July 27 (day 88) to July 31 (day 92) – Prince Edward Island

Our first stay on Prince Edward Island was a nice campground near the ferry at Seal Cove that was recommended by new friends at the Nova Scotia Bluegrass Festival.  We visited Panmure Island and were planning to move up the east coast, but decided to move directly to the area around Prince Edward Island National Park on the north coast when we learned that rainy weather was in our forecast.  We spent a couple of nights at a busy park close to the north beaches of Prince Edward Island National Park – a great location with a 15 minute drive to downtown Charlottetown.

Sites around Prince Edward Island

Michele’s niece, Caroline, gave her a copy of “Anne of Green Gables,” a famous book by L.M. Montgomery, and she read it during our journey east.  The fictional book is set on Prince Edward Island where the author lived, so one of our goals was to see the musical based on Montgomery’s book.  We weren’t disappointed.  We also visited Green Gables National Historic Site, which was the setting that inspired Montgomery in writing Anne’s story.  Anne of Green Gables is an icon in this part of the world and the tourist industry has taken full advantage of the popularity of Montgomery’s works.

Green Gables National Historic Site - inspiration for Montgomery's novels

We also visited sites around Charlottetown, the site of the first meetings of confederation in 1864 which lead to the creation of Canada in 1867. Interestingly, Prince Edward Island did not like the terms of the articles of confederation and did not join the confederation until 1873. Nevertheless, the people of PEI celebrate their role as pivotal in the creation of this country. This is a beautiful island, with harbor and farm scenes common.  PEI is much flatter than some of the other Maritime Provinces and from all appearances is somewhat of the bread basket for the others, especially kilometer after kilometer of potatoes.  Rolling hills of farmland with small communities and sweeping seaside views are common.

From our last camp at Twin Shores we drove to Maleque for an evening ceiledh at their local community hall.  Ceiledh’s are local music gatherings often with musicians dropping in for a few licks.  This one was more formal with a band comprised of an uncle, his nephew, and the nephew’s son and brother-in-law.  Foot stomping with the Irish music was a must at the hall that held about 100 folks and was bulging at the seams.  It reminded me of a legendary Cape Breton fiddler we heard about whom folks called “stompin John” because his energetic fiddling and foot stomping required him to bring his own plywood piece to keep his foot from literally stomping a hole in the floor of the stage.

Some local step dancing talent

A fun take on the 50-50 drawings we commonly see at festivals and rallys

Tomorrow we’ll be leaving Prince Edward Island which concludes our visit to the Maritime Provinces.  We’ll begin our journey west toward home, with a few stops along the way.

The girls have a last chance to run along the beach before we leave 

getting the RV ready for tomorrow's trip westward

Special Edition – Meet Marilyn Burns, Ambassador Extraordinaire

We’ve posted before about the friendly and helpful people of the Maritime/Atlantic Provinces and a friendly bolt of lightning hit again in the name of Marilyn Burns.  Coming through Truro was interesting as they had turned the main street that was a nice wide thoroughfare into a two-lane one-way road with parking on both sides, a way narrow road for a large vehicle.  When we were a dozen or so blocks from the Exhibition Grounds where the Bluegrass Festival was to be held we noted a low clearance railroad bridge ahead and a sign that warned of a maximum height nearly a foot shorter than our rig.  We found a left turn onto a side road just in time to avoid blocking traffic and found yet another sign – Dead End!  We proceeded along the residential road until I could find a place to park just before a 90 degree turn and a locked gate just ahead.  As we were talking about disconnecting our toad and how we were going to turn the coach around Marilyn emerged from her home and came to our door and our rescue.  She had already called the enormous lumber yard behind the closed gate and told us they were sending a man over to move a semi parked at the gate and open the gate for us.  She had our emergency well in hand without even asking, just a wonderful ambassador for those in need.  Shortly thereafter an employee of the lumber yard opened the gate and led us through the extensive yard to another road that crossed the railroad tracks on grade.  As if that wasn’t enough he led us the remaining half-dozen blocks to the entrance to the festival grounds, waved us in and turned around to return to work.  When we retell the story to native Maritimers they look at us as if to say, so, that’s just normal.  Ambassadors extraordinaire all!       

July 20 (day 81) to July 26 (day 87) – Grand Pre to Truro and farewell to Nova Scotia

A great weekend of bluegrass music and new friends

A short drive took us to Truro where we stayed put for most of a week for the Nova Scotia Bluegrass and Old-time Music Festival.  We arrived early to pick out a good camp spot, do some needed shopping and take in local sites before jumping across the pond on the ferry to Prince Edward Island.  Nova Scotia has an auto tour highlighting sea chowder – The Chowder Trail – and we have been active samplers.  The same is true of fish and chips with many providers claiming to be the best.  That came true in Truro when our neighbor in the next campsite told us about Murphy’s - I think we found it!  

