Day 39 - Ferry from North Sydney, NS to an overnight parking spot in rural Maine

Day 39/June 11, 2016  Ferry from North Sydney to an overnight parking spot in rural Maine.

I slept maybe 6 hours after the water calmed down and didn’t roll so much making my stomach a little unhappy.  David had a short but decent night sleep.  A day of driving and errands.

Wild Lupine blooming along the highway in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and Maine…a nice show!

Oh, customs coming into Maine.  They asked about citrus, green peppers, potatoes/always.  They didn’t take anything and a customs officer boarded and asked me the above questions.

Overnight in a small roadside rest area with babbling brook on route 9 in Maine west of Wesley.

Uneventful ride home…

Home to help daughter fix her first and “new” foreclosure home…why do they buy houses when we are travelling.  It’s a tradition!

A fantabulous time was had by all...we will return!

Day 38 - La Scie, NL to ferry to Nova Scotia

Day 38/June 10, 2016  La Scie, NL to the ferry to Nova Scotia

Cape Ray Lighthouse

Today was a move day from La Scie and west to Cornerbrook…our time here is quickly coming to an end.

Finally, on the TCH 1 we spotted our one and only moose…well back from the road and very much alive. 

Scenery by Cape Ray

On a whim and because the weather was due to be RAIN for the next five days (except for today), we decided to give up Sandbanks Provincial Park and get a spot on the ferry.  Neither of us wanted to just sit at Sandbanks; it has some nice walks and is a ruggedly beautiful park.  We wouldn't have dry footwear for 5 days.  The ferry had openings for tonight but not tomorrow so we headed to the ferry.

J. T. Cheeseman Provincial Park...the beach

A stop at Cape Ray revealed a lighthouse that we didn’t know was there. We had a look.  Next we found our way to Cheeseman Provincial pass where we flashed our park pass to go have a look around.  A very nice last walk on the beach.  Perhaps we will spend a night in the campground at another trip as they have laundry facilities…not sure about potable water/always a challenge.

Our ferry leaves at 11:45 pm and there were no cabins available and if there was I couldn’t justify $140 plus Canadian tax.

Our ship and accommodations for the evening ride to Nova Scotia

At the terminal they had an ag inspection.  Unbeknownst to me because last time we left Newfoundland via Labrador (no inspection), potatoes don’t leave the island.  So they got 8 very nice sweet potatoes and 3 of my organic garlic; BUT they cannot even take them home to eat them. I asked!  Now I know for next time.

A windy day at J. T. Cheeseman Provincial Park

I was thinking it would be the same ship we came over on.  Well it wasn’t; the MV Highlander is a pretty grand ship.  They had airplane style seats with way more leg room than an airplane and much wider aisles.  I was hoping for bench seats that we could lay down on.  The seats reclined somewhat more than an airplane seat.  They also made a few announcements that people were not allowed to lay on any bench seats (there were a few) or on the floor and I saw people doing both.

I was hoping that I would sleep but pretty early I already knew I cannot sleep sitting up…have never been able to do so.  We had originally been put on wait list for a cabin just for the heck of it.  When we got on the boat they called David up to desk and we declined.  Well after about 15 minutes of the boat being underway, I went up to the desk and asked if they had any left and was told no.  About 15 minutes later, the lady came and search for me to let me know there was one available.  I took it!  $145 CD/$111 US dollar.  It was worth it for me to get some sleep I decided and David agreed.  David would have survived on the airplane seat but to get real sleep the cabin was the best choice for a good 10-12 hours of driving the next day.  Men can sleep sitting up don’t you know…just give them a big meal and sit them in a chair and let the snoring and sputtering commence.

Would I do night ferry again?  No.  Even if it was calm, it would cost too much to have the bed.

Day 37 - Island Cove Rv Park - La Scie, NL

Day 37/June 9, 2016 – Island Cove RV Park

It rained all night last night and weather reports are for the same today…welcome to Newfoundland!  39 degrees outside when we got up; This past week it snowed in Labrador.

Today’s temperature high was 43.  Donna has cabin fever; she has not yet resorted to pacing in the motorhome.  We did drive into town to use internet for awhile but we really need to walk/move. We waited all day for a lull in the rain so we could do a quick trot up to the overlook and back…it turned to mist and that was good enough for me/Donna.  I needed out badly but David came too. Up to the outlook for a look (no pictures, mist and poor visibility) and trust me there were two icebergs there and probably more off in the distance that I could not see.  There is also one in the harbor of La Scie.

A welcoming HOT, LONG shower completed the evening…nice to not have to limit the water for two showers!  This is a no pretty picture day due to the rain, rain, rain.

Seven kayakers arrived last night in 4 small dome tents and set up in the rain…  The only place to get warm for them is the shower…  They picked the wrong time me thinks.  A sunny summer day it would be grand…40 degrees and rainy…not so much.

Day 36 - Snowshoe Trailhead on route 410 to Island Cove RV park, NL

Day 36/June 8, 2016 – Snowshoe trail head on route 410 to Island Cove RV Park

Hiking in Pacquet, NL

Breakfast at our trailhead and it was quiet despite that the fact that it was route 410. No one bothered us.

Our first stop was Pacquet, NL and we found nice walk to do that was supposedly “approximately 4 km one way” (I should also say it was kind of circle and not linear; David is only granting 3 miles round trip on this not the 4.8 according to sign.  The ocean view trail was a really nice walk along rugged coast mainly.  John and Joan introduced themselves to us and we had a nice chat for awhile.  They also suggested we go visit the rocky beach just down the street which we did.  We asked about drinking water and were directed to the “Drinking Water dispensing Unit by the firehouse”….properly cholorinated and very drinkable.  We filled up some extra water jugs. We would have had to fill our tanks from jugs (no spigot) and we didn’t really need much water right now.

Our hike...such awesomeness

Our next two quick stops were Harbor Round and Brent’s Cove.  Harbor Round was supposed to have a walking trail as advertised on the main road.  We got there and walked to the overlook (on stairs with missing slats but hey we were already there so we were going to do it).  The interpretive signage was unreadable…it made me wonder why they just didn’t take the sign down off route 410?  This is the second time we saw signs for hiking trails but no maintenance on the stairs/boardwalks and slightly dangerous.

a colorful trail

Off to visit La Scie and we decided to pay the $22 for a serviced site at the Island Cove Campground.  You have to boil the water (argh)…not going to happen.  We walked down to the beach and got a few more pieces of drift lumber to make some coat racks for dear daughter’s new house.  It is 47 degrees and very windy here making it feel much colder and we are on a hill overlooking the harbor.  Two other rv’s are here and both are smaller than ours.  We are getting a bit bombarded by the wind.

We had it all to our self...

A quiet evening watching the iceberg that is in the harbor and a boat decide to not go out because it is too windy.

After too much time of the RV rocking violently in the wind and white caps in the brita water filter, we both decided to brave the cold and go out and pick another site that would enable us to park into the wind versus broadside to us. We did and that was a quick fix.  Cranked up Mr. Buddy heater because the little ceramic heater (hey we have electric) was woefully inadequate….all is well in the world.

Hiking man

The beach at La Scie

The beach at La Scie

On a trail

Those are birds....