Four Seals, Three Eagles, Two Foxes, A Deer and A Moose
We slept like rocks. Somewhat refreshed, coffee'd up and with a sunny morning we took a short birdwalk around the campground and to the cliffs overlooking the Cabot Strait, where we saw four seals bobbing around close to shore among the gulls and cormorants. There were also a few warblers and woodpeckers in the trees in the campground and a Bald Eagle soaring overhead.
After the inevitable trip to the dump station, it was off to drive the Cabot Trail. We last went around the Cabot Trail 15 years ago, almost to the day. On July 24, 2010 we rode our motorcycles on a 10-hour ride along the trail and on several side trips off the trail. Today we did a more direct drive around, and it didn't take as long and remains beautiful.
It briefly rained as we went around the north end of the trail at Cape North, but the weather cleared after that as we went down the western coast of the island. The switchbacks and climbs are still there and still spectacular. We passed several groups of motorcycles going the other way. It is still one of the classic motorcycle rides.
It was along this part of the road that a Moose decided to cross the road right in front of us. Ellen pointed it out and we slowed down in plenty of time for it to trot across closely in front of us and back into the woods. We also saw our second Bald Eagle on this stretch.
We passed several groups of cyclists struggling up the hills. Except for one obvious touring cyclist, they were not carrying anything beyond water bottles and a rear rack bag. We realized they were part of a tour group when the "sag wagon" came by with a couple of bikes in its racks.
Once again we passed the intriguing Corney Brook campground, a small first-come first-serve park campground right on the water and said we should stay there next time. I read the Speedy Journal entry while writing this one and we said the same thing last time, but forgot after 15 years. I was too tired yesterday to have made it the 200 km to that side of the park with all the climbs, drops and twisty roads.
After a stop at the Aucoin Boulangerie in Petit Etang for delicious pastries for lunch, we left the Cabot Trail at Margaree Harbour to take the Ceilidh Trail along routes 219 and 19. This follows the coast all the way to the Canso Causeway and off Cape Breton Island. After being stuck behind a slow Class A for the first part of it, we got around it and cruised all the way to the causeway, stopping only at Sandeannie's Bakery and Tea Room in Port Hood for a package of oat cakes.
Once we were back on the Nova Scotia mainland, we picked up coffee at the first Tim Horton's we came to and then it was on Trans-Canada 104 all the way to Truro and on to "Trunk Road" 2 along the Bay of Fundy. A quick provisioning stop at the Massmarket in Masstown, we drove along the shore road, with a slight 4 km dirt road detour, a deer crossing well in front of us and another eagle sighting, to the Five Islands Provincial Park, picking up fried clams at the nearby Granny's Seafood Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlour just outside the park.
The park is quite nice. It overlooks the Bay of Fundy from 300-foot cliffs. We were able to obtain an unserviced site with a partial view for the night. After our clam dinner, we took a short walk from our hilltop site to check out the washrooms. As we approached them a fox came striding by and disappeared around the back of the building. Ellen noted a sign in the Ladies room requesting that campers not feed the foxes. Once we were back in Speedy, another fox walked across the campsite on the other side of the road, stopped at the tall grass along the edge of the site and lept high in the air and into the grass, reappearing with small animal in its jaws, then trotting off to enjoy its dinner.
Tomorrow we will get into New Brunswick. We considered stopping at Fundy National Park, but all their campgrounds are fully booked. How far will we get? Who knows?
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