Greetings from Newfoundland

The six hour ferry trip from North Sydney, Nova Scotia to PortAux Basques, Newfoundland was smooth sailing. After settling in at J. T. Cheeseman Provincial Park on the southwest corner of Nfld we used the Jeep to explore around the ROCK . The terrain is mostly a monstrous mass of rock and gravel with jagged sea cliffs on the outskirts. 

 It bears fewer traces of human occupation than most of the other Canadian provinces we have visited. Much of its sparsely scattered population clings to the coast as it always has done, looking to the sea for sustenance and for connection to the outside  world.

One of many inaccessible outport villages

Lobster season in the north has closed

Fishing containers are as colorful as houses and boats

 There are outports (small fishing settlements accessible only by boat) that we can’t reach with the motor home. Away from the often spectacularly rugged 6,000 mile coast, much of the landscape is scrub, rock outcrops, ponds, and bogs which seemed to have emerged from the crushing weight of the Ice Age glaciers. 




 

Red cliffs along Port au Port Peninsula

We’ve found the somber mountains of Gros Morne National Park quite lovely arriving at early dusk. 

The following day was a great wilderness experience hiking into Western Brook Pond and taking a two hour boat trip up into its fiord. It was an easy two mile hike in to the boat dock and two mile hike out afterward. 

From there we drove north in the afternoon to catch the sunset at Arches Provincial Park camping right near the beach. We met a nice young man from Germany who had slept on top of the arches for the night. He played a didgeridoo for us which he had made. Since Tim was backpacking we gave him a ride 200 miles to the northern tip of Newfoundland along with us to see L’Anse aux Meadows. Where is that?

Hello from Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia

Look how far we have traveled

Cape Breton Island is the large northeastern region of Nova Scotia where we’ve just arrived and begun to explore. So far we have visited two wonderful Atlantic Canada historical sites. The Fortress of Louisbourg is a reconstructed 18th century New France community representing life in Louisbourg between 1713-1758. A shuttle bus took us half a kilometer to the sally port gate. We lived, only for a day, 1744 life in this fortified French colonial town surrounded by a moat.

It is not a military fort as such but the presence of uniformed New France soldiers were seen everywhere as well as period costumed town folks. 

French soldiers of 1744 at Louisbourg

A towering, distinctive spire rises above a sprawling complex of stone and wooden buildings. It does not take long for one to grasp the living history of the French here. They came to Louisbourg in 1713 following territorial losses to the English in Newfoundland and Acadia (Nova Scotia in the war of the Spanish Succession. Based on the thriving fishing and trade industry, the town quickly became France’s most important and strongest seaport until the English laid siege in 1745 on what is now Atlantic Canada.


We strolled the streets alongside the costumed citizens of Louisbourg as they brought to life their 1744 authentic daily activities. 

 Catching a military pipe band marching along with rifles and cannon demonstrations added excitement to the day. Our adventure here rated as a Top Ten Belvedere hands down. 

A moat surrounds the reconstructed Fortress of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia

Lac Bras d'Or Lake

The following day being rainy was a good chance to visit the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site in Baddeck. There is a museum displaying the H-4 Hydrofoil experiment he invented as well as numerous other devices. It was interesting to learn that his grandfather and father specialized in elocution and declamation for speech therapy with the deaf paving the way for his own desire to work in speech and communication. Bell’s mother and his own wife Mabel were both deaf. He taught speech to the deaf in his early adult years and spent most evenings on his passion making inventions. He and his wife Mabel built their beautiful home in Baddeck across the channel calling it Beinn Bhreagh (Gaelic for beautiful mountain). 

Bell with his grandchildren

Alexander G. Bell's home in Baddeck looks out toward the lighthouse

Beinn Bhreagh the Bell Estate

It is understandable why the Bells moved here in Nova Scotia to escape their hectic life in New York ... It is absolutely lovely and peaceful in this Lac Bras d’Or Lake region. Bet you didn’t know Alexander G. Bell was the co-founder of National Geographic Society. The other co-founder was his wife’s wealthy father. In 1922 Bell died at his home in Baddeck. He and his wife are both buried there.The property is still owned by the family and unfortunately is not open to the public.


We plan to catch the ferry to the ROCK (Newfoundland) tomorrow for the coming week or two. JR replaced a new battery on the Toad. Thank goodness as Christa will be driving it separately on to the ferry. Afterwards we plan on returning back to catch several other top belvederes throughout Nova Scotia. Blessings to you.

Feasting on Lobsters at Prince Edward Island

North Coast P.E.I. village

Wildflowers and more...on and on

We just enjoyed a week on P.E.I. driving around the coastal routes of its three regions.The island located between the St. Lawrence and Northumberland Strait on the Atlantic thrives on agriculture, aqua farming, and tourism. It is called The Gentle Island and rightly so as there is a calmness and peacefulness yet to be found anywhere else but here. The countryside is picturesque and lovely as a patchwork quilt with its green potato fields and golden wheat fields. Unmarked side roads of red sandstone soil are seen crisscrossing everywhere. Small fishing harbors are often seen with lobster boats moored and their traps stacked at warehouse shacks along the wharfs.

