May 24 (Day 21) to May 28 (Day 24): Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick, Canada to Baddeck, Nova Scotia, Canada along Bras D ‘OR Lakes (Cape Breton).

Five islands on the Bay of Fundy

Our original plan was to spend June in Nova Scotia, then ferry to Newfoundland for the month of July.  Since we’re flexible, when some other travelers told us the icebergs in Newfoundland would be melted in July, we decided to head north and change our ferry plans.

Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site
in Baddeck, Nova Scotia

We’re deep in Scottish influence now nestled in The Highlands of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and wanting more.  We wanted to save as much time as we could to explore famous Cape Breton Highlands National Park so after settling in to our RV park near Baddeck we drove into town to visit Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site to discover that Bell is not just for telephones anymore!  Born in Scotland and later moving around the U.S. and Canada with his family he ultimately sold his telephone patent and while living elsewhere along the east coast of the U.S. purchased property here to spend summers with his family and experiment on other interests.  Among many others he made strides in powerless flights, building concepts using tetrahedral kites, hydroplanes, data transmission using light waves, and many others.  He noted in later life that his greatest joy was the significant work he did to help deaf children “speak” using various techniques.  Helen Keller credited Bell and the techniques he developed with changing her life.  For more on Bell and his contributions Google Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site – I encourage taking the time. 

Beautiful small churches in almost every town

We topped off our first day with a visit to the St. Ann’s Gaelic College and a visit to a staff member I had emailed with months ago.  She sent us away with countless suggestions of things to see and do and of course we left the gift shop with two CDs of Scottish music to help us along.

We spent our second day driving through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, a spectacular park in northern Cape Breton.  A full day of driving, and we saw dramatic coastlines along both the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean.  Alas… still no moose even though this park boasts a large population in their wilderness.

Cape Breton Highlands National Park

We’re now ‘camped’ in a Walmart parking lot in North Sydney, and will embark on a 6 hour ferry ride tomorrow morning to Newfoundland – for more scenery, culture, and (hopefully) whales, icebergs, puffins, and moose.  Stay tuned…