September 1, 2016

 

Halifax Harbor

Arrived in Halifax Thurs 8/25, but did stop just before the “Longest Bridge in the World” or so they claim,

Longest Bridge in The World

8 miles long from PEI/ Borden-Carleton  to New Brunswick, and spent the night in a little Yogi Bear Jelly Stone Park .  Lots of families camping and having fun.  Met a nice couple next to us from Daytona  Beach Shores, Fl, so lots to talk about.  Friday, a rainy day, so decided to do a road trip into Halifax and check out some tours.  Found the Grey Line booking agent and booked a 2-1/2 h tour for tomorrow. Staying  at a nice campground just outside of town.  We walked the harbor boardwalk and did a self- guided car tour of the downtown.  Vibrant area and lots of construction going on. 

Halifax Port

Over 29 cranes in construction mode downtown.  Driving is challenging but did ok.

Arrived at Grey Line at 8:30am for the 9am tour.  Beautiful day.   Jim, the driver / tour guide, dressed in a “kilt”. 

Tour Guide "Jim"

Wow!  Tons of history!  More than I can share here.  Most memorable is the sinking and recovery efforts of the Titanic.  Halifax served as the “rescue” port.  Visited the

Titanic Souls

cemetery of some 150 souls who did not make it, but were numbered in sequence of recovery, some still un-named.  Also a world renowned “ port of entry”  to North America.   A full 2-1/2 hour tour.  Great guide!

After tour, lunch downtown, then off to “Peggy’s Cove”.  This is a must see tourist site and is very popular.  Unfortunately, it was a Saturday, so very crowded. 

Peggy's Cove

A beautiful cove carved out of granite rock.  Spectacular views of the ocean.  A fishing village with lots of history.  Back to the RV in preparation for our final departure from the Maritime.  We will catch the Digby, NS ferry to Saint John , NB ,  and then plan to drive to Bangor, Maine.   Will be a full day.

 

"Special" RV Friends

Up at 6:ooam to

Digby Ferry

depart for Digby ferry leaving at 11:OOAM, but a 2-1/2 hr drive to get there.  They want you there 1 hour before.  Beautiful morning and highway wide open.  Lovely drive across Nova Scotia.  Saved us a full day drive by taking the ferry, but expensive.  Ferry nice, flat seas, arrived in St. John on time.  Then drove to Bangor, Maine.  Customs no problem, but they did enter the coach for a brief search.  Decided to head for home.  Initially, had plans to tour the east coast, but ran out of time, so will do next summer.  Labor day weekend approaching, so released all the tourist destinations would be crowed, so decided to head for home.  Over night in a Walmart in Bangor.  Lots of RVs.  Met some really special friends here.  (see pic)

Made the mistake of taking highway 95 from Maine to North Carolina.  Could have walked on the hoods of cars all the way! 

I-95 Traffic Jam

Besides paying huge tolls ie; one day over $100, the highway was full of pot holes and bumper to bumper traffic, especially through New York City and Washington DC.   Blew a tire on the RV,  Milford Connecticut, outside rear dully, so lost two hours at a tire shop.  Besides pot holes, tolls, and bumper to bumper traffic, the eastern drivers are “rude and dangerous”.  So much for hwy 95, never again.  We did get a lovely view of the New York City sky line while

NY Skyline

sitting in traffic.  What a change from driving in Newfoundland.

The trip has been wonderful, so ignore my comments on our east coast experience.  We are on our last leg and should be home by Friday, 9/2, beating the Labor Day crowd by an inch.  Great having you along the way.   Wonderful trip, but always nice to be home!

August 24, 2016

 

Wed the 17^th ,  a ferry travel day.  Uneventful day, weather bad, rain, high seas, 4-5 feet.   Seven hours  by  the time we were unloaded.  Got to RV by 7:30pm, set up in site by 8:00pm.  We will stay here a 2^nd night to get caught up.  Arm of Gold Campground, North Sydney.   Then on to Prince Edward Island.

