km to Pleasant Bay. Found another gift shop, and another shirt.
Jordan had recommended the Rusty Anchor Restaurant in Pleasant Bay. Great views, he said, from their outside seating. Well, no views and no outside seating today! But the food was incredible! It was our only meal of consequence for the day.
On the way back to the cottage, we stopped at La Boulangerie Bakery for breakfast treats.
Cape Breton National Park,
Nova Scotia
Day 15 - October 2
Kathy gathering black sand at La Bloc Beach in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. She now has white, red and black
View of Pleasant Bay. You can see our favorite restaurant, The Rusty Anchor, in the foreground. We will eat there again at the end of our day
Beulach Ban Waterfall in Cape Breton
We actually saw some color today! But since it was cloudy, the colors didn’t sparkle. It’s amazing how the human eye can take it in so much better than a camera. Well, God created the eye, man the camera
Black Brook Beach in Cape Breton. We haven’t seen these kind of rocks on any other beach
The rocks of Black Brook Beach
Black Brook Beach
MacKinnons Cove in Cape Breton. The ocean had ‘tude today
MacKinnons Cove panorama
This may be my favorite scene so far. Green Cove in Cape Breton. A small point that is probably 25 yards wide at its widest, slimming down to a point at the ocean’s edge. The cove is off picture to the left. The colors created by the grass and rock is striking. Is this Ireland?
Panorama of Green Cove. The panorama (a very broad one) makes this look like a big cove. Actually, the beach is pretty straight. The “green” cove is to the left, down from the green point. On the right is a long, rocky beach. If it hadn’t been so windy and cold here, we would have sat at this point and just gazed. As it was, we were out there for a while, waiting for another group to leave so we could get pristine pictures
Mary Ann Waterfall, Cape Breton. We drove about 7.5 kilometers on a beautiful gravel, country lane road, then hiked about ½ kilometer to this point. There are many waterfalls in the Park, but none very big. In fact, Mary Ann is the largest by volume
Leaf
And you thought full-service was a thing of the past. That’s not me putting gas in my car. Back to the Future
Day 15 - October 2
Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia
The weather has been cloudy, rainy and windy for the three days we have visited Cheticamp and Cape Breton Highlands National Park. But the rain has been relatively light, and has not deterred us.
Today, we spent our final day in the National Park, traversing the Cabot Trail from Cheticamp half way around to Ingonish and back, a 150-mile round trip. It rained lightly the entire time. How often can one person adjust their intermittent wipers?
We saw two waterfalls and many different beaches. The shoreline on the northeastern side of the Park is much different than the northwestern. NW - steep, sharp cliffs, water breaking to the cliffs, mostly inaccessible shoreline. NE - many beautiful beaches with sands of different colors, and rock formations of all types. Both sides - incredible hiking trails and views.
Green Cove was a favorite. On the NE side, it’s a 50-foot hike from parking lot to a grassy-rocky point that will either remind you of Ireland or make you want to go there. If you ever get up here, don’t miss it!
At the end of our roundtrip, we stopped by The Rusty Anchor restaurant again. Lobster roll for me and grilled chicken sandwich with harvati cheese on ciabatta bread for Kathy. Dessert - two slices of Fruit of the Forest pie - blackberry, apple, raspberry and rhubarb.The diet will ensue upon return to reality.
Cheticamp to Glen Margaret
via Halifax,
Nova Scotia
Day 16 - October 3
Many of the city limit signs in this district of Nova Scotia also have their Gaelic interpretation
Driving inland from one coast of Nova Scotia to the other, you see this countryside
Sherbrooke is an important town. You will see why in one of the upcoming photos…
Liscomb River, along the Atlantic sea coast, north of Halifax
The Atlantic sea coast looks much like this
Shipwreck
Ric & Kathy on a Halifax pier…
Ok, the story. One of my favorite Canadian folk singers is Stan Rogers, who died in 1983 in a plane fire in Cincinnati at age 33. He wrote many “sea shanties,” or sea tales.
One of them is “Barrrett’s Privateers,” the story of a young man from Sherbrooke (”I wish I was in Sherbrooke now”) who signed aboard a scummy sea vessel under false pretenses. He thought they would “cruise the seas for American gold, fire no guns, shed no tears.” Instead, the captain was privateering, fighting other ships as a mercenary.