Our first two days were spotty rain, and we experienced a torrential downpour the first evening of the festival during open mic performances.  We were glad to be inside as the rain fell in buckets!  The festival began in earnest Friday night with one of our favorite bands, The Spinney Brothers from the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia officially kicking off the festival.  The Spinney Brothers did a concert at East Side Bluegrass in Portland, OR some months ago and I went armed with my Nova Scotia map and a pen for them to note the must see and do things in NS and they were most helpful.  It’s a “small world” here and when we took our girls to a vet in Lunenburg some time back the entire staff turned out to be huge bluegrass fans and one assistant had sung with The Spinney Brothers in the past.  That’s the second time we’ve connected quite by accident with The Spinney Brothers.  A small world indeed.  This bluegrass festival showcased some of the Maritime's premier bluegrass musicians, and brought in well known headliners from the US -- Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, and Blue Highway.  Great music and a fun weekend.

While in Truro we went once again to see the tidal bore come up the river, but missed the highest tide with the biggest bore by a few days.  The tide was ONLY 36 feet instead of the 38 feet a few days before.  For all you seafarers, that’s 38 feet! 

    

Our final look at the amazing tides of the Bay of Fundy

With this blog we say farewell to Nova Scotia (link to song). It’s been a great month, full of interesting sites and experiences, and wonderful people.  We leave behind many fond memories and are happy that we experienced the best this province has to offer.  On to Prince Edward Island!

July 15 (day 76) to July 19 (day 80) – Yarmouth, Whale Cove, Annapolis Royal, and Grand-Pre

At the suggestion of a Nova Scotia Bluegrass Band we headed to Yarmouth for a looksee with a couple of nights at what else, Campers Haven!  We spent more time in the hinterlands than in Yarmouth and that suited us just fine.  This is Acadian country with a flavor all its own left over and nurtured since the early 1600s and beyond.  When we took a cruise on the Danube River some years ago one tour guide told us we were on an ABC cruise – translated, Another Beautiful Church.  Our time in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia could best be described as an ABH trip – Another Beautiful Harbor.  Our drive over to a fine example of an historic Acadian village – Le Village Historique Acadian de la Nouvelle-Ecosse - took us past many more.  The rebuilt structures and local living history staff of Acadian decent were nothing short of excellent, a real sleeper.  We were treated by welcoming staff who told us all about fishing, how standard fishing dories were made that could stack on the deck of a large sailing ship, the critical work of the blacksmith, farming practices, and normal homes where they had the wood stoves hot and offering fresh samples of molasses cookies and a potato fueled staple, Rappie Pie. Ummmmm good.

Living history of an historic Acadian village

Leaving Camper’s Haven we made our way to The Bay of Fundy once again and on to a 40 mile long narrow peninsula between The Bay of Fundy and St. Marys Bay with the goal of pursuing whales off Brier Island at the very tip.  We were not disappointed when we boarded a Zodiac with 7 others and soon after spotted Foggy and her calf, a Humpback whale and her yearling.  Foggy had been found near here in 2013 tangled in fishing ropes with a limited future, but later released by special equipment handled by the Provincial Fishery folks.  These experiences are normally enough to keep individual whales away for the rest of their lives, but this year she returned with a calf – good karma!  We were up close and personal with a number of whales and to watch a critter of this gigantic size glide through the water with such proficiency and grace was impressive.  Way cool even for whale watchers with experience! 

Whale watching near Brier Island in the survival suits they make you wear on the zodiac boat rides

hiking along seal cove on Brier Island

Annapolis Royal was yet another historical fort (another one!?) that we approached with caution, yet Ft. Anne National Historic Site offered up a story of 7 changes between French and British occupations during the tense wars over who would dominate the Maritime Provinces and the huge fishery in the 1600 and 1700s.  We went away with a renewed sense of awe and appreciation for the history of this place.  Right there in the midst of town was a German bakery where we topped off our day with a fine German supper and a couple of cool ones!  Not done yet, Michele made her way to the Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens and I hung out with the girls.

Annapolis historic gardens

We have been traveling the Evangeline Trail, so named for a heroine in a Longfellow poem who rose up during the Acadian deportations. We just finished a tour of another Parks Canada Historic and Unesco World Heritage Site, Landscape of Grand Pre’ National Historic Site where we stumbled onto Acadian Days at Grand Pre’.  This was the annual celebration and reunion of ancestors of Acadians who pioneered this broad area and then were deported when they remained neutral expressing no allegiance to either France or Britain.  The Acadians made a firm, sustaining foothold generations long, but when the British required them to swear an allegiance to the King many refused.  Even those who did were not considered trustworthy since they made their living by farming and selling their excess harvest to English and French alike.  Over an 8 year period some 10,000 Acadians were summarily deprived of their property; deported on ships bound for France, the American Colonies, New Orleans and the Caribbean; and their homes and other structures torched to prohibit reoccupation.  Over time many returned, but the hard work that established their former presence had disappeared with others now occupying their former homeland.  Today was truly an opportunity to celebrate all things Acadian and we were pleased to celebrate with them. Check out this clip of an Acadian folk music quartet (Cy) that performed for us.
                       

