As summer approached, once again the East Coast was calling us. This time we would return to Newfoundland, one of our favourite places on earth. Sadly, almost unbelievably, it had been nearly ten years since our last visit to The Rock, back in the fall of 2013. We had taken the "old" brown 2011 Juke, and then traded it in for the current Juke right after we got back. The "new" Juke, now ten years old, received a new oil pan right before the trip.
Jane worked her usual magic and tetris-ed even MORE stuff into our tiny car, including a larger tent, stackable totes, a new electric cooler and a Jackery portable power bank. We set out after work on Friday in a smoky haze (thanks wildfires), with just enough time left to make the six-hour trek to free family lodging in eastern Ontario.
From there, we set out very early on Saturday morning and soon crossed into Quebec, opting for the trusty A-30 bypass and great value ($3.60) toll bridge. Both traffic and road construction were merciful, and we made good time motoring up the east bank of the St. Lawrence.
We stopped for the night at Motel Claude in Degelis, just before the New Brunswick border, after noting some marked improvements in the ongoing widening of the A-85 across the top. The motel has a handy Subway right on-site, and ordering on the app avoids any potential language issues with Jane's allergies....plus you just walk next door to pick up your food! I did also stay up late watching Vegas beat Florida in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
We set out Sunday morning at dawn, and after a quick coffee and fuel stop in Edmunston, we lost an hour to Atlantic Time and hammered on south and east along the Trans-Canada, spotting numerous deer along the way. We listened to the Hunger Games prequel ("The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes") on audiobook to help pass the time, and also made a quick stop for some treats at Peace by Chocolate in Antigonish, once we had passed into Nova Scotia.
Crossing into Cape Breton, we followed Highway 105 through beautiful scenery to North Sydney and the ferry terminal, which had seen significant upgrades since our last visit. With the car parked in line, we walked downtown for a delicious dinner at Alexandra's, consisting of a donair for me and a panzerotto for Jane.
Around 9pm, we were called to board for the 1115pm crossing, and started UP the ramp to Deck 3.....only to be sent DOWN another ramp to Deck 1, where we were directed to spin around and back into the angled nose of the vessel. The helpful attendants also advised us to take our time in the morning, since we would also be the last ones off the ship.
Looking around the ship briefly, we also realized that the Atlantic Vision normally does the "long" summer crossing to Argentia (16 hours instead of "only" 6-7 hours), and therefore seemed to have a lot more options for dining and entertainment. For the first time ever, we had booked a cabin for the crossing, so we had our own TV, washroom, and a pleasant rest as we sailed across the sea to Newfoundland.
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