Day 0 - Preparations, Preparations, Preparations

It's not QUITE this bad. But the car is getting crammed as we make final arrangements. 

So we leave on Friday afternoon to start this month long memory making odyssey, and all Theresa and I can think about is how will we get it all in? We (maybe foolishly) elected NOT to use our roof rack or get a roof box, so this week is an extended jenga game in the trunk and every empty space in the Jetta. 

I have JUST finished my marks and report cards, so I will spend the rest of my days this week getting ready for next year. A lot of garbage can pile up over a school year, and it's time to deal with it. 

The good news is I won't have to clean again once we get on the road. We won't be staying anywhere, but how much DO you tip a chamber maid? 

COUNTDOWN ON. 

Day 16 - Saturday July 15 - CBH NP, NS

This Whole Place Looks Like a Postcard

Today was our last full day on Cape Breton, so we endeavoured to do everything we could before we had to leave. Who knew it would be such a long day! 

It started with an early alarm to catch the sunrise. It came up at around 5:30, which is even earlier than Hannah has been 'alarming' us on this trip, so I set my watch. G wanted to come too (he said) so I roused him and we left the tent ad quietly as we could. I turned the heater on whe we left hoping it would be toasty when we returned in a few minutes. It was chilly out so I ended up carrying him across the soccer pitch that separated our tent from the beach and the sunrise. It was beautiful. The colours were enough to make him even speechless and the beach only added to the scene. We weren't alone either, but after a few snaps we retreated to our warming abode. I hoped we would fall back asleep for even 30 mins, but sadly it wasn't to be. 

The colours of the morning at Ingonish Beach, Cape Breton.

Lovelier and lovelier.

Everyone's up - there's no hiding in a tent.

After breakfast we went to the dish pit in hopes of finding Parka again (she went around the campground at 9:00 daily), and as we pulled in, there she was. By by the time we parked the slow-moving mascot had disappeared. As I quickly did the dishes T took the troops to try to find her. I was confident they could, how fast could she move? Unless...and 5 minutes later a park employee emerged from a camp building with a duffle bag. G was beside himself with grief. We promised to come back tomorrow to say goodbye. So much for going out for breakfast tomorrow.

There was a guided hike scheduled for 10:00 called Meandering Middlehead that looked good. At 4 km it was long for G, but the trailhead was very close to us and we thought with positive peer pressure he could get done and I could carry Hannah to (hopefully) give her a nap. We met our guide, Matt, at the trailhead and 12-20 other campers gathered. Before long we set out - G and a young guy from Ottawa (Isaiah) were asked to be the a'special helpers', and success was sure to follow. Our views were amazing and Matt did a great job.

Views for days!

Gord and a sweet vista!

Learning about the peninsula.

Hannah sleeping like a...well...you know.

The wind was strong.

Beautiful colours of Caoe Breton Island.

Wow.

By the end T was carrying G, but we were all happy and ready fir lunch.

That afternoon, with the early rise send the long walk we needed some quiet time, so G and I snoozed while we watched s movie and T and Hannah had a rest down below. By 3:09 we were ready to do SOMEthing, something close. We hadn't looked at the aptly named 'Fresh Water Lake', and we could walk along the beach when we were done.

The approach to 'Fresh Water Lake'.

G contemplating his next move. It was warm (so warm we regretted not bringing Hannah down ready to swim)  but he wasn't sure how wet he wanted to get.

Next we headed back to the beach.

A goodbye to Ingonish beach.

The surf was big that day.

See what I did there?

After a while at the beach I was thinking about food, but G wasn't done, so I decided I would go back to start dinne while the family frolicked. What a great idea, yeah? Sounds like it. Who knew it would possibly change our trip completely. 

It started innocently enough. I was chopping veg and boiling water when I thought it would be ice to listen to music. The phone speaker is weak, so why not roll down the windows and crank the car stereo? Yeah? Much better. Dinner was coming together well and the tunes were great. Before long the family was coming across the field and dinner was almost done. T asked whether elicits were on, but I thought it's just the daytime running lights, aren't these tunes great? Do you see where this is going! 

Then we enjoyed a lovely dinner. The music really did add to the ambiance. We had a great meal with the sounds of the surf mixing well with the music. And then I went to start the car. Click. Oh no. Were a long way from anywhere. We weren't sure what to do, so I walked the 500 m to wash the dishes, cyrsing myself out e while way. When I got back I called CAA. It would take MINIMUM 2 hours to get to us. We decided to enjoy the fire and wait. In an hour we did our best to put the kids to bed, T had to do the bulk of that while G put himself to bed, really. After 2 hours I was desperate. After 3 hours I was flagging down anyone I could find. The park security came over at about 11:45. I explained the situation and he said he'd be back in 10 minutes, he had cables in his truck. 15 minutes later, after thanking them profusely, I was laughing at myself and driving around deserted Cape Bretoners roads charging the battery. A lesson learned and a crisis averted. 