First in line

Pictou Harbor

Learning curve relative to getting on PEI. Stayed at Pictou to learn.  Landing site of the “New Scottish Settlers”.  Two options, (1) take ferry, (2) drive 120 miles to world’s longest bridge – 8 miles long.  You pay only to get off the Island, free to go on.  We opted for the ferry, but learned they are only running one, the second in dry dock.  So lines get very long.  RV’s get lowest priority.  Talked to attendant and they suggested coming the night before, after 10pm, get in line and sleep in RV.  Well, we have to sleep anyway, so we did.  Packed up 11pm and arrived first in line.  No problem, quiet night.  Made the 8am ferry with no problem.  Ferry not as “lush” as the one between Newfoundland, but more then adequate.  75 min ride to the island.

PEI is the smallest Canadian Provence, but probably the most tourist attracted. It is also the birth place of Canada, the founding fathers Confederation. Three distinct areas, Eastern Coastal Drive, Central Coastal Drive, and the North Cape Coastal Drive.  

PEI Country side

 We landed in the East, Wood Island Terminal. Soil here is very red, and they are known worldwide for their potatoes.  We immediately drove to Charlottetown, the Central and the capital of PEI.  A beautiful city with a combination of old and new.  We walked the downtown area and the harbor boardwalk.  Market day downtown, so lots of activity.  Lunch time, so inquired about a local favorite.  Went to “Brickhouse”,

Brickhouse Burger

winner of the city’s annual burger cook off contest.  Well, we couldn’t resist.  Please do not share this with my cardiologists.  (see pic)  It was Awesome!  We shared.  Back to RV for a three day stay to explore the island.  Lots to do!

Blue Mussel Cafe

A fun day touring the north part of the central coast.  Went to a lovely community, North Rustico Harbour.  Had lunch at a seaside café,  Blue Mussel Café.  Shari had a lobster roll and Bob a fresh cut pan fried Halibut. 

Halibut

Both wonderful.  On the way,  stopped at a local Price Edward Island Preserve Company.  Lots of samples of preserves, and a beautiful Garden of Hope along the water.  Finished the day with the famous “Anne of Green Gables”, the Anne &  Gilbert Musical at The Guild.  Yes, Bob got “cultured”.  It was a great fun evening.

Sand Dunes Brackley Beach

Tuesday we went to a Provincial Park, Brackley  Beach Point.  Very large park, biking, hiking, swimming, and camping.  Very nice resort in park, high rent, $800/night Dalvay Resort.  

PEI High Rent Resort

Then we had dinner with a PEI Couple that invited us to their home.  Shari met her at a truck stop and they connected and exchanged cards, so we contacted them when we got here.  Wonderful  people.  They winter in Florida, so hopefully we can reciprocate.  They run a trucking business in PEI, haul for Molson Beers.  Next we head for Nova Scotia again, Halifax this time.

August 17, 2016

 

Prepared for our ferry ride to Newfoundland, arriving at 9:45am at the ferry dock in North Sydney, Nova Scotia.   Greeted nicely, but the lines move slow.  Ferry did leave on time at 11:45am.  Very nice ferry, very much like a “mini cruise ship”,

Ferry "mini Cruise Ship Atmosphere"

 

four decks for vehicles and cargo, three decks for passengers.   Very comfortable, lounges, bars, restaurant, snack bars, play areas, etc.  We enjoyed playing cribbage, watching dolphins, and observing the scenery.   Arrived at Port aux Basques, Newfoundland at 6:30pm, lost another 30 min in time zone change.  Had reserved lodging at Hotel Port Aux Basques, just minutes from the ferry.  Nice, but expensive.  Everything here is expensive, including a 15% tax on everything.  The US dollar is favorable at a 25% disc, but prices seem to make up the difference.

Newfoundland Shore Line

We found Newfoundland to be a very large island / province.  We had only allowed 7 days, and quickly learned probably three weeks or more necessary to see all.  So we decided to pick the most prevalent sites.  Beautiful, but lots of driving.  Concentrated on the west coast and the world acclaimed national park Gros Morne.   Awesome Views!  Driving,  had to break for a moose crossing the hwy, (sorry no time for picture) very large, would have won over the Ford Fiesta, but braked in time.  Lodged in Rocky Harbour, just outside the park.  Tomorrow a boat cruise on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, will be seeing fjords.

 

Fjord Boat Cruise

A 10:00am boat tour to the Western Brook Pond Fjords. 

