Bald Eagle at the border crossing and driving all the way home July 16 to July 19t

Our morning walk brought us out onto an incredible sandy beach. It was low tide and the waves (only 10 inches high) were dancing along the shore reminding us of the Belagio water fountains in Vegas. Now we knew why this campground was so popular - the beach was gorgeous. We packed up the camper, mom prepared her suitcase and we headed back to the USA. As we drove south towards the St Stephen and the border, the environment became more urban and quite heavily populated. It looks like there would be quite a lot to do and explore in the area. As we drove over the Calais river bridge at the border crossing a bald eagle soared over us while flying along the river course. It was a beautiful sight. This trip has given us many sighting of these wonderful birds and it felt good to be "saluted" by one just as we left. Goodbye Canada. One day we will return to these Atlantic provinces. We headed down to Boston, had our last seafood dinner along the way and dropped mom at a Marriott near the airport. She would fly out the next morning. We navigated the underground roads out of Boston - not knowing if it was legal for us to be driving through with a camper en tow. Rich was in the mood to continue driving so we headed out on I90. Toll roads ensured that the return trip was a lot less harrowing with fewer potholes. Our first night was at a small, noisy truck stop alongside the Erie canal near Utica, NY. Our next day of driving was cut short by a late afternoon downpour. We pulled over east of Chicago at a large, quiet parking area to wait out the storm. After a good sleep and dinner in the camper, we got back on the road at 2am. We drove through to Nebraska by lunch time and checked into a state park on the Platte River. After two nights on the road this was heaven. After a restful night we got on the road early and were home by lunchtime. We almost finished our second audio book - A dog's purpose. We were both crying as we drove past Denver towards Golden - It was an emotional part in the book. Rich really should be a trucker - he loves to drive - especially our comfortable, large RAM truck. Another epic trip completed. Sorry that the boys were not with us. Super that mom did get to come with us. The Bay of Fundy and all that is associated with it is something one should try to experience. Nova Scotia is beautiful and worth returning to. Overall a great big WOW. Thanks Rich and Mom for a wonderful trip and great memories. You were great travelling companions. I am lucky to be loved and accepted by such great people.

Ferry across the Bay of Fundy July 15

Our last day in Nova Scotia was relaxed. Rich searched around for a good fishing spot. He tried the cove, a small port and finally we returned to Petite passage. We watched the ferry coming and going, the fog moving through the passage and listened to the strong flow of water. While at the cove we watched how the ravens interfere with the bald eagles as they try to fish. It was only when we saw the raven flying alongside the eagle did we realize just how large the eagle is. We caught the late afternoon ferry at Digby, headed for St John. An expensive way to return to New Brunswick, but quite memorable. We were enveloped by fog some of the way and we astounded at how disorienting it can be. We sailed through fog, rain and wind. By the time we got to St John the skies were clear. It was fun driving off the ferry through the front of the boat. Our overnight stop was at New River Provincial Park. It was really full, with some seasonal campers, but pleasantly peaceful. After a wonderful dinner at a restaurant run by a Greek couple we snuggled down for our last night in Canada.

Humpback Whales July 14

The reason we were all the way down Digby neck is because we wanted to go whale watching. Our campground host recommended an outfit on Brier island. Catching two ferries to get there was an adventure within itself. Since Digby neck, Long island and Brier island create a long finger down the side of the Bay of Fundy, a lot of water gets caught in the narrow bay behind the finger when the tide comes in. This water then spills into Fundy bay through two narrow passages between the islands. The reverse happens for low tide. These passages are the same places across which the ferries operate. On our way down to Brier island the tide was flowing gently out and we noticed the strong currents during our crossing. Later that day on our return trip the tide was coming in but we must have caught it at peak force. The ferry was facing one direction, but moving in another away from the wharf. We were parked right up front and it was really scary to watch the swirling water racing past us. I had visions of being swept out into the bay. As the engines revved up, the ferry shuddered and slowly got the better of the current. I found myself exhaling as I realized we were not doomed to a night at the mercy of the currents. Brier island is the place to go if you want to see whales. We headed out into the bay and swirling fog. We were soon out in the open water and next thing we knew we had "run" into three humpback whales. These, normally solitary animals, were hanging out together and gave us a wonderful show. The water was clear enough to see the white of their pectoral fins as they neared the surface. It was quite amazing that the rest of this huge animal was almost invisible until it broke the surface of the water. We did not get close to any more whales but did see fountains of spray from others in the distance. They are everywhere! We explored the island (had to wait patiently for a tortoise to cross a road) until we found the local seal colony sunning themselves on exposed tidal rocks. They made a lot of noise and I wonder how any of them get a decent rest. We had a nice bike ride to and from their cove. When basalt cools it forms 5-7 sided columns of hardened rock. These columns weather to form pillars. Think of the Giant's Causeway in Ireland. Wherever we looked along the coast we could see evidence of these pillars. We convinced mom to take a mile hike to a remote spot on Long Island to see a pillar defying gravity while perched precariously on the shoreline. Not only did she have to walk to the viewing spot, but she also had to climb down and up 250 stairs. It was worth the sight.