Ingot to bed around 12:30 and went to sleep quickly. We had a long drive down to Halifax and Dartmouth tomorrow so with the trouble in our rear view I decided to focus on good things to come. Thanks for everything Parks Canada, thanks for nothing CAA!

Our saviour had these in his truck. 

Day 15 - Friday July 14 - CBH NP, NS

Amazing Views

So today we followed the advice of a good friend and headed North to Sugarloaf beach, or more accurately named, John Cabot Provincial Park. We'd been told that the beach was long, lonely and lovely. What more do you need to hear? So after a hardy breakfast of oatmeal and fruit we packed up the car and drove to the Northern tip of the Island (at least the northern tip of the Cabot Trail). 

You can't see it, but that's the beach - right out the front of our tent!

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention a big part of our morning - Parka. The National Parks are great - they're beautiful, inexpensive and uniquely Canadian. They're also a business, and like any business, they need to attract customers. One of the ways they attract (younger) customers, is with their cute and fuzzy mascot - Parka, who has a very strong presence at Ingonish Beach campground! Gord met her. Gord courted her with colouring books and stickers. Gord fell in love. More on this later. 

Gord and Parka, a match made in the Cape Breton highlands. 

So anyway, we hit the road. The hills were steep and the switchbacks tight, but nothing too surprising as we'd been driving these roads for the better part of a day already. After a few hours we found the spot, and we were not disappointed. It was a perfect beach day - hot, sunny and a weekday, so it was basically empty. After scaring away an amorous younger couple merely with our domestic presence G and I staked out a good spot for our blanket and called Mom and Hannah down.

Gord fell in love with the surf.

Like, really fell in love.

There are few better feelings, in my modest opinion, than moments like these.

Beach in front of them, mountains behind, what more do you want?

Beach baby 2!

We spent the day at the beach. Nothing more than that. We munched on snacks. We swam when we got hot. Gord (and one of his parents, at various times) made 'traps' on the beach for the 'bad bugs'. We chatted with people who came by and were also struck with the beauty of the place and our little family. We enjoyed the day. When it was time for dinner we packed up and headed for Pleasant Bay.

My family (typically) not appreciating the very interesting history of the place. According to the plaques John Cabot 'discovered' North America when he landed his ship here long ago. Never mind the people who had been living there for hundreds (if not thousands) of years.

The road to Pleasant Bay - pics just don't do the white knuckling justice. 

Theresa had gotten wind of a restaurant on Cape Breton said to be the best of them all. The food was fresh and local, the preparation perfect, and since we were already half way there why not go the extra mile and see what all the fuss was about. 

By the time we got to The Rusty Anchor in Pleasant Bay we were famished and tired, but that didn't stop us. We found a table, inside as per G's request, and tucked in. The service was ok if gruff. T got the famed Cape Breton scallops, and I elected to again break my meat fast and had a lobster roll. G had a side of fries and another side of apple slices. I think he was the most pleased. It was all good, but when you hear stories and build up an idea in your head it's hard to match those lofty expectations. The lobster roll was good, but not life altering. The scallops were overcooked and a little rubbery. We still found room for a slice of cheese cake and lemon meringue pie, but we left thinking some of the appeal must lay in the scenery. The view is beyond compare, even if the flavours are not far beyond pedestrian

. 

The welcoming sign of the Rusty Anchor - the best food in Cape Breton, we were told. It certainly was fresh!

Gord on the rusty anchor - what a treat. 

After dinner we headed home. Hannah had had enough of the dayy and cried most of the way, which made the white knuckle cliffs all the more stressful but we made it home safely and hit the hay. G and I had a short fire, and sleep again came easy.

Tomorrow we hoped to again see Parka and to take a guided hike. Good stuff.

Remarkable Scenery - Those People Stole Our Shoes!

Day 14 - Thurs July 13 - Cape Breton Highlands NP, NS

Stunning Cape Breton

So today we began our exploration of our fourth province, and it's the one Theresa and I know the best, even though we don't know it that well - Nova Scotia. T and I took our first trip together to Halifax, and a very dear friend of ours still lives there, but before we could reconnect with yesterday we needed to forge new ground as the Berry-Davies', and so we headed North to Cape Breton. We'd been warned that the terrain was stunning, the people beyond compare and the experience worth the Trekker but as we left Port Hawkesbury with clean clothes and a full tank we just thought it was narrow and steep. The 'highlands' don't really encapsulate what it is to drive through some of the oldest mountains on the planet, but it didn't take long to leave us without speech - the views were just that impressive. We had experienced the drive from Vancouver to Tofino, and it shares the ocean/mountain combination, but it's a little more unexpected here (out west you expect to see mountains once you get 50 k west of Calgary, here not so much). But we just set our sights on Ingonish beach, the first Natioanl Park campground past Baddeck on the Astern shore of Cape Breton Island.

