It feels strange to be doing the blog again. Ted has done the last several. We moved from the South Shore of Nova Scotia to Cape Breton because it was too far for a day trip. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island all have "trails" with distinctive signs for tourists to follow. The Cabot Trail runs along the NE edge of Cape Breton Island and through the National Park. This is near the beginning of the trail just before it reaches the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
Sphinx Rock at Margaree Bay is the first indication that the terrain along this coast is different from what we have seen elsewhere. We met a couple from San Francisco who were walking to the beach below the grassy knoll in the foreground.
This lighthouse is just up the hill from the Sphinx.
The town of Margaree Bay is in the background. There were, maybe, a dozen houses in a stark setting; all well-maintained.
In the harbor of this pristine village of Margaree sits this wrecked boat. Has it been left for photo ops or do the residents not have the will to remove it?
The Cabot Trail provides some spectacular views of the coast on the North side of Cape Breton.
Everyone in Nova Scotia has a trash container by the road. Many did not have the eye appeal of this one.
Here is one of the many rivers on Cape Breton. It was interesting that we didn't see even one fisherman.
This looked liked a wrecked ship to us.
Now this was quite the view along the Gulf of S t.Lawrence! That road is the Cabot Trail.
A hike through a bog was beautiful.
The raised wooden path reminded us of Yellowstone.
The Pitcher Plant was one of several carnivorous plants in the bog. It attracts insects with scent, traps it with hairs inside, and drowns it with a liquid in the flower. Plants like this are common here because the soil is nutrient poor and so these plants survive by getting their needed minerals from insects. There was an orchid garden that was out of season, and wonderful water plants. Dr. Ted, the Entomologist, was in seventh heaven.
Another hike took us through a stand of 300 year-old maples to the Crofter's Hut below. Dr. Ted, the Forester, was in nirvana.
A crofter was a tenant who used these huts while tending their sheep in the hills of Scotland. Much of this area of Nova Scotia was settled by Scots. I look kind-of-like the bio-break sign Ted posted in the previous blog. 
There is a long stretch of the road that winds through forests. All of a sudden we rounded a corner and this view of Pleasant Bay greeted us.
A side trip took us down a very rough road by the spot commemorating the landing of John Cabot, who discovered this land, to this harbor. There were no tourists to be seen here.
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