Acadia National Park

On our first full day near Bar Harbor, we visited Acadia National Park. We purchased a Golden Age Pass. For $10, it allows lifetime admittance to National Parks and Monuments, and all other Federal Recreational Facilities for the owner and a companion. When you're 62, you're eligible. What a nice gift from the nation to us!

As we arrived at our first stop, this flight of geese went over in the direction of the lighthouse we were seeking as though showing the way. We were particularly taken with the fellow flying in the center of the V. Almost looks like he's practicing the Blue Angels' diamond formation doesn't it? As we approached the lighthouse, we were serenaded by the lonely toll of the bell buoy in the distance. The sound seemed an appropriate accompaniment to the distorted trees, rocks and shadows.
The Bass Harbor light is supposed to be one of the most difficult lighthouses to photograph. It did require a bit of climbing on the rocks to get this shot.
Pen took this photo of me waiting for a couple to clear the photographic field before I took the shot above.

While difficult to see here, there were otters diving through this sea weed.

We saw several marshes that were created by beaver dams.

That is a beaver lodge in the middle of the grass. In addition to the rocks and marshes, the early settlers had to contend with tangled woods such as these. They were definitely made of stern stuff.

The next day we went out to Schoodic Point, a part of Acadia National Park not attached to the main body. As you can see, it was a foggy day. We could hear lobster boats offshore and the bell buoys warning them away from the rocks. I was taken by this lone fir hanging on in these thin shoreline soils. Although it's small, I suspect it has weathered quite a few nor'easters.

The remains of this old tree seemed reluctant to leave the rocks with which it had shared the shoreline.

Ancient volcanoes, glaciers, rock splitting tree roots and wave action have sculpted a masterpiece here.

There are many tide pools in these rocks supporting much marine life.

This appears to have been the end of the road for a tide pool denizen, and perhaps a clue as to the culprit.

Does he look guilty?

The next day we took a trip up to Cadillac Mountain, one of the centerpieces of Acadia National Park. On the way, we saw this beautiful cruise ship apparently making a port call at Bar Harbor.

"Red Sails in the Sunset way out on the sea." Pardon me, I couldn't help breaking into song as we watched this schooner tacking back and forth a little offshore.

This photo was taken from from Cadillac Mountain. In the distance is Schoodic Point where we took the foggy photos the day before.

Acadia National Park is not a place of superlatives in the same vein as Yellowstone or Glacier. Cadillac Mountain is the only possible exception. This photo was taken from the summit. At 1,580 feet, it is the highest point on the East Coast, and no, I didn't misplace a decimal point. Alright, alright, I know that would barely qualify as a foothill in Oregon or Washington. Our Vancouver and Portland friends can quit snickering now.

We enjoyed watching this little fog bank roll in and out. In the distance is a small schooner and several smaller sailboats.

At the end of our last day at Acadia, we had another delicious Maine Lobster. Unfortunately, we didn't think to take a photo of this guy until he was pretty completely dismantled. You can buy them here for less than $5 per pound and the store will cook them.

Prince Edward Island, Canada 8-18-09

We moved the coach to Amherst, NS so that we could visit Prince Edward Island without taking the coach over on the ferry. Amherst is on the border with New Brunswick and on our way back to Maine. I wanted to see the land of Anne of Green Gables, in my mother's honor. This was her favorite book as a child. My parents traveled a great deal, but never went to PEI, as it is called by the locals. This is the house that inspired the story. It is now in a park with an admission fee of $15.00 for two, Canadian. I wanted to honor my mom's love of this story, but it wasn't worth that much to me. Ted walked to the end of the fence and shot this photo, because that is all I wanted.

Ducks were all over this farm pond; very typical scene on the island. Potatoes are a mainstay and were being sold in special packaging in the visitor's centers!! Ted said they were good varieties, but not the best. The lobster flavored potato chips were novel.

Beautiful dunes line the northern coast in the national park near Cavendish, PEI. There was a bike path that ran the length that really had appeal.

The Dalvay Inn is known for its bread pudding. We had the best that I have EVER had in Yarmouth, NS, so decided not to mess with the memory here.

In Great Britain, it is castles; Europe cathedrals; and in Nova Scotia and new England, it is lighthouses.

This is a motel on PEI. We should have stopped and asked the cost of the room at the top.

I know, another lighthouse, but couldn't resist it with the falling-down building. You can't tell it from this photo, but the building on the right is listing about five degrees. It sits across the road from a busy tourist spot. Wonder why it still stands.

Why laundry, you ask. Well, almost everyone hangs laundry outside in Nova Scotia. My mother didn't have a dryer until I was 21 because she like her laundry dried this way!! We saw some very elaborate pully systems, even one with steps to a "porch" just to hang the clothes. No wonder my mother identified with Anne of Green Gables. We do have a lot of Scot ancestry. Could that be it?

Ted took this. I think it looks very artistic.

In my mother's honor, here is the birthplace of the author of Anne of Green Gables. The island has really capitalized on everything "Anne". There is a museum, chocolates, gift shops, etc. Can't blame them.

Now this is a postcard if there ever was one.

Can't believe there were two postcard photos in a row, but then we were on Prince Edward Island.

The land here is very rural and much of it runs right to the sea. We shared the roads with farm equipment many times.

Check out this church. Add white churches as another item found in multiples in towns in Nova Scotia. This one is more ornate than most.

Another side trip down a secondary road took us here. Loved it. Met a couple from Surrey, England, living in their RV in Florida because England is so expensive.

The purpose for the side trip down the secondary road was for this shot of the Confederation Bridge. It connects New Brunswick to PEI. There is no charge to get onto the island, only to leave. The cost was $42.50 Canadian. We learned that there is no break for residents. There is a ferry at Pictou, NS that is not cheap either. It was a day well spent. We regret that we didn't go to Newfoundland, but have decided we might fly there sometime and stay in B & Bs. An RVer we met on the Southern Shore told us it was the best part of his trip to Nova Scotia because the geology was so different. People we met in Texas, who were from Halifax, told us not to bother going. No telling people's taste. Each person has to experience things for him/herself. We were very ready to return to the States. Diesel cost 40% more and gasoline 50% more than in the States. Groceries were more expensive. Canadians seem to be willing to tax themselves to back up their convictions. We admire this. One grocery chain was going to charge us for grocery bags, so we stopped forgetting to bring our own. That was a good thing, except that we use grocery bags as trash bags. Is it better for us to buy trash bags and throw them away or to reuse grocery bags? Campgrounds in Canada and New England have not met the standards that we are used to in the West, Southwest, and Southern USA. They are older, rockier, less level, don't provide cable or wifi, and not easy to access from major roads. The cable matters because our satellite system isn't working at the moment, and the hills/mountains/trees and roaming charges (in Canada) hurt our cell service which runs our personal wifi.

Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada 8-16-09

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.