Thursday 30 June 2022

Maritimes Trip - Day 8

Time to move on. Brier Island was wonderful but today we travel to Shelburne, an historic Black Loyalist location. The scenery was not what I expected. Once you're away from the water (which was more than half the time) you'd swear you were in northern Ontario.

We passed through Yarmouth also a very historic area. Lots of grand old homes and very sedate fishing village atmosphere outside the city in Yarmouth Bar. It did rain but we got some good sunny breaks at very opportune moments.



I do a tremendous amount of research before any journey because where we stay is very important to the success of the trip. Overnights don't matter much but a few days needs to be in some sort of housekeeping cabin or cottage if possible. I've been fortunate so far and this one is no different. The Boulder Cove Cottages near Shelburne is perfect for our needs,




                              Tomorrow is all our birthdays - HAPPY CANADA DAY to all!  😎

Wednesday 29 June 2022

Maritimes Trip - Day 7

So much to see on this tiny island. As most of you know Karen enjoys walking through cemeteries to learn something about the past generations and communities where we visit. While she is doing that I spend my time photographing - works for both of us.

We were out at the coast guard station, Northern Light, to catch the sunset last night...


Today we took another direction and headed to the Western Light...


There literally is no end to the magnificent seascapes in Nova Scotia...


When we travel we often run into national headlines. In 2017 it was the Air France flight that made an emergency landing in Goose Bay and in 2018 it was the runaway barge/lodge that grounded near Queen Charlotte in Haida Gwaii. Today MSN reported the Tidal Power Platform is now operational and supplying power. We can pretty much see this from our window at the lodge on Brier Island.


Finally a visit to Gull Rock - not particularly well-named as it seems the cormorants have taken over.


We'll be saying a fond farewell to Brier Island in the morning. It has been a short but memorable visit.




Tuesday 28 June 2022

Maritime Trip - Day 6

 It rained heavily all night and all morning. Put a damper on activity but my car finally got a good wash.
The photo is that clean vehicle parked outside our apartment suite. Busy place eh?


We had a wonderful breakfast - bacon and eggs bought at the local grocery/hardware store and home-made hash browns that I made with potatoes brought from home - yes I brought potatoes on our vacation - lucky we didn't fly here. Dinner will be equally awesome. There are definite advantages to having a full kitchen in the suite.

The rain stopped around noon so we took a walk into town a few kilometres away. The morning fog had not yet lifted but it was a nice walk around the harbour.


Mountain avens flourish on the island which is interesting because it's the national flower of Iceland.


                                                                Westport inner harbour

Just outside of town they have done a huge environmental restoration in the Big Meadow Bog. That entailed building a long boardwalk across the bog to solicit involvement and interest from the community and visitors to the island. Good job Westport!







Monday 27 June 2022

Maritimes Trip - Day 5

Today was pretty much just a travel day. It's rather standard that a Whitehead vacation entails things that are not very vacation-like. Today it was getting up at 5:30AM to catch the ferry from Saint John, NB to Digby, NS. It was a very calm 2 hour crossing of the Bay of Fundy then about a two hour drive to Brier Island off the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia. That included two more short ferry rides.

The Brier Island Lodge is under renovation so we were upgraded gratis to an apartment suite - perfect for the way we travel. We're here for 3 nights so this is going to be sweet. Weather cooperated for a little over half the day then it started raining about 4PM. It certainly was nice to leave the 30 degree heat in Saint John to a very pleasing 18 degrees on the island.

Stay with us folks - we're just getting started.

                                                                Karen on the Digby ferry

                                                              the Brier Island Lodge

                                                                    our apartment suite




Sunday 26 June 2022

Maritimes Trip - Day 4

We are staying in the old historic part of Saint John so some nice weather (a little hot for me) and a lot of walking rewarded us with a great day. 


                                                Beautiful historic homes on Germain Street



                                                         Karen enjoys the burial grounds


Old Stone Church




Saturday 25 June 2022

Maritimes Trip - Day 3

Today was a beautiful day for driving which worked out well because it was a longer haul. Far more scenic than the previous 2 days as well. We are now in Saint John, New Brunswick for 2 nights then crossing to Nova Scotia on Monday. 
We are staying in a magnificent historic B&B in the old town part of SJ. The grounds are immaculate and it's full of antiques (other than us) with no TV and no AC. The lack of TV is no problem but no AC is very uncomfortable - it's hot as the bejesus here. At least there is a fan.




Friday 24 June 2022

Maritimes Trip - Day 2

It's St. Jean Baptiste Day so where better to be than Quebec. I was up early (there's a surprise) so managed to catch a very hazy sunrise in Cornwall before we left.


It was a very pretty day and we managed to detour off the highway down to the St. Lawrence north of Montreal. Speaking of Montreal, Highway 30 totally bypasses the city. It's a toll road and Ontario sure could learn a lot from Quebec in this case. The toll for the total distance of nearly 50 km was $3 - about $80 on the 407. The detour we took was to St. Vallier.


We are in Montmagny for the night at probably the nicest Days Inn we have ever stayed in.



A very nice day indeed.


Thursday 23 June 2022

Maritimes Trip - Day 1

 

I have driven well over 100,000 kilometres across Canada and the USA and I cannot say I have found a stretch of road as tedious and with as little to offer as the 401 between Toronto and Cornwall. Save a few rocks near Kingston it is devoid of any stimulus to any of the senses. Maybe it’s just because I’ve done it about 50 times. Who would ever believe they’d be happy to arrive in Cornwall – just because that part of the journey is over?

It's not a great place but it's only one night.

We probably have more stuff than some people take when they move to another country.


A good start nonetheless.