Such a friendly people, Cape Bretoners! 

 

About 2 hours out of Port Hawkesbury the terrain started to get steep and before we knew it we were in the highlands. The vistas were heart stopping and jaw dropping, and we quickly learned how fortunate we were. Just to be here. It is truly a special place.

After a few (hundred) more turns (it's not a boring place to drive, I was constantly imagining a Cape Breton rally race) we found our home for the next three days - Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

The oTENTik was as expected and we made camp quicker than the last time. We were fortunate to get one of the two sites located within sight of the beach and while we couldn't get in immediately (the key was misplaced, a common theme for this leg) we went straight to Ingonish Beach and the crashing surf kept us interested for the rest of the afternoon without breaking a sweat!

The best part about camping at Ingonish Beach in Cape Breton Highlands National Park - Ingonish Beach!

This was Gird's first real apexperience with a real surf beach and it didn't take him long to learn the value of this unique and special place. The sound was all-encompassing, the force was without questions and his enthusiasm for it all was immediate and contagious. He immediately cr at we a game that involved him taunting the ocean. Challenging its strength, it's power, and ultimately spent th next two hours chasing th surf, screaming at the waves (luckily his voice was drowned by the surf), and throwing various things in. It was everything T could do to pull him away when time come to make dinner, but a relationship was forged. Ingonish Beach was a place to be and G would not be the same afterwards.

She doesn't look thrilled, but Hannah did enjoy the surf and watching her brother frolic.

The waves hit hard! Big undertow, better for taunting the ocean than swimming, according to Gordon.

Eventually we settled down to a simple camping meal pleased with our new (if temporary) home and basic flavours never tasted so good. Our setup was the same as at Fundy, with G and I taking the to bunk while T and Hannah womaned the bottom bunks - it worked before, it would work again. As T put Hannah to sleep to the sound of crashing waves Gordon and I enjoyed yet another fire, this time with a cute beaver fire pit. We were surely finding our groove now and afte stories and popcorn we easily found sleep - the crashing surf a natural sound machine for us all. Tomorrow we'd head back to ththe beach, but sleep took us quickly. 

We were well acquainted with the OTENTiks by now - pretty comfy. 

No glow sticks this time, but G enjoyed popcorn, scary stories and the sound of the ocean before we headed in to bed. Thanks Cape Breton - one day here, one day of joy.

And some cool beaver emblazoned fire pits. We used them well, in spite of the cold!

Day 13 - Wednesday July 12 - Port Hawkesbury, NS

Our First Ferry - Hello Nova Scotia

We thought we had to burn time until 1:00 today. We thought our ferry, booked for 11:15, was postponed until after lunch due to maintenance. So...we headed out of the cottage in Georgetown at about 9:30, right around when Hannah usually goes to sleep, and decided to tour the Eastern shore. Our time at Panmure the da pay before had acquainted us with the roads to some extent, but we still wanted to get to the ferry terminal vicinity so we could then decide what to do in the timer between. We drove across an island we had come to enjoy with little to worry bout as we had plenty of time, or so we thought.

Driving. We see this a lot.

We got to Wood Islands PEI at about 11:00 and had two sleeping kids in the back, so we decided to slide over to the small provincial park right next to the ferry terminal. It was full of retirees painting! Small hatchbacks, pulled to the side of the narrow lane, with an  haired man or woman standing at an easel, busily pushing paint around a canvas or board. It was T who noticed cars going on the ferry. On my was convinced it was just Nova Scotians disembarking - I mean I had spoken to a NFL (Northumberland Ferries Limited) employee yesterday after hearing about the problems they were having with one of the ferries. They had cancelled the 11:15 am crossing. The one I had booked in March. The lovely customer service worker had switched my crossing to the 1:00 pm because she old me it could take "some time" to get the other ferry running again. We decided that the profincial park wouldn't keep the kids untested anyway, so we made our way to the ferry to get in line. They had a cafeteria we could enjoy if they got grumpy. 

Wood Islands Provincial Park - picturesque, but not fun for kids. 

So we were surprised when the ticket lady asked if we wanted standby for the 11:15! "It's running?" I inquired. "Yup, fixed this morning." She told me. We were the second last car on the ferry, and had 2+ hours added to our day in Port Hawkesbury. 

This ferry sure looks like it's functional.

The first 'city' once you cross over to Cape Breton Island, and our destination tonight. We enjoyed the ride and disembarked with lots of extra time. Hopefully the Maritime Inn in Port Hawkesbury would let us in a bit early. 