North and West to the basalt of Digby July 13

We started the day with maintenance. LP gas from CostCo, and oil change and tire rotation at WalMart. We have travelled 4200 miles so far. Contrary to my plans to explore the southern coast of Nova Scotia, we headed north west out of Halifax, towards Digby. (The thought of exploring the area along the small, bumpy roads while towing the camper was more than any of us could bear.) I was excited to be returning to the Bay of Funday and the prospect of seeing whales. The fertile Annapolis Valley is sandwiched between a huge spine of coastal basalt and the interior highlands. It was an easy drive along the new dual carriageway. The port of Digby is full of fishing boats and we had a lovely lunch overlooking the water. I indulged in yet another seafood platter. We had been debating whether we should return to St John via ferry - sailing straight across the Bay of Fundy, or drive the seven long bumpy hours north and west around the Bay. We visited the ferry building to have our rig measured - 52ft long, calculate the cost - C$450 and look at the ramp - would we get stuck getting on the ferry? With all this in consideration we booked our ticket for the Wednesday afternoon. (This being Monday) It felt good to commit and quit the debate. We then headed south along Digby neck. A narrow finger of land paralleling the coast but surrounded by water. The 45 minute drive took us to the far end of the "neck" and our campground was perched on the top of the ridge, giving us a view across both the Bay of Fundy and St Mary's Bay. We settled in and then took a walk down to a rather neglected Whale Cove to watch the sunset. I looked for whales but did not spot any.

Halifax and Peggy's Cove July 12

After a slow start to the morning and a leisurely walk around the campground we drove south along the coast towards Halifax. For the past weeks we have been investigating all sorts of beaches and rocky shores and we really have not seen any large waves. I had read about Lawrencetown and its good surfing so I was curious to see what it offered. We found lovely long sand dunes, a brisk breeze, a fairly steep beach, and some waves. There were surfers out trying to make the most of the conditions but they were not going to break any records there. I did make a wonderful discovery there - a cycle path that extends all the way to Halifax. Many cyclists were using it and a chap I spoke to kindly gave me his Halifax cycle map. Halifax and its neighboring Dartmouth are large urban centers. The harbor is well protected and it is a busy port. Our first stop was at Point Pleasant Park. We discovered that Hurricane Juan flattened most of the seaward facing trees in 2003. Much has regrown since then but the trees are short. Ones sees the occasional tall old growth tree towing over the new growth. Juan made landfall right over Halifax. I did not know that hurricanes could get this far north before coming ashore. An artist cleverly carved two harbor seals out of the base of a trunk still standing in the park. We walked past the ruins of a couple of batteries. A group called Shakespeare by the sea were preparing for an afternoon performance of "Sleeping Beauty". Once down on the waters edge we strolled towards the dock yards and a parking lot where we could return to collect mom. We drove around the docks and were greeted by Old Halifax and a boardwalk along the old port. Mom was hankering for a Starbucks - easy to find in Halifax, then we dropped her off at the Maritime museum while Rich and I explored the lovely boardwalk. We saw some large private boats - Mike's dream, a Thomas the Tank "Captain" boat, a drunk lamp post and his concerned friend, and many stores. The waterfront market was closing (5pm) by the time we got there. While in the museum mom had seen the Titanic exhibit, so we decided to visit the graves of some of the victims buried in the Fairview Cemetery. Being so far north means the the summer evenings are long. We decided that we still had time to to drive south to explore Peggys Cove. Once we were back on the coastal road the scenery was gorgeous. Peggys cove is spectacular. A very small sheltered harbor surrounded by great expanses of exposed granite. One can see the striations in the rock from glacial movement. A large, intricately carved granite wall greets one at the visitors center. We finally saw some good surf, but were nearly blown away while admiring the iconic lighthouse. It was great to see the rough Atlantic water, and equally amazing to see how calm it was in the cove tucked away behind the granite protection. I mailed a postcard to South Africa so that we could get a postmark from the cove. We were hungry but did not want to eat in the cafeteria style restaurant at the cove. One of the locals recommended West Dover - just north of Peggys cove. Our restaurant was perched along the water. The food was great and the atmosphere relaxed. We were amused by a grandfather and two young grandsons paddling around in a row boat. The boys wanted to do all the paddling, granddad was quite happy to sit back and watch, so as a result they did not get very far except for going around in circles. We returned to the campground as it got dark. All the weekend campers had gone home so it was gloriously peaceful. We even heard the call of coyotes.