Lobster shacks

Lobster boats at Murray River Harbor

Hay rolls baled everywhere on P.E.I. ...Where's the beef? We saw very few cattle.

North Cape Coast red cliffs

Along the North Cape Coastal Drive discoveries were seen where pie is made from seaweed, houses can be found made of glass bottles, a restored lighthouse has been turned into an inn, seventeen giant windmills stand on the Island’s western most tip, other colorful lighthouses each greet those along the road, and sea breezes easily calm one’s spirits while gazing out over red cliffs and pink sandy beaches.

Ever heard of red sands? We hadn't til now...

North Cape cliffs... How did we get to the beach? Jump?

Prince Edward Island National Park Covehead Light

In Charlottetown, the Capitol of the Island, we walked the historic waterfront, enjoyed a young performance group sing, dance, and play Celtic music,watched The Gold Cup Old Home Week Parade, peeked in Province Hall where the Confederation Conference of 1894 was held forming Canada, and had a delicious lobster dinner out on a deck overlooking the harbor.

Yukon, Gaspe, and Madeline join in feasting on steamed mussels

Hooray... Finally a lobster dinner in Charlottetown

Okay one left, so my second one goes back to the Chateau refrig.

Charlottetown historical guides in 1864 period costume share about

 the formation of Canada

Grand horses travel from Cape Cod for the Charlottetown Gold Cup and Saucer Parade

Check out the float's theme sign

One of many parade clowns

Pipers leading the parade

The beavers join the parade as one of many inflatables

Moving the motor home to Brudenell Provincial Park for three nights gave us a chance to explore the Points East Coastal Route in the Toad. Yukon brought home a friend named Madeline when he mysteriously found his way back to the Chateau after being lost. Joining up along with Gaspe now finds us toting three little bears around everywhere. We are having great fun with them as our traveling family. The highlights of the region led us to the Rissginol Winery for tasting, an Indian Pow Wow gathering on Panmure Island for tribal dancing, and the East Point Lighthouse for photographs.

Head dancers at the Panmure Island Pow Wow

Female dancer skirts make lovely sounds with their bells

The Central Region of P.E.I is most famous for Cavendish being the home of Lucy Maud Montgomery, literary author of Anne of Green Gables and nineteen other Anne novels. The original Green Gables homestead where Montgomery’s cousins lived along with the wooded countryside gave inspiration for much of her writings. It has become a National Historic Site and a must see for any Island Visitor.

Anne of Green Gables National Historic Site

ANNIE

In camp JR grills up a batch of fresh clams ...Quayhogs...To die for...

Not to be missed as well is the yummy Old Village Bakery in North Rustico. We walked away stocked with fresh blueberry scones and assorted goodies for the bridge crossing tomorrow over into Nova Scotia.

Travel Greetings from New Brunswick… Hooray YUKON is BACK !

Strolling along the salt marsh dunes in New Brunswick

Greater Yellowlegs at the salt dunes forging

We just finished driving the eastern coastal route of New Brunswick clicking in the 8,000 mile mark. It was grand taking a few days at Kouchibouchi National Park to slow down our travels. The most exciting news is Yukon by a miracle found his way back to us there after 700 miles of travel. His travels are a story for another day. Walking the beach shoreline and into the sand dunes was fun hoping to sight piping plovers nestling. However, much like the endangered California Spotted Owl, there were restriction zones so unfortunately we never spotted any plovers or shorebirds.

At The Irving Eco-Center Boutourche Dunes further down the coast was a 12 km narrow peninsula sand spit. We walked 2 km along the boardwalk over the salt marsh before accessing the beach. There we sighted two pairs of blue herons in the distance and some Greater Yellowlegs.

Getting sand and salt water between our toes made for a nice stroll back along the shoreline.

Gaspe and Yukon on the lookout for shore birds

Our traveling buddies always along for the daily adventures

Gaspe and Yukon enjoyed the outing at the dunes with us for the day becoming better acquainted.

Lighthouse at Boutourche Dunes

Fishing industry must be at a low with so many boats up on the hard

Shediac proclaims to be “The Lobster Capitol of the Atlantic.” Our experience fighting its Main Street traffic and being served lobster rolls that were pretty poor found us getting out of that seaside town rather quickly.

Beach crab discovered

Jelly fish washed up on the beaches of Kouchibourchi National {ark

Shediac's 16 foot lobster people climb up pn

When can I board a lobster boat mate !

By late afternoon we crossed Confederation Bridge, the eight mile “Link” as it is called, putting us on to Prince Edward Island. Maybe our lobster tales will be better on the next post.Blessings to you,JR, Christa, Yukon and Gaspe