FUNDY

FUNDY

Oct 1, 2021 | Flotsam

On our first camping trip since ‘the accident’, we ventured out of province to nearby New Brunswick to Fundy National Park with 207 sq km of awesomeness, along the Bay of Fundy, boasting 25 hiking trails, 15 metre high tides, three separate campgrounds, a golf coarse, and heated saltwater pool.

#9

Front Door View

Our campsite at Chignecto Campgrounds offered cozy privacy, and even though our view was very woodsy compared with previous panoramic views, we weren’t far from some of the most spectacular vistas we had yet to see.

We spent our first day setting up camp then relaxing and making plans for the rest of the week.  The following morning, my son and grand-daughter joined us for Gramma waffles.

Breakfast

And of course, since there were at least three playgrounds within walking distance, we were obliged to explore.

Playground

My son , who lives in New Brunswick and is familiar with Fundy Park took us on a road tour of the area.

The Look Off

We Were Here

Enjoying the View

Wolfe Point Beach

On day three we headed out on our own, walking a couple of the many hiking trails in the park, then down the steep winding road to cycle around the village of Alma.

Touring

Dickson Falls Hike

Dickson Falls

Herring Cove Hike

Herring Cove Beach

My six-year-old grand-son has become quite a geologist and tasked us with bringing back as many unique rocks as we could find and of course Papa, a geo-enthusiast himself, was happy to oblige.

Rock Hunting

Alma Beach

At day’s end we combed the shore at Alma, enjoyed a beach picnic lunch, then stopped for a couple of local brew at the Holy Whale.  Four cans of their very fine brew followed us home for future enjoyment.

Pit Stop

On our final day, we ventured down the road about 45 minutes to visit a site that has been on our wish list since moving east….Hopewell Cape. At low tide, we were again able to  walk the ocean floor and view some very unique rock formations, standing 40-70 feet tall, sometimes referred to as the Flower Pot Rocks,  caused by erosion from tidal waters flowing in and out of the Bay of Fundy. Tidal  heights in this area mount to an impressive 52 feet twice during a 24 hour period.

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Returning to our little home on wheels, we concluded our Fundy stay with an easy supper, burned off the last of our camp fire logs, and shared a few final crumbs with the ‘locals’

Making Friends

Not a part of our original plans, we found out that another grand-son (jersey #10) was playing football the next evening at a high school directly on our route back home.  After packing up at Fundy, we found an easy pull-through site for RED II, grabbed a bite to eat at a local pub then joined a rowdy cheering crowd of teens and parents. Three touch downs from #10 and a final winning score of 58-0 made the stop worthwhile. So glad we were able to catch this moment Gabe!

#10

Well, that’s about it for this one. Thanks as always for stopping by.  We have one more excursion planned before we put our little turtle home to bed for the year so please drop by soon for an update. We do enjoy having you along for our life’s journey.

…peace and love….

FIVE ISLANDS

FIVE ISLANDS

Jul 16, 2021 | Flotsam

Our second camping adventure was even more enjoyable that the first, if that’s possible.  After seeing the amazing rock formations and sea caves of the Ovens Nature Park, F bought himself a book on local geology.  As it turned out this new location at Five Islands Provincial Park had so much more to offer.

Site #25

Stories of  Mi’kmaq lore , combined with the world’s highest tides and rocks formed when dinosaurs roamed the earth made this trip an adventure to remember.

Five Islands

Firstly, a little background about the legendary Wabanaki god-like figure, Glooscap, who  made his home in the Minas Basin of Cobequid Bay. As the story goes, when he slept, Nova Scotia was his bed and Prince Edward Island was his pillow. He lived here, admiring the beauty of the lands, until one day he found his medicine garden destroyed. The culprit? A Canadian beaver! Glooscap was understandably upset, and threw giant clods of mud at the mischievous and disrespectful beaver. The dam was smashed, and water began to flow freely. The mud, sticks, and stones created five islands that emerged in the rapidly rising tides. As for the beaver? He was trapped on one of the islands, and turned into gold.

Next, a little about this unique area, geologically speaking. Nova Scotia was once part of northern African and northern Europe  on the super-continent Pangea. If you like, here is a short but fairly complete article about the geological origins: Origins of Nova Scotia.

Walking the Ocean Floor

Impressive thirteen metre tides with up to three kilometres of retreating waters meant we could walk the ocean floor and  explore the shoreline safely for  several of hours.

From the Days of the Dinosaurs

Retreating Tides

Jurassic Period Formations

This imposing formation of eroded basalt lava flow caps and exposed orange-red sandstone  divided by a distinct fault line is only visible by land when the tide is out. And what a great vantage spot for us…on top of that cliff was our camping spot.

The Old Wife formation

The Old Wife appears to be a mere bump in the water when tides are in but at low tide we could walk her perimeter.

Hiking

As usual we explored up and down country roads, visiting tiny villages and local attractions.

Geological Museum

Five Island Light House

Down the road from the park we found a small general store…always fun to stop at country stores isn’t it?  You never know what treasures you will find.  Cooked freshly caught lobster and a local award-winning cheese called Dragon’s Breath (Dutchman Cheese) created a few kilometres from here with some freshly baked bread made for the perfect supper.

Evening Feast

Another day of rock-hounding led us to Wosson Bluff, yet another geo site of the UNESCO designated Fundy Geoparks.

Wosson Bluff

At 8:21 on our last evening we toasted the summer solstice with a tot of rum for F…mine, Irish whiskey, lit a blazing camp fire, ate far too many toasted marshmallows and watched the sun set over Cobequid Bay.

Sunset on the Bay 2021.21.2021

In a short while we should be able to tell you about our next trip which may even take us to a different shore of our Nova Scotia home…another new adventure for the crew of RED II.

…Peace and love…