Farewell to Cape Breton, Hello Eastern shore Nova Scotia July 11

We started the day with another paddle on the water. A bit more windy but still a great way to start a day. We were packed and on the road by 11am. Just near Whycocomagh is a house with cartoon characters all over the front lawn. A bizarre sight for sure. We made a bee line for the Canso causeway then south on highway 7 to the eastern shore of Nova Scotia. I am intrigued by the quarry operations alongside the causeway. All the material is excavated behind the mountain, lifted up and over the top by a conveyor belt and then left to drop down the cliff face to the shore and waiting boats. We passed many inland lakes - with boats and cottages dotted along the shore. Once the road hit the coast we hugged the shore and gazed at the wonderful coastal scenery. The granite boulders and shoreline are beautiful. This drive was quiet (few tourists) but very bumpy. Sometimes the islands or view across a small inlet was shrouded in mist , other times it was clear. As we drove south, the houses became more numerous and villages got larger. Our campground is only 20 miles from Halifax. There are only 9 water and electric sites. The sites were rather open but we could sit outside the camper enjoying the view of the bay. It was really peaceful and there were few insects. The other 80 sites were more tent orientated, in among the trees and more private. The only problem was that the campers did not respect the six person per site limit and there was a lot of overcrowding, noise and drinking. We heard music and partying into the wee hours, and were thankful that we were not too close to it all. At least tomorrow is Sunday and most will go home and leave us in peace. It is sad that people here do not respect their provincial parks and make it rather unpleasant for those of us who want to enjoy the tranquility of nature. We have a new appreciation of the wonderful state parks in the western USA.

Out on Bras d'Or and Bell museum July 10

Our campground is located on a vast inlet Bras d'Or. It is salt water although it has the look of a fresh water lake. We decided to get our kayak wet and go for an early morning paddle. We settled Rocky into the front, and headed out to an island. There was no wind so the water was like glass. We saw many jelly fish floating past and mom even saw an octopus while hanging out on shore. (She was not sure we would make it back alive, so she watched us from the truck. Book in hand of course.) The water was clear as we approached the island and the shallows were lively with aquatic life. We even saw an eel. By the time we were ready to return to mom, a wind had come up so our homeward journey was a bit more challenging. A perfect way to start a Friday. We had a late breakfast, tried servicing both bikes, cleaned the boat, checked email, then decided to head for the Alexander Bell museum in Baddeck. On the road to Baddeck, we stopped off at the spring to fill our water cube. We will have tastey water to drink for the next few days. We only got there at 4pm - bad move on our side because there was so much to learn in one short hour. Bell was a dabbler and experimented with many inventions. He spent has later years in Baddeck testing hydrofoils and torpedoes in Bras d'Or. A biography on him would be good to read. We left the museum with a changed perspective on the view of the lake. Now we stood there imagining what it must have been like for Bell while living and working so closely with the water. An added mystique was the sound of bag pipe melody from someone playing at the waters edge. We wandered into town hoping to find a bakery but everything was closing up. The only place to shop was the local co-op. Locally owned and locally run. Many of the communities we have passed through rely on the collective power of community owned stores. Before we left town we investigated a diner for the potential of lobster meals. It was too expensive so we turned to leave but noticed a chap around the back of the restaurant plank cooking salmon. We went over to chat. The salmon was tied to the plank with snare wire, basted in a magical maple, brown sugar lemon juice, butter, and pepper sauce, and propped along side the fire and left to sizzle for more than an hour. Now that looked like a good meal. I am sure Rich will be trying it at home sometime. On our way home Rich made friends with the local paramedics - comparing protocols and training, and investigated their rig. We landed up going home for some mediocre takeout chowder and Richard's perfectly grilled steaks. (Nothing beats the chowder we had at Advocate Bay:)

Cabot Trail - 160 miles of jaw dropping scenery July 9

Today eclipsed all other days to date. The Cabot Trail wowed us from start to finish. The only thing we missed seeing was a whale or two. We even saw moose. This drive should be on your bucket list. Vast inlets, more short ferries, driving up and over headlands, high up lookouts, granite coastlines, beaches, huge block faulted wide valleys, highlands, fens, insectivorous pitcher plants, wild orchids, snakes, cotton grass, bald eagles, whale museum, whale watching boats, lobster boats, kayaks, Atlantic ocean, St Lawrence Bay, fresh water lakes and bumpy roads of course. There are many artisans and artists along the trail. Glass blowers, leather workers, even hookers - the ones that make hooked rugs. In PEI and here we have seen many ladies walking along the highway. It seems like they walk along the wide shoulder to get their daily exercise. Seems rather risky to us. We also discovered a spring along the road near our campground. We filled a water bottle with water with the intention of trying it. We already knew it tasted great, but wanted to know if our digestive system could handle the water. If we are OK overnight we will be back for more. We will return to Baddeck tomorrow, to visit the Alexander Bell museum and explore a quaint looking town. Rich and mom hope to find a nice coffee shop and a bakery.