Day 34, Friday, July 27, 2007

Another beautiful morning, going to get hot today – maybe into the low 80’s. Ellen and I left camp early and returned to the NP to hike The Acadian Trail. It was a 3 hr (round trip) steady climb up to the mountain top, across the ridge for views of The Gulf of St. Lawrence, then back down a stream to the trailhead. Back to camp to rest, read, and enjoy the ocean view, sounds, and smells. Tomorrow we leave for the East Coast of Nova Scotia - Louisbourg.

Day 33, Thursday, July 26, 2007

The weather has really been great lately. Sunny and/or hazy days with a cooling ocean breeze, temperature into the upper 70’s, cool nights with the sound of ocean waves and the smell of fresh ocean air.

Today we started on a long drive around the NP. The road is part of what is called the Cabot Trail and follows the coast for a good part of the route. We stopped frequently at turnouts to take in the beauty of it all and ended up in Pleasant Bay in time for lunch. We wanted to go all the way to the Northern most point on the island but brake problems with the car forced us to turn around at that point and head back to town. They were making a lot of noise and it looked like something was eating away at the brake discs.

I may have solved the problem myself when we got back but the point is that our planned activity for the day was cut way short.

As in the past, no pictures until we find a high-speed connection.

Day 32, Wednesday, July 25, 2007

We decided to only stay one night (last night) in Baddeck. Did not like the campground and really wanted to get to the ocean. Drove north to Cheticamp, a little town just on the southern edge of Cape Breton Highlands NP. The NP has a campground with electricity, but it is in a wooded area (bugs & dirt) and no view of the ocean. We found a private campground in town and got an “overflow” site right on the ocean. The regular campground was full and we are glad it was. It’s crowded, not so clean, no view of the ocean, and a lot of kids. Given the option to stay in the overflow area right on the water in a grassy area we jumped on it and booked it for three nights. We even have the fortune of getting the only electrical hook-up available in the overflow lot.

Drove into the NP to get information and a trail map. Then back into town to grocery shop and eat a late lunch. Spent the rest of the day & night just enjoying the ocean view and breezes. Tomorrow we drive around the NP.

Road to Cheticamp



Beach at our Cheticamp campground

Our campsite view

Cabot Trail through the NP

Day 31, Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Left Fundy NP today as we were ready to get back on the road. Drove almost 300 miles and got well into Nova Scotia. Stayed in Baddeck on Cape Breton Island. This is just an overnight stay on our way to Cheticamp just outside of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Not much in the way of exciting "stuff" to see, just amazement at how "normal" the Atlantic Provinces have been so far when not on the coast. Prior to traveling up here it was just assumed this was a very remote and sparcely populated area. Far from the reality of it. We frequently comment to each other how if we didn't know better, we could be traveling through Michigan or much of the Midwest. Anyway, we are zipping through the central part of Nova Scotia (there is over 4,000 miles of shoreline up here and we cannot see it all, so we are trying to pick the best spots to spend time) to get to the best part - the coastal drive known as the Cabot Trail which follows the coast along the entire tip of Cape Breton which is reported to be one of the best scenic drives in the world. And has some of the best whale watching anywhere! Even from the shore. So we are staged to get there tomorrow after just a short drive from here. This spot has hi-speed internet so look back on the last three days or so of posts for added pictures.

Gracie in the water behind our campsite

Picture says it all

This campground is on the St. Patricks Channel in Baddeck, and part of the largest inland Sea (Bras d' Or Lake) in all of Canada

Day 30, Monday, July 23, 2007

Congratulations Amanda and Tony! A baby boy!

Another beautiful day in Fundy National Park, New Brunswick. A little cool to wake up to (temp was 54 so turned the heaters on to take the chill out of Blueboy), but as soon as the sun rose above the tree tops it got warm – into the mid to upper 70’s again. It was so nice we sat around, outside of course, and read our books and looked at maps well into the afternoon before going on a hike. We finished up the lobster from last night with a couple of lobster rolls before heading out. The tails, which we saved for today, seemed to have been overcooked and were a little chewy. They were good rolls but not anything to brag about. We’ll keep trying.

We drove south along the coast to a trail head and parked the car. We hiked about 40 minutes through the forest to the coast, then along the coast for about 50 minutes, and then about 30 minutes back to the car. Only two hours but the dogs were having trouble in the heat so we cut it shorter than planned.