45min Trail Walk to Boat Cruise

Was a 45 min walk to the boat through a very nice maintained walking trail past ponds and marsh lands, bogs and a lot of neat wild flowers.  A windy day, some overcast, cool temp of 62.  Tour guide narrated us into the fjord, explaining the development in terms of “millions of years ago” timeline.  Well, for us mid 70 year olds, what’s a millions years.  Anyway, the scenery was spectacular, lots of waterfalls and a bear sighting.   While still called a fjord, it is actually inland now on fresh water as the path to the ocean is closed from silt, marsh, bogs, etc.  Still the water is some 500’ deep.  And of course, the glacier long gone.  Amazing the power of mother nature.   Tomorrow

Fjord

, hopefully, 

Water Fall

whale watching in St. Anthony.  Once again, we are learning weekends book fast hear, our motel booked full for tomorrow night, so we will move to a cottage in a less dense area.

Early departure north for St. Anthony, 9:00am.  A three and one half hour drive.  Hope to book a whale watching tour.  Long drive along coast line, a rather barren area, small villages, how they survive is beyond us.  Arrived at St. Anthony at 1:00pm, lucky to get on last tour, boat just leaving. 

Whale Watching Boat

Weather overcast, windy and a cool 60 degrees.  Two and ½ hour cruise and whale sightings within the first hour.  No breach, but lots of “blow holes”

Whale Breaks Surface

and a few surface breaks and some tail flaps.   These are Humpbacks migrating to South America. This is Iceberg area as well, but we are well past the season.  They come all the way from Greenland and are some 15,000 years in the making.  Yes, 15,000 years.  Well, our luck was in place.  Still one small iceberg chuck in the area and our captain was on it.  Captain said it was sinking. (for my buddy Mr. Crowe) Maybe he said "shrinking", not sure. Really neat!  Captain circled several times. 

Iceberg Remains

A great experience.  Off the boat by 3:45pm and about a 1-1/2 hour drive to a cottage we reserved for the night.  Rain began, thank goodness not on the boat.  Checked in, Tucker’s Cottages, very nice cottage, new, nicely furnished, very comfortable.  Pizza supper.  May stay another night and hike tomorrow.

 

The cottage was so nice

Cottage

we decided to spend another night.   They had a wonderful hiking trail right across the street, St. Margaret trail going to one of the first settlers in the area.  This road of course is right on the “Viking Trail”, the very first settlers of this area.  Anyway, locals made a boardwalk from the road all the way to the settlement, some 2-1/2 miles one way, through the marsh, bogs, and woods right to the St. Margaret’s Bay in Reef’s  Harbour, on  salt water.  

2-1/2 Mile Boardwalk

We spent 1 hour 15 min walking one way, but enjoyed immensely.   Beautiful scenery, hoping to spot a moose, but no such luck.  Shari spotted a sizeable critter, but we could not identify.  

Remote Lighthouse

Then we opted to find a “Lighthouse” noted in our cottage material.  Very rough road in a very remote area, but found and enjoyed the view.   Wonderful Day!  Cottage has a grill, so cooked steaks in.

 

 

 

 

Left the cottage early AM heading south for our last leg of Newfoundland.  Heading to Corner Brook for a stay at a B & B, a little change for us



 

B & B Corner Brook

.  Nice place run by a single gal representing the owners.  A beautiful travel day, awesome scenery.   Looking back, the seven days of Newfoundland was ample for us, having seen all of the west coast, concluded we probably saw the best and the rest would be more of the same, excepting St. John, the capital, would have been nice, but a long way to drive.  Anyway, exploring Corner Brook, situated on the Humber Arm of the Bay of Islands, off the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Swan

View Corner Brook

 

Corner Brook a very nice community, more active than we’ve seen in others.  Paper mill industry here.  Found a very nice hiking area around a pond and marsh.  Community project.  Swans in the pond.  Spent about 1-1/2 hours here, then drove to a lookout in honor of Captain James Cook, founder and surveyor of Newfoundland, sent by the British.   Morning had a great breakfast with fellow B&B Guests.  Great Visit!  Then off to our port for the ferry back to Nova Scotia.

Arrived at Port aux Basques late afternoon, so booked a room at a local “Housekeeping Suites” called “Shark Cove Suites”. 

Shark Suites

Interesting!  Newfoundlander’s do live an interesting life.  Clean and friendly!  Ferry leaves 11:45am 10/17, arrive two hours early again.  Returning the RV will feel Great!!  Next adventure will be Prince Edward Island.