Grand-Pre National Historic site and Port Royal NHS honoring the Acadian legacy

July 6 (day 69) – July 14 (day 75), Halifax and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Virtual postcard from the Halifax Citadel

Halifax and Peggy's Cove

We spent 6 nights at Shubie Park, a nice campground in in the midst of Dartmouth, a few minutes from the Dartmouth ferry to downtown Halifax.  The campground is on one of many lakes in the area with several excellent walking trails.  The girls loved the trails, and we enjoyed being close to town.  We spent a couple of days getting some repairs on the RV and shopping, and a few days visiting tourist standards – the iconic Peggy’s Cove lighthouse, most photographed lighthouse in Canada; the Halifax Citadel, fortress built to protect the Halifax harbor and city; the immigration museum – recently updated with excellent exhibits and stories; and the Halifax maritime museum – honoring the major maritime events that shaped this city.   Halifax was an important port for transport conveys taking supplies to Europe during both world wars, and was the site of the largest explosion prior to the atomic bombs when a munitions ship exploded in 1917, with more than 2000 killed and thousands more left homeless as a large section of the city was leveled.

The Halifax seaside boardwalk attracts a lot of tourists in the summer, and we enjoyed a city and harbor tour on the Harbour Hopper amphibious vehicle tour which showed us around town and ended with a nice boat ride around Halifax Harbour.  We took in a nice slice of Halifax’s sites, and realized there is much more worth seeing in this city.  Most folks who travel by RV in the Maritimes fly to Halifax and rent an RV to tour for a couple of weeks, but with our Washington plates we were not only the anomaly, but near celebrities when they found out we had actually driven the entire way from near the Pacific Ocean.  We ended our visit with dinner at the most recommended seafood spot – John’s Lunch in Dartmouth, a no frills restaurant known for the best fish and chips in town/province/country depending on who you talk to.  We weren’t disappointed.

News Flash – Grandson Jordan and Ruth brought a baby boy into the world July 10^th in Englewood, CO.  Welcome Zachary Kai Huffman as our proud new great grandson! 

the pot holes finally caught up with us,
requiring repair to our RV sway bar.
Driving roads in the Maritimes
take skill and nerves.

The winters here are brutal with the winter of 2014/2015 being the worst in years, and take their toll on roads and vehicles, our motorhome being no exception.  On our drive from Canso to Halifax I noticed a “different” chassis sound that led to a challenge to find a repair facility that would take a look.  Turns out the sway bar had come loose from the frame and was banging around underneath.  Their diagnosis was quick and the repair done well so we could be on the road again.  Even at slow speeds the pot holes are serious business.  The Maritime roads aren’t for sissys!!  Sometimes makes me yearn for my motorcycle with the agility and size to avoid most of the potholes.  The potholes are often times serious and then there would be a sign warning about potholes ahead – sounded like we might be dropping into the abyss!     

On July 12^th we moved to spend a couple of days at Lunenburg, a short drive down the south shore from Halifax.  Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized as the best surviving example of a British planned community in North America.  The harbors here are beautiful, and the town has many beautifully preserved homes and businesses.  We took a horse drawn carriage tour to see some highlights in this beautiful community where many buildings date back to the early 1800s and some the late 1700s. 

Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage town

Our Nova Scotia route from Canso to Halifax and Lunenberg

July 2 (day 65) to July 5 (day 68): Stan Rogers Music Festival; Canso, NS

One major goal for our trip was the Stan Rogers Music Festival on the east coast of NS at Canso.  They do not allow dogs on festival grounds so we camped at the Canso Marina and RV Park about a 10 minute walk from the event that kept us exercising, walking back and forth after lots of sitting.  The festival was every bit of what we hoped for and more with a huge main stage, 5 separate satellite stages, and over 50 individuals/bands to choose from.  We OD’d on great folk music.  Unlike many music festivals we have been to this one is dedicated to the memory of Stan Rogers, a much revered folk musician who died in 1983 on an Air Canada flight that had an on-board fire from which he and 22 other passengers did not survive.  He wrote and performed many songs about Canada and his song, “Northwest Passage” (link to the song sang by his son, Nathan) was rated number 4 of the top 50 songs amongst Canadians.  One Prime Minister referred to Northwest Passage as one of Canada’s unofficial anthems and it was sung by Stan’s son Nathan and others at the festival.  The parking lot picking was extraordinary as well and it kept us up way beyond our normal bed time.

