Week ending July 4

On Wednesday, we went on a boat trip into West Brook Pond. It was a fjord many years ago, but a peat bog developed which separated it from the sea.  We had to hike 3 km in to catch the boat, fortunately the hike was easy, so it only took about 1/2 an hour.

What great scenery. The walls of the fjord where straight up, with lots of waterfalls and interesting rock formations.

We spent Thursday around Rocky Harbour. Walked the local trail and went downtown for lunch where Joan enjoyed some more fresh seafood.  In the late afternoon went to the pool for a swim.

On Friday we departed our campground in Rocky Harbour early. As it was Canada Day we didn't know what the traffic would be like. It was very light, hardly another vehicle on the highway. We had a reservation for the 6 o'clock ferry, (they require that you arrive 2 hours early) Because the traffic was light we moved right along and arrived at the ferry terminal just after 11:30 (Our 4 1/2 hour drive only took us 3 1/2 hours). Fortunately the ferry had space and they allowed us on the early ferry. We arrived in Sydney Nova Scotia shortly after 6:00, rather than 1:00 A.M., which was the original plan. We pulled into the Arms of Gold campground, for 2 nights. It is one of the nicest campgrounds of our entire trip. We were able to watch the Canada Day fireworks from across the lake. We think they were from Sydney Mines.

Saturday we did some grocery shopping, went to a local farmers market, and replaced our satellite dish. The wind had blown it over on its nose one too many times.  Luckily we got our TV working in time to watch the evening Nascar Race.

July 3rd dawned warm and sunny. We almost regretted leaving, but carried on anyway. We pulled into a campground near the ferry to PEI.  Because we arrived early we took advantage of the nice weather and spent some time on a very nice  beach by the campground. Hot sunny weather has been so elusive this summer that we both came back from the beach slightly red. 

Monday was again a cloudy day that promised rain showers, so it didn't look like a good day for the beach. We packed up and headed for the ferry to PEI. We left the campground about 20 after 9, the ferry leaves at 9:30. Since we are considered an oversized vehicle we could not make a reservation, and they want you at the ferry at least an hour ahead of time.  We headed for the ferry anyway, figuring we would wait for the next ferry at 11:15. The ferry gods again smiled on us, as the 9:30 ferry was late, just unloading as we pulled up, so they put us in line and when it loaded about 9:50 we got on. PEI ferries are good deals. PEI has an odd, but interesting practice of only charging you to leave the island, therefore you can do the ferry then bridge and only pay for the bridge.  It will cost us about 58.00, as opposed to the 135.00 it would cost us by ferry. It also was the shortest route.

Once we got set up in the campground, internet and satellite working we decided this was a good time to go to Anne of Green Gables house. 

We also went to the Cavendish section of PEI National Park. The red rock cliffs really are as spectacular as we have been led to believe.