After a pleasant drive from PEI to Blacks Harbour, on the southwestern coast of New Brunswick, we caught the ferry to Grand Manan. We made straight for Hole in the Wall campground, disappointed to find that our favourite cliff site was currently occupied....but of course, it was Saturday.
We selected another site on the cliff for one night, knowing we could move the next day to Cliff 17. To be fair, they're all pretty awesome.....we're just picky at this point in our fourth visit to the place!
The weather did cooperate, and we spent the next six days and nights perched atop a cliff, reading books (and some work stuff); watching seals, whales and the ferry go by; enjoying bonfires, and generally marvelling at regular intervals over the unparalleled view.
We did squeeze in a few hikes, some tours around the island, and the wind died down enough that we even worked in some sea kayaking on our last night, ironically paddling from North Head harbour out and around the lighthouse to underneath our cliff site and back. Unlike whale tours and other motorized ventures, it's incredible how close a dozen curious grey and harbour seals will come to check out your kayak! Sadly we left the cameras on dry land for fear of the obvious.
We took the early boat to the mainland on Friday morning, thankfully gaining an hour at the Maine border as we took a beautiful short cut to southeastern Quebec, before hammering westward to the south of Montreal and on into Ontario. A fifteen hour day saw us stop for the night in Trenton, followed by a short run home the next morning to the awaiting feline chaos.
The Grand Manan Adventure arriving in Blacks Harbour
The Bay of Fundy awaits.....
......as we leave the mainland behind
The life preserver says it all!
Rounding Swallowtail Light at North Head
A pretty decent temporary view
The ferry heads back for the mainland
Cliff 17....let the pictures do the talking!
Our tent hunkered behind scant cover
Book, Beer, Fire, View....check!
Three Cole Men
Dinner over the open fire - stewing beef and veggies with garlic!
Historic herring smokehouses at Seal Cove
Grand Harbour at low tide
One of several local fishing fleets
A darkened cliff
Full moon over boats, bonfires and Swallowtail Light
Northwestern Maine near the Quebec border
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment