Kris here...
After 13 days and 1,400 miles
in Newfoundland, we reluctantly boarded the ferry to return to Nova
Scotia. We opted for the night crossing this time. Hard to rest
with strangers snoring around you, so we arrived back in North
Sydney, NS a bit fatigued. First order of business - oil change
and brake job, then off for a short visit to the Marconi National
Historic Site in Glace Bay.
We devoted most of the next day to
Louisbourg National Historic Site, the French colonial capital
1713-1758. Parks Canada has done a remarkable job reconstructing
about 25% of the site using the original written plans. Costumed
actors helped make it an interesting visit. We also hiked around the
ruins that have not been reconstructed.
Fortress at Louisbourg National Historic Site
Firing the cannon
Next, back to Cape Breton Highlands
National Park, this time on the eastern side around Ingonish. Hikes
to a waterfall, around a small lake, and out to the end of Middle
Head that separates Ingonish Bay into two parts kept us busy. We
couldn't leave Cape Breton Island without attending a ceilidh
(pronounced kay-lee) with traditional fiddle music and dance.
We heard about one at a local church hall and spent the evening
enjoying the entertainment.
Mary Ann Falls, Cape Breton Highlands NP
Middle Head, Ingonish Bay
The view from the end of Middle Head
We returned to mainland Nova Scotia
and followed the south shore to Halifax, making short stops at
historic sites along the way. One of our campsites was right on the
beach – it's nice falling asleep to the sound of the surf.
Our next major stop was Kejimkujik
National Park. We enjoyed hiking the trails and a tour of the
petroglyphs there with a Mi'kmaw park naturalist who told us some of
the stories passed down by her ancestors. “Keji” is a designated
Dark Sky Preserve and we had some clear nights to look at the stars
and see the Milky Way spread across the night time sky. You don't
get to do that anywhere near Houston!
Mills Falls on the Mersey River, Kejimkujik National Park, Nova Scotia
Kejimkujik Lake
We needed a place to spend the Labour
Day weekend, so we stayed in a campground in the Annapolis River
Valley, east of Digby. (We steered clear of the Wharf Rat Motorcycle
Rally in Digby). One interesting stop was a Tidal Power
Generating Station on the Annapolis River. We also enjoyed the Port
Royal National Historic Site, a reconstructed settlement circa 1605.
Costumed actors were demonstrating woodworking, carpentry,
blacksmithing, etc. There were clothes you could try on and I gave
the wooden shoes a try . . . very uncomfortable.
Documenting the tide status at the Tidal Power Generating Station for an Earthcache.
Standing in wooden shoes was okay, but walking around was a bit tricky.
Cheers!
Hard to see, but Kris is poking her head out of the window at the Port Royal Habitation.
Beautiful gardens at Grand Pre
Statue of Longfellow's heroine, Evangeline
For the next week, we followed the
shores along the Bay of Fundy on both the Nova Scotia and New
Brunswick sides, stopping a lighthouses and beaches at low tide. One
stop was at Burntcoat Head where the highest tides in the world
occur, about 50 feet difference between high and low. We were lucky
enough to have good timing and observed a tidal bore on the longest
river in Nova Scotia. We visited geology related museums including
Joggins Fossil Cliffs where the earliest lizard fossils have been
found. We went on a tour and found fossils in the cliffs and on the
beach. Great fun for a couple of science nerds!
It's hard to see Brian in the window at the top
Low tide
Back into New Brunswick on September 8
and a three-day visit to Fundy National Park. Our last visit to the
park was in 1988 (Mark was 18 months old and Phillip wasn't even born
yet). We observed high and low tides in several places, including
Point Wolfe. Kim remembers the location and she was only 7 years old
at the time. We hiked every day and completed a geocaching challenge
sponsored by Parks Canada. We made a side trip to Cape Enrage and
observed the Bay of Fundy from that vantage point.
Alma Harbour, high tide
Alma Harbour, low tide
Point Wolfe Estuary, low tide
Fundy National Park
Point Wolfe Estuary, high tide
Fundy National Park
Barn Marsh Beach below Cape Enrage, New Brunswick
Dickson Falls, Fundy NP
Our time in Canada is almost over.
People have been friendly and we get stopped every now and then by
people who are curious about our truck and camper. The campground at
Fundy had a communal campfire pit and we enjoyed evenings sharing our
adventures with fellow campers, including some from Europe.
Our next objective is Maine and
watching tree leaves change colors. We have seen a hint of yellow in
the birch leaves already.
Brian's two cents :
Not much to add to what Kris said.
We have NOT been going crazy doing Geocaches. We have averaged about
ten a day, and they are usually where we are going anyway. Right
now, we are sitting at our campsite in Fundy, and I'm watching a
squirrel jumping around and looking for a handout.
As she said, it has been a super
visit to Canada, but it is time to get back to the USA where we don't
have to do mental conversions of kilometres to miles or Celcius to
Farenheit! Everyone has been saying that we must be loving the good
US to Canadian exchange rate. Well, it is good when I take $300 Canadian out
of the ATM, and it comes out of our account as $245 U.S., but a pound of bananas is about
a dollar, so we are only saving money from what Canadians
pay. It is still more than what we pay for most things at home! And there is a 15% sales tax ... even postage stamps are taxed.
I'm looking forward to seeing a
high school friend, Paul Minot, next weekend. He plays in a band,
and we are planning on going to see them perform.
"I think this is the right way to the oldest cache in Canada."
Canada's first geocache - placed June 2000 (Nova Scotia)
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