August 10, 2016

 

Marco Polo

Our last day at Harding Point we decided to tour St. John.  Unlike St. Andrew, St. John is larger and much more industrialized. 

St John Boardwalk

Situated on the Bay of Fundy it is noted in history for the building of tall ships, most notable the” Marco Polo”, considered in its time, the “fastest tall ship” in the world.  Downtown we found a museum full of history and a nice display of tall ship building.  Neat!  There is also a historic town area and a lovely boardwalk on the water with lots of nice dining and shopping in the market square.  Driving in St. John was a bit challenging, lots of water, bridges, hills, do not enters, etc.  So was  tense at times, but of course, with my patience, not a problem at all.

Thursday, August 4 we headed to our next major attraction, Fundy National Park.  We have reservations at a park just past Alma in Hopewell Cape.  This is the 40’ tide area, Hopewell Rocks.  This will be our focus for the next three days, and perhaps Lobster in Alma.

Friday, August 5^th, WOW, what a wonderful day.  Decided to check out the Moncton area and return for the High Tide at Hopewell Rocks.   Learned of something called the “Tidal Bore” up the Petitcodinc River, a branch off the Bay of Fundy.  Seems the tides push up the river creating quite a “wave”. 

Tidal Bore Surfer

So much that the locals surf it.  We were able to catch a full tide and surfer.  Really neat.  Then went to something they call the “Magnetic Hill”. 

Magnetic Hill

This was awesome.  You go down a hill, change lanes, put your car in neutral, and you literally are taken back up the hill in reverse.  Incredible!!   It is kind of like “sinking ice”.  While we all know you can’t go uphill with no power, the “elusion” is very real.  It was a good ¼ mile going backwards, appearing to be going uphill, no power.  And it further proves “ice can sink”.  (for my buddy Mr. Crowe)

 

High Tide Hopewell Rocks

We then headed back to Hopewell Rocks, to catch the highest tide in the world, some forty feet.  Got there just at the right time.  It is pretty awesome to see the entire Bay of Fundy fill with 40’ more of water.  Tomorrow am we will go back for low tide for the incredible comparison.  Back to camp for a chicken dinner.

Low Tide Hopewell Rocks

Saturday am at 9:35 went back to Hopewell Rocks, low tide.  Incredible!!  Hard to believe the amount of water displaced.  Locals call the water the "Chocolate River” because of the brown murky sediments left behind.  Walked the ocean floor.  Then did some local stuff, breakfast, farmers market and finished the day with a Lobster dinner in Alma.  Tomorrow head for Cape Breton.

Campsite Bras de 'or

Cape Breton is the tourist capital of Nova Scotia, kind of like our Door County in Wisconsin.  Lots and lots of water. Our campsite has a beautiful view of “Bras de ‘or” channel.  The Cape is highlighted by the Cabot Trail that circles the peninsula and is 185 miles long, dotted with numerous attractions, hiking, vista views, etc.  A National Park is the center for a lot

Cape Breton Vista View

of attractions.  We spent the better part of a day exploring and only covered about 1/3.  We have changed our itinerary a bit and have decided to take in Newfoundland next.  Leave on Wed the 10^th, and requires a 6 hour ferry ride.  We booked a return for the 17^th, and many folks tell us that it’s not nearly enough time to see all, so we will have to pick and choose.  Decided to leave our motor home on the mainland and motel it for the week.  Locals tell us it is a wonderful experience.   Have met some really nice people in this park.  Ferry leaves at 11:45 and they want us there 2 hrs ahead.

August 3, 2016

Botanical Garden

 

Edmondston Walk

Arriving in Edmondston we are assigned a very nice site right on the Madawaska River.  Decided to stay three nights and explore the area.  First was the visitors center and a walking tour of the downtown.  Enjoyed the library and a wonderful lunch and tour of their botanical garden.  Took a river walk through a local festival event.  Fun nice city.

Leaving Edmondston on Thurs July 28, we head down the St. John River Valley towards Fredericton, Capital of New Brunswick.  Decided to take the “scenic” drive as opposed to the Trans Canada Hwy.  Very beautiful!  Got a really good feel for the local culture and life style.  Numerous tourist sites along the way.  First, the Grand Falls Gorge in Drummond. 