Canso local welcoming the world

One of the fascinating stories of the festival is that in 2014 after fully setting up for the event a hurricane came fully in their track and concerns about safety caused them to cancel at the last minute, long after major expenditures had already accrued.  There was some discussion about ending the 18 year run, but they decided to tough it out and make it work.  Sponsors came forward with donations as did 20 other festivals from Canada and the US as well as thousands of folks who had purchased advance tickets and donated those to the cause.  Thanks to attendance this year the event is back in the black and looking forward to next year.  All such festivals run on volunteers with some 800 stepping up at this venue.  When one considers the town of Canso has about 600 residents, that’s impressive and a real and vital bump in the economy of this small village.  The total story is a testimonial to the long lasting love and respect for Stan Rogers as a person and a musician emeritus of Canada. 

making a bit of money from festival goers

The main stage - several performers 'Singing Stan' songs

There were so many wonderful acts, here are links to a few YouTube songs from a few of our favorites at the festival:

• Dave Gunning
• Bruce Guthro
• Garnet Rogers (Stan Roger’s brother)
• Alan Doyle – the first night headliner, from Newfoundland and very popular in Canad 
• The Forunate Ones – a couple from Newfoundland
• Everything Fitz

chilly evening concerts

boat ride with some of our new friends from the Canso Marina RV park

Enjoying the view from the Canso Islands and Grassy Fort National Historic Site

Tomorrow finds us on the road to Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia Province where we’ll spend a few days touring and getting errands done.  

June 26 (day 49) to July 1 (day 54) – Cape Breton: history and music

We headed directly from the North Sydney ferry terminal to visit the Fortress Louisbourg National Historic Site.  The fortress was a major French fishing port and strongly defended fortress from 1713 to 1758 when the British defeated the French here and destroyed the fortress.  A large portion of the fortress and community have been reconstructed and is now the site of an outstanding living history exhibit.  It’s the largest historic reconstruction in North America, and the interpreters – actors dressed in period costumes – bring the history of this significant French post to life.  We were treated to French hot chocolate and an 18^th century dinner, a real treat. This is a Parks Canada historic site and the quality of the interpretation was every bit as impressive as Colonial Williamsburg in my view.  It’s a must-see site on Cape Breton for visitors.  We picked an RV park at random and should have moved on when we saw the rusted pickups, relatively poor maintenance and heard banjo music coming from some kid on the porch, but stayed for one night anyway.  Despite our initial impressions a local emerged from his trailer to help us get the coach into our site and was enthralled to watch us disconnect our GMC before reminding us that he was there whatever we needed.  That’s the same hospitality we found in Newfoundland. 

Fortress Lousiburg National Historic Site

From there we headed to one of our favorite campgrounds in this area, the Baddeck Cabot Trail campground for the first of many evenings of live music.  Three campers who formerly had a band together offered up three hours of terrific music at a small stage right in the campground - most enjoyable.  Coming back a few days early from Newfoundland and arriving in Cape Breton we stumbled into their second annual KitchenFest – an 8 day festival of local music and food with live music every day in many venues throughout the cape along with restaurants showcasing dishes from local food sources.  The fest is organized by St. Anne’s Gaelic College dedicated to the reawakening and preservation of the Gaelic culture and we attended the opening concert there, as well as a couple of KitchenFest concerts along the western coast as we slowly made our way south – one at ‘The Red Shoe Pub’ in Mabou, NS which is famous for traditional Cape Breton music, and one at the Celtic Music Interpretive Center in Judique, NS.  The talent and music we’ve seen has been outstanding.  We are always impressed with the Maritime culture that opens their hearts to visitors.  

Another wonderful KitchenFest concert

We made friends with our waitress Marissa at The Red Shoe Pub who told us her boyfriend was a lobster fisherman near where we were camped at Port Hood and encouraged us to go see him when he came into port from checking his traps the next morning.  We met her friend Craig at dockside and asked about buying some lobster.  He opened a crate fresh off his boat and said pick out what you want.  We boxed a few and asked how much we owed him – not a cent was his reply.  Here was a fisherman who made his living depending on what his traps brought in and he just ponied up our pick and he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.  What a joy these folks are!  Back to the RV park where they had a loaner lobster pot and we were headed for some mighty fine eating!

Chaco meets her first lobster

Ready for another walk!

It’s Canada day (July 1^st) and we’re now camped in Canso, NS where we’ll attend the Stan Rogers Folk Music Festival this coming weekend.  We look forward to more wonderful immersion in acoustic music, beginning with the informal jams that have already started a few RVs away from us.  Sweet!