Jul 2008

Tour bus picked up at the campground and we had a city tour. Saint Johns is on a beautiful protected harbor with only a narrow entrance. The channel and the harbor are deep, now the largest cruise ships visit. It was originally a fishing village with the catch heading to England. Newfoundlanders are very proud of the heritage and independence. They were the last colony to leave England and join Canada. They have chosen to have their own time zone, one half hour off the rest of the maritimes. The city if full of old churches and beautiful houses, once belonging to the sea captains. Around the harbor to the east is Cape Spear. This is the furtherest East point in the North American contintent. The light house is still in service. Across the harbor entrance from Cape Spear is Signal Hill. Named because this is the point where the women would come to see if it was their husband on the inbound ship. There is a three story building with a fantastic viewpoint of the entire area. This is the building where Marconi received the first wireless signal from England, way back in 1901. The Newfoundlanders speak the old England sayings and even have their own dictionary.

After a late arrival into Agentia, we slept in and did not have to leave for St Johns until 1100. The drive was beautiful with many lakes and rolling hills along the way. The rv park in St Johns was huge. There were already 3 other caravans there and several independents. We had a 430 pick up to take us to the bay for whale and bird watching. Today we saw humpback whales, a cow and calf. They came within feet of the boat, almost like they were performing for us. Gull Island is a bird sanctuary with Puffins and several kinds of sea gulls. The guide was very informative as to their habits. The boat took us very close to the shore and great pictures could be taken. After the boat ride we had a typical Newfoundland dinner. It was haddock, special salad and special desert. The food was very good.

UGH, up at 0415 to get ready to roll and catch the ferry from Sydney, NS to Agentia, NFL. Arriving at the dock area we were one of several, over 30 motorhomes, 200 cars and several trucks waiting to board the ferry. The 8 o'clock departure was made at 8:45. The enroute time of 15 hours was made longer because one engine was not running properly. On the ferry we had staterooms, meals and entertainment furnished. Time passed fairly swiftly because of all the things to do, including catching up on our sleep. We arrived in Agentia about 2:30 in the morning and got to our camp ground and set up about 3:30. Long day!

Tour Day. Today we boarded the bus for an all day tour of the Cabot Trail encircling the Cape Breton area. Leaving gthe camp, we headed past Baddeck and then over the penisular to the Margaree Harbour area. Our guide, Paul, was from the area and knew it well. He told us the history of the area and how it started as fishing ports to export fish to Europe. Along the west side, the Gulf of St Lawrence was visible as it lapped up on the rugged shores. We made several stops along the way for specific sites, not the least of which was ice cream. Ice cream in Nova Scotia is perhaps the best in the world, with the rich creamy taste. Upon entering the National Park, we were able to see Moose, Bald Eagles and whales in the Strait. We crossed back over to the East side and then saw the Atlantic Ocean in full spendor. At the town of Ignonish, we visited the Keltic Lodge and the college where the language and history of the founders of the area are taught. It was a long day, 185 miles, 10+ hours driving, but it was well worth it.

Travel day from Sherbrooke, NS to Bras D'Ors, NS with a stop in BADDECK. This was the home of Alexander Grapham Bell. There is a hands on museum in the quaint waterfront town. Bell choose Baddeck because it was so much like his childhood home in Scotland. Here he worked on the telephone, a by product of helping deaf children hear. He also designed the first type of an Iron Lung, an xray machine to detect bullets in a body (after Pres Garfield was shot) and several aviation items. Perhaps his best in aviation was adding ailerons to the wing to be able to turn it better. Another invention was the hydrofoil for a boat. With the help of aircraft engines he was able to increase the speed of a boat from 8 knots to over 70 by using hydrofoils on it. Rain was with us all day.

Left the Peggy's Cove area and headed thru Halifax to Sherbrooke. The drive thru Halifax and over their main bridge was quite easy, with no Sunday traffic. On the way north we stopped at Lake Charlotte and the Museum of Heritage. There are items from the 40's and 50's there on display, arranged as though it was a small town for the era. As we pulled up, it began to rain, no pour. An era meal of beans, sandwiches, and desert was part of the tour so we ate first. By that time the rain had slowed to a drizzle and our tour continued. Upon reaching Sherbrooke about 2pm, I discovered my bike rack was cracking at a seam. Luckily, the campground manager knew someone in town that could weld it. An hour later, it was a good as new. The evening meal was a spaghetti dinner provided by Tracks.