Ultimately, the ship is cut down by an American ship, and the teller of the tale loses his legs. The story is of a “broken man on a Halifax pier.”
When we decided to make this Maritime Provinces trip, I just had to go to a Halifax pier, and play the song. In the freezing rain…
Memorial to Swissair Flight 111, lost at sea near Peggy’s Cove in 1998. Next to this stone is another recognizing the fishermen (and women) who rushed to help rescue them (all to no avail)
Kathy standing at the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove. The weather will be much better tomorrow, so I will post better pictures, hopefully not ad nauseum
The back of our B&B in Glen Margaret, Nova Scotia. Our room is up top
Our B&B room
Sunset - sending us a message that the skies will open up for us tomorrow!
Day 16 - October 3
Cheticamp to Glen Margaret via Halifax, Nova Scotia
It was mostly a day of transit. It took us over 6 hours to make our way in a steady but gentle rain. We didn’t stop much, except in Sherbrooke and Halifax (see story with the pictures).
Halifax had the worse weather. When we were finished with our “pier business,” we were anxious to get out of the big city!
Glen Margaret, where we are staying, is about 45 minutes out of Halifax, and sits on a beautiful bay near the famous Peggy’s Cove - which you will see tomorrow.
We are in a wonderful little Bed & Breakfast. Cathie owns the B&B, which has 3 rooms. We are the only ones there, so she is giving us special attention!
Peggy's Cove, Mahone Bay,
& Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Day 17 - October 4
The view of the bay from our B&B balcony
B&B Eggs Benedict!
Reflection
The village of Peggy’s Cove
The first of a few pictures of Peggy’s Cove lighthouse. We were fortunate. We came early in the morning - about 9:00 - and avoided the later crowds. But even bigger - this was the first weekend in a long time, that no cruise ships docked in Halifax and sent their busloads over.
Kathy and the lighthouse
Beautiful rock formations. The shoreline in Nova Scotia has such variety!
Ric on a rock…
Mahone Bay. On the first weekend in October, this cute little village celebrates their Scarecrow Festival. All of the town’s businesses, and some residents, created their own scarecrows. We saw Wizard of Oz and Snow White characters, and even Albert Einstein.
There’s Einie…
The village of Lunenburg. This boat is being renovated
Lunenburg fishing harbor
Lunenburg fishing harbor
St. John’s Anglican Church in Lunenburg
Back to the B&B. It was so warm, we sat on the balcony outside our room - Ric in shorts and a tank top - and enjoyed the sun. Kathy is charting our course to Bangor, Maine for tomorrow
Three of these fellas showed up in the B&B backyard
Kathy with Cathie, the owner of By-the-Bay Bed & Breakfast in Glen Margaret, Nova Scotia. She was a wonderful host - thanks, Cathie!
Day 17 - October 4
Peggy's Cove, mahone Bay & Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
After a marvelous B&B breakfast - Ric had Eggs Benedict, Kathy scrambled eggs - and of course many other goodies - we headed out for the day to visit 3 well-known shore destinations southeast of Halifax.
Peggy’s Cove is probably the most famous lighthouse in the maritimes. You can see why - it is set on beautiful rockscape. Most of the time it is very crowded here. Andy and Sheila had come about a week earlier, in the afternoon, and the hoards were there, including the cruise ships. They tipped us off to come early, and you can see by the pictures, a great tip - thanks, guys!!
We then stopped at a store called Acadian Maple. What a place! Maple goodies of any and every kind. Real maple syrup. Maple butter. Blueberry maple syrup. Cinnamon maple syrup. Maple fudge (sold). Maple BBQ sauce.
On to Mahone Bay and this weekend’s annual Scarecrow Festival. The town was hopping - many Halifaxians hit Mahone Bay on this weekend. We walked around town for a bit, viewing the homemade scarecrows and checking out the shops.
Next, to Lunenburg, the cutest little village. Just a beautiful setting.
We returned to the B&B mid-afternoon and enjoyed the warm sun on our balcony. Then to Rhubarb’s down the street for dinner.
When we returned to the B&B, Cathie had a Stan Rogers concert CD set up for us to listen to. What a perfect way to end the day! She is a huge Stan Rogers fan, as are many Canadians. Some of you won’t be surprised - I actually have a Stan Rogers bootleg concert that she doesn’t have. When I get home, I’ll send her a copy.