Another fine dinner by Chef Ellen, a little wine, a little Crown, our usual bickering, night time dog walk, then to bed. We can’t get a DirecTv signal in this location so no late night TV.


Part of the trail

View of the Bay of Fundy from the trail

And another

One more

Hot dogs after hike

Day 29, Sunday, July 22, 2007

Woke up to mostly blue sky and then lots of sunshine as the morning progressed. Finally, a great day. Locals are considering it their first day of summer. Warmed up to the mid 70's. Today we drove (without dogs) to The Hopewell Rocks, about 35 miles north of the Park. You all have seen pictures of them some time in your life at a low and high tide comparison. This area is way up in the narrow part of the Bay of Fundy and the tides are extreme, 40-50 feet at times, so when the tide is out vast stretches of the ocean floor are exposed and walkable. Also exposed are the bases of what appears to be floating gardens at high tide, but at low tide they are huge columns of rock jutting out of the sea floor capped by plants and trees. It’s a very popular attraction and many, many people were coming and going (we seemed to be a couple of the very few speaking English, as most were French Canadian, Japanese, and German).

On the way back we detoured to Cape Enrage – a spit of land jutting out into the Bay of Fundy that is the site of an old light house. It is said to be the most beautiful view of the Bay of Fundy in the country. It lived up to its reputation. Currently run by students who restored it and maintain it through donations by visitors. The old light house keeper’s home in now a restaurant. We stayed for lunch, of course. Fish chowder and strawberry shortcake on the deck with one of the greatest views in the world. Only thing lacking was a bottle of wine – no alcohol served.

Stopped in Alma for two cooked lobsters about 2 ½ # each. Lobster pasta for dinner, and lobster rolls tomorrow for lunch. Tried to get an internet connection in town but they were all secured. No pictures until I can. Looks now like it won’t be until Tuesday when we leave here and go to an RV Park with wi-fi.

Low tide, Hopewell


This view is commonly seen in advertisements and brochures at high tide with people canoeing through the arch

Mud flats at Hopewell

Lobstah Dinnah

Hopewell rocks from above



View from Cape Enrage

Road to Cape Enrage

Another view of The Bay of Fundy from Cape Enrage

Lunch with a view on the deck

More from Hopewell

Day 28, Saturday, July 21, 2007

Still foggy this morning but no rain. Eventually the fog went away and the sun tried to shine but it just could not break through the clouds. At least we could see the water and coast line, and the air was dry. Alma, the little town at the edge of the park and an easy walk for us, claims to be home of the biggest tides in the world. We walked to the Alma beach at low tide and the water was about a half mile out. Walking to the edge took about 20 minutes. Very strange to be walking on the ocean floor knowing that in about two or three hours the water will rise to about 35 feet in depth where we are standing. The tide was rising while we were there and it comes back in as waves – each one reaching a little further towards shore. You can see it rise, but it’s not a big rush of water here as it will be further north where the Bay of Fundy narrows even more.

Alma has four lobster pounds and so we checked them out. Canada puts no restriction on the size of lobsters that may be caught and there were some 5-6 pounders available already cooked or take home alive. $10.00 per pound cooked so for about $60.00 bucks we could have a true “lobster feast”. Didn’t go for it today but might tomorrow. Settled for a little outside patio where we could keep an eye on the dogs and had lobster bisque, clams, and local beer. Too wet yet to hike in the woods so we settled for an exploratory drive around the park to find trail heads and parking lots for hiking the next few days. Very nice park, trails well marked, lots of parking, big open spaces, swimming pool, golf course, restaurant, laundry, and more. Took a few pictures today and will take the computer into town tomorrow and try to find a hot spot.


Dogs hoping to get a morsel as we sat outside for lunch in Alma

Fundy NP Headquarters

View of Alma from the high ground of the Park campground. That's right! You can't see anything and we couldn't either. What you can see is the tide is partially out and the ocean floor is visible as what looks like a sand bar.

Alma harbor at low tide with the lobster boats sitting on the ground. They go out for about six hours at a time when the tide is high enough to out into open water.

Not a good picture of Alma as seen entering from the Park fee station.

Alma need to repair their We come sign

Alma beach at low tide

Alma beach at nearly high tide

Veiw from waters edge at low tide looking back at Alma beach

JPL and dog(s) at waters edge