Category: New Brunswick

the flowerpot rocks & the quaint town of alma

wanderessence1025 February 22, 2023

Monday, October 3, 2022: This morning we checked out of our Airbnb in Saint John and headed for The Hopewell Rocks.

The Hopewell Rocks, also called the Flowerpot Rocks, or simply The Rocks, are rock formations known as sea stacks caused by tidal erosion. They are scattered on the shores of the upper reaches of the Bay of Fundy at the Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park in New Brunswick, Canada. Due to the extreme tidal range of the Bay of Fundy, the base of the formations are covered in water twice a day. It is possible to view the formations from ground level at low tide, which is what we did.

The Hopewell Rocks formations consist of red-brown sedimentary sandstone and minor mudstone rock. They stand 40-70 feet tall. After the retreat of the glaciers in the last Ice Age, surface water filtering through cracks in the cliffs eroded and separated the formations from the rest of the cliff face. Meanwhile, advancing and retreating tides and the associated waves have eroded the base of the rocks at a faster rate than the tops, resulting in their unusual shapes.

We went at low tide to explore the ocean floor around the rocks. We were lucky to have a beautiful day.

It was about a 15-minute walk from the visitor center to the rocks. As we walked, I started doing an exaggerated march, being my silly self. I was wearing my new fisherman hat. Mike said, “Oh, there goes Chairman Mao marching away!” We laughed so hard we were in convulsions. That hat is truly a Chairman Mao hat.:-)

High tide today was at 18:44 and low tide was at 12:43. We arrived at 11:43, and wandered along the coastal floor from one end to the other. The rock formations looked like Clydesdale hooves with all the seaweed clinging to the bases. Our feet got quite muddy traipsing around but there was a fountain at the top to clean them off.

Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks as the tide is going out

Hopewell Rocks

Chairman Mao at Hopewell Rocks

Mike at Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Seaweed at Hopewell Rocks

me with seaweed piles

Hopewell Rocks

Mike at Hopewell Rocks

me at Hopewell Rocks

Hopewell Rocks

Back up near the Visitor Center we had a view of the mudflats, coastline and the Bay of Fundy itself at Daniels Flats, named for one of the area’s early settlers. The bay is about 2.5 miles wide at this point. Salt marshes form a green band around the Bay of Fundy.

Daniels Flats

Because the Bay of Fundy is funnel-shaped (wide/deep at one end and narrow/shallow at the other) tides are pushed increasingly higher as they move up the bay.The length of the bay also plays a factor by causing a natural sloshing effect called resonance. This sloshing amplifies the effect of the funnel.

Among the highest in the world, the tides reach up to 14 meters (46 feet) at Hopewell Cape and 17 meters (56 feet) in the upper reaches of the bay. Not only does the tide rise 46 feet (14 meters) vertically, it also recedes almost two football fields horizontally. In fact, 160 billion tons of water move in and out of the bay every 25 hours. Powered by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun, Fundy’s tides are among the highest in the world and vary daily with the changing positions of these celestial bodies.

The name Fundy is thought to be an English translation for the French word “fendu” meaning “split.” The bay has been navigated by western European fishermen since the 16th century.

Bay of Fundy

formation of the flower pot rocks

Bay of Fundy

I posed for a picture with my fisherman hat in the tiny S. S. Hopewell. So goofy. 🙂 Mike has endless names for me in my hat. Here, I’m Popeye the Sailor Man. 🙂

me in the S.S. Hopewell

We left Hopewell Rocks and went by Cape Enrage. The 140-year-old lighthouse, which is still working, is perched on the end of the cape’s rocky promontory. Here, tides rise 16 vertical meters (53 feet). We stopped here but it was closed and locked so we couldn’t walk the beach trails.

Cape Enrage

On the way, we got out to wander a bit on a cairn-dotted rocky beach.

cairn-dotted rocky beach

marshlands near Cape Enrage

Back at Fundy National Park, we took a short (boring) hike to Point Wolfe Beach after checking out the cute red covered bridge.

The Point Wolfe River was once the center of a lumber operation. In the early 1800s, the lumber industry was booming on New Brunswick and mills sprung up on most rivers along the Bay. The Point Wolfe Mill was opened in 1826 and continued off and on for almost 100 years.

covered bridge in Fundy National Park

trail to Point Wolfe Beach

little pretties along the trail

Point Wolfe Beach

We finally headed to Alma where we would stay the night. The small seaside village services Fundy National Park with restaurants and motels.