FREE DAY. So nearly everyone was doing maintainence items on their rigs. We took a short trip back to the Swiss Air memorial and to Peggy's Cove. There was no fog, so the sights were totally different. A trip to the grocery store and tothe NSLC (Nova Scotia Liquor Control) store. This was quite a shock. The prices are more than double what we pay in the states.

Tour day for the city of Halifax. Our first stop was the famous Peggy's Cove, only a few miles from our campground. Unfortunately it was very foggy and the full impact of the cove was not visible. However, because of the fog, it did reveal sights and sounds that you could not see on a clear day. On north to the city of Halifax and our first stop was the Citadel. This is in the center of town and was built to defend the harbor. It was designed and built so strong that no foe ever tried to attack the area. Halifax harbor is one of the few that is constantly ice free, has deep moorage,and is protectable by two islands at the entrance of the harbor. Currently the Citadel is owned and managed by the Parks Comission of Canada. The 'soldiers' are college students, dressed to the period, and very knowledgable about the history. It is custom to fire the cannon at noon for the townspeople to know the time and set their watches. The Citadel is only blocks from the bustling harbor and Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.
At the museum, special areas are set aside for the history of the Titantic. Many of survivors and the deceased were brought to Halifax, as it was the closest port. There is also an area for the explosion of the Halifax munitions ship.
It was filled with munitions for the war in Europe and exploded in the harbor. Over 3,000 people were killed from the flying parts of the ship and the warheads on the shells. Barbara has loaded several pictures from our last few days below.

Travel day from the Annapolis Royal area to the Peggy Cove area. In doing this we crossed of the lower part of Nova Scotia on highway 8, arriving on the eastern shores near Liverpool. There we headed northward towards Halifax. On the way we stopped at Lunenburg, a small fishing village with several good resturants. The Fisherries Museum of the Atlantic is located here on the wharf of the city. It is filled with everything you would ever want to know about commericial fishing. This is also the home of BLUE NOSE, the Canadian tall ship. However it was out of port during our visit. As a side trip, we ventured out to the BLUE ROCKS area. This is a Peggy Cove without the many visitors. There are many little bays with rocks, houses and fishing boats. The tide in this area is not as severe at in the Bay of Fundy, only about 12 feet maximum. The old, ornate house on this entire trip have been spectucular. It would be fun to own one, BUT a lot of work to maintain it. Our campground is located right on a small bay. The fog rolled in about 5pm and added atmosphere to our sites.

What a great day. We had expected Nova Scotia to be cool or even cold. What a surprise, it has been very warm, even hot and humid. BUT the sun is shinning and NO rain. Today was a busy day in the Annapolis Royal area. We first visited the PORT-ROYAL. This is a recreation of the original habitation from 1605 - 1613. All the building were built in the same manner, i.e. had hewn logs, siding and roof. The interior of the structure was built like an upside down ship, because the craftsmen building the unit were ship builders. It was larger for that period because the French had poured much money into the project. This habitation was only inhabitated by men, as it was too dangerous for families to accompany. Our next stop was FORT-ANNE. This was originally built by the French as a fort protecting the area. Instead of a log structure, they used berms of dirt. This was done because a cannon ball would only sink in the dirt. The grass on the area helped to camoflage it from the ships at sea. This facility dates to 1702, and families were allowed to live here. Our lunch was at a German bakery and cafe, which adjoined the Historic Gardens of Annapolis Royal. These gardens are not old, but they are planted in the manner of which the early aristocrates of Europe would plant gardens. Our luck was that most items were in full bloom. The rose garden was the most spectacular in my opinion. The colors of the old and new roses were vivid. At this point the group split according to interests, some went to the flea market, some to the Turbine generator and some back to the campground.
In case you are wondering about 2 photos of the Hopewell Cape, Barbara entered one photo and it appeared not to take. So she entered it again. The next morning both photos were there. AH, the wonders of little microns running around in space.

Travelling from Truro to Annapolis Royal. Weather today was a little of nearly everything. We had rain, fog, wind, drizzle and sun, but it all ended in a very nice day. The drive from Truro was thru rolling hills and farmland. Lots of dairy farms. We stopped at Grand Pre National Park. This park depicts the history of the Acadians and how they were forced to leave by the British during the early years. This event was the basis for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "Evangeline'. Much unjust was done by the British and the New Englander's toward the Acadie people. On to the destination of Annapolis Royal. After setting up in the campground, we headed to Digby. Digby is know for the BEST scallops in the world. There were many little shops and many restuarants serving the scallops.
After dinner a lantern walk in the local cemetary and the ghost stories that followed.