Fortunately, they did. We unpacked, stowed perishables in the fridge, and T took the kids to the pool while I headed to the nearest laundromat to provide us with a fresh set of changes before we got to our next camping experience at Cape Breton Highlands National Park, tomorrow. 

Where would you rather be? 

Here? Or...

Here?

Another lovely day of laundry, but there isn't much else to do in Port Hawkesbury and we needed to look our best before plunging into Cape Breton!

Fortunately our luxurious hotel also had the nicest restaurant in Port Hawksbury, The Miller's, so once our clothes were cleaned and the troops were dried we headed down for some civilized fare. It was fine, if expensive, and as a bonus, G got to pick out some treasure as part of his kids meal. This kid was making out like a bandit so far! 

Living it up at The Millers, the best restaurant in Port Hawkesbury.

Cleaned, laundered, and fed we headed to sleep in some plush beds, preparing for a plunge into Cape Breton tomorrow. We were headed for the beech, and more Otentiks, so we enjoyed the luxury of the Maritime Inn as much as we could. Gord had a great bath, and we watched some Moana, and then hit the hay. Bring on the highlands!

Day 12 - Tuesday July 11 - Georgetown, PEI

Charming Downtown Charlottetown

Today was our only full day on PEI so we wanted to make the most of it. And we did!

After a simple breakfast we packed up and headed about a half hour East to the beautiful white sands beach of Panmure Island provincial park. The beach I s a short, narrow strip, maybe 3-5 km long and about 500m wide connecting Panmure Island to the mainland. Unlike most PEI beaches that sport reddish sand, Panmure is pretty white, and while the sun Threatened on-and-off all day the wind was low enough and the temp high enough to make it a pleasant dip. Gord discovered the fun of a surf at this beach, and spent much time digging 'traps' and searching for 'treasures'.

When we arrived at about 10:00 it was virtually empty, but when we decided to head out,Marius 4 hours later, it was quite packed. We used the bathroom at the beachside grill, each got ice creams, and headed for the car. A perfect summer day already.

A lovely walk from the small parking lot at Panmure Provincial park - a white sand gem on the Island's East coast.

Beach baby!

Making an epic sand castle! And G found a large collection of 'treasures' from which he picked two to take home - ask him, I'm sure he'll show you!

From Panmure we headed to Charlottetown. We wanted a nice meal and thought we might have time to enjoy a city park first (the playground at the cottage was barely fitting for the title -  a single swing and splintery slide), so we headed for the familiarly named Victoria Park in downtown Charlottetown. It was supposed to be Oceanside and with a large playground and splash pad. 

We nailed it! The kids grabbed a few extra minutes of nap and we headed for the Oceanside playground. There were four different structures and a good stiff breeze to keep the heat stroke and bugs at bay. Gord met friends and invented some great games while we let Hannah drift in and out of sleep and T was able to nurse her. The place was busy, but big enough to keep from being crowded! 

This place was delightful. That fish was 'fish island' and the slide felt 30 feet tall at the top!

 The Oceanside splash pad at Charlottetown's version of Victoria Park did a fine job of cooling off the man before we cleaned up and headed to downtown for a classy dinner.

We settled on Merchantman Fresh Seafood and Oyster House because it was supposed to have great ambiance, a family friendly vibe and sustainable seafood options! Theresa had her first plate of mussels ever (a big success), the kitchen angels indulged Gord with s feast of plain white rice and cucumbers, the local beers flowed my and I broke my meat fast. Yup, I decided to break with tradition and indulge in the local crab legs. It's an odd feeling, and perhaps a poorly thought out plant for a vegetarian, having to tear apart the carcass of my dinner, but I pushed through and enjoyed the drawn butter and sweet meat. It wasn't life altering, and I'm not reconsidering my life choices or day-to-day, but it was good. More importantly the experience was terrific and we would recommend the Merchantman to anyone. 

Enjoying a wonderful meal at the Merhantman in downtown Charlottetown. Terrific food, atmosphere and service.

Veggie shame.

After dinner we decided to walk off our indulgences by heading to down to the wharf. We enjoyed to scenery and the people watching, and maybe even enjoyed a Cows ice cream for the bargain. All in all it was a full meal on Charlottetown's streets. 

Gord and a Stork. What else can we say?

The sign was familiar. But it was all meat!?

On the drive home the kids fell soundly asleep and the hills streamed by. It was no problem since we were having to fire tonight, having been scared off by the skitters the night before. Tomorrow we were leaving PEI for Nova Scotia, our ferry for 1:00 was booked. But it didn't bother us to leave, we were able to fit in a perfect PEI day! Fun, food, salty sea...just perfect. Bring on Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island!