Grand Falls Gorge

Walked to various viewing points watching Zip Liners crossing the enormous gorge.  Next we head south along the scenic valley river drive.  Arriving in Hartland, home of the “Worlds Longest Covered Bridge,

Worlds Longest" Covered" Bridge

at least that is the claim. (1,282 feet, covered in 1922 to prevent snow and ice)  After the bridge, we toured “Covered Bridge Potato Chip Factory”.  Fun self guided tour with free samples.  Workers all wearing shirts “I love my Job”.  Remember the Jonny Carson show where the guest was a “Potato Chip Inspector / sorter”,  bringing several chips of figures, well, we saw the “sorters”.

Leaving Hartland we head to Fredericton on a “very” rural road, hwy 575 and 104.   Wilderness at best and a very rough ride.The scenic route.  Arriving in the city looked very busy with heavy traffic.  Rainstorm so decided a Walmart stay in our best interest.  Tomorrow tour Fredericton.

Back Woods Camping

Well, we then learned New Brunswick is celebrating a National Provincial Holiday this weekend, Fri Thru Monday.  Every Canadian in the world came out to camp.  Every RV park full.  We activated our AT&T phone for Canadian service (now have unlimited phone, text, and e-, fyi), calling every park we could find.  All full!  Low and behold, one just had a cancellation which we jumped on.  Nice park on the ST. John river, but our site way back in the woods.  Full service but no TV.  Booked three nights to cover the full Holiday.  Learning weekends can be very busy in Canadian tourist areas, so future planning will be to stay put on W/E and tour during the week. We had a very nice Chinese dinner

RV Park Chinese Dinner

that they put on in the park to raise money for an additional to their rec hall. $7/ per person. Got to visit with some of the people that were permanents in the park and a couple of guys biking from Ottawa. Had put on 100 miles. Great experience and food was wonderful. All made by the ladies from the park.

Anyway, toured Fredericton downtown walking.  Very historical city, lots of settlement history.  Then went to a “Live Enacted” settlement village near our campground. 

Settlement Village

Kings Landings.  Very real, dressed for the time, situated on 300 acres ,70 buildings, a black smith, cattle, crops, the whole sha-bam!    Tomorrow, St. Andrews and St. George, and the start of the Bay of Fundy.

Campsite River View

Monday Aug 1, arrived at ST. John,  Hardings Point Campground.  Had to take a free ferry ride to get to park.  No problem for rig and tow car.  Campground located on the St. John river right near the mouth to The Bay of Fundy.  Nice park and our site had

Ferry Ride

a beautiful view of the river.  This was still a holiday for the New Brunswick Celebration, so a very busy day.  Kind of like our Memorial Day.  Learning that in these tourist areas we need to book ahead.  So here for three days, then booked near Hopewell Rocks, (40’ tides) for another 3 days.  Tomorrow tour St. John.

We have certainly met a number of wonderful Canadians, exchanging cards and hopefully reconnect again sometime.  Anyway, after some discussion we decided to pass on St. John today and do St. Andrew, about 60 miles east of us.  Our first stop was lunch at a place called Gables,

Gables Dinning

recommended by our new RV friends.  Downtown in ST. Andrews, situated right on the ST. John River, beautiful outside deck seating.  We ordered a Sea Food Platter and fish lunch with a salad and shared.  It was wonderful along with a Bloody Mary and beer.  St. Andrews is very much like our Door County back home.  Very heavy tourist area with lots of colorful shops. 

We then did a walking tour of the downtown, stopping at a historical “sheriffs family homestead”. 

Sheriff's House

Very nice tour finishing with tea, a cookie, and a wonderful trifil  desert.  Enjoyed meeting a very nice Canadian family at the table with their daughter.  Had a fun conversation.  Next was the city wharf extending out the St. John.  Low tide, about 10’ here. 

St Adrews Low Tide (10')

Lovely view of the city from here.  Lots of charter activity for whale watching, fishing, etc.

Then was recommend to go to the aquarium for a very educational presentation and feeding of Seahorses and Seals.  Not the greatest aquarium,  but a very good educational source.  We finished the day with a drive on the ocean floor at low tide to Minister Island. 

Ministers Island Low tide road

Literally, a road to the island at 10’ low tide.  Neat!  Back to the RV around 7pm. Still to full for supper, so visited with our RV neighbors.

Seal Feeding