We showered and changed and wandered around town looking for a place to eat. I had it in my mind I wanted lobster. We found a lineup of colorful Adirondack chairs and boats tied to the wharf which made fetching reflections in the water.

Alma Lobster Shop beckoned. Mike had a lobster roll and chowder. I had a Lazy Lobster Dinner: Shucked lobster meat, cole slaw, drawn butter and roll. We sat on the open air porch, where annoying flies buzzed all around us. We bought two mugs and an Alma lobster shop onesie for the real-life Alma that Mike’s best friend’s son is trying to adopt.

Alma

Alma Lobster Shop

As we walked back to our tiny but cozy Airbnb, we saw fishing paraphernalia, colorful coils of rope and lobster pots.

We settled into our cozy Airbnb and watched the last episodes of Virgin River and read.

Alma fishing yard

colorful ropes

our tiny but cozy Airbnb

Steps: 16,779; Miles 7.09. Drove 160 miles.

Tuesday, October 4: This morning we left Alma and headed to Prince Edward Island to visit my friend Lisa. On the way, we returned to Hopewell Rocks. We were hoping to see the rocks at high tide, at which time all you can see are the tops of the rocks covered with vegetation and appearing as tiny islands. Alas, we arrived too late for high tide. We got there at 9:58 a.m., and high tide had been around 7:50 a.m., so we were two hours late. The water was definitely higher than when we were there yesterday, but it was low enough that we could have walked all the way to the beach at the far end.

The time span between low and high tide is 6 hours and 13 minutes. People have the chance to walk on the ocean’s floor from 3 hours before low tide until 3 hours after.

Today’s hours of operation in the park were 9:00 to 17:00, so there was no way we would have seen the morning’s high tide anyway.

We enjoyed some views of the Flower Pots nearest the stairs but they weren’t covered at all by water while we were there from 10:00 a.m. until 10:20 a.m.

Hopewell Rocks on Tuesday morning

the Tides on Tuesday morning

Hopewell Rocks as the tide is going out

We took off, heading for Prince Edward Island. We made a stop in Moncton at Café Archibald, where we had coffees and an egg, bacon and cheese English muffin. The cafe was cute and the staff was busily preparing lunches for take-out.

We left after a bit and drove down Moncton’s main street. It was a charming town. People apparently spoke both French and English there. I was sad we didn’t have time to explore more.

Still in New Brunswick, we stopped at Cape Jourimain to take pictures of the Confederation Bridge leading to Prince Edward Island. It is a box-girder bridge carrying the Trans-Canada Highway across the Abegweit Passage of the Northumberland Strait, linking the province of Prince Edward Island with New Brunswick on the mainland. Opened May 31, 1997, the 12.9km (8.0mi) bridge is Canada’s longest bridge and the world’s largest bridge over ice-covered water.

Tolls only apply when leaving Prince Edward Island (traveling westbound). Toll rates since January 2022 are $50.25 for a two-axle auto. Motorcycles pay $20. Pedestrians and cyclists are not permitted to cross the bridge, but a shuttle service is available.

Cape Jourimain is an area comprising two islands and a section of mainland along the southwestern shore of the Northumberland Strait. The two islands, Jourimain and Trenholm, have been connected to the mainland since 1966 by an artificial causeway. It is host to the western end of the Confederation Bridge. In 1980, the two islands, including a section of mainland, were designated as a National Wildlife Area.

There were trails that looked enticing but we didn’t take them because we were due to be at Lisa’s house by 3:00-4:00.

We saw a lighthouse, the Cape Jourimain Lighthouse, built in 1870 after nearly 30 years of petitions. The 15.5m lighthouse was built to help sailors navigate the narrow strait. The lighthouse operated until 1997 when the Cape Tormentine Ferry service was decommissioned as a result of the opening of the Confederation Bridge.

Cape Jourimain

me at Cape Jourimain with the Confederation Bridge behind me

The Confederation Bridge from Cape Jourimain

Cape Jourimain

Here is a short video of our time at Hopewell Rocks and the rest of New Brunswick.

We crossed the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island.

saint john & the bay of fundy

wanderessence1025 February 15, 2023

We spent four nights in Saint John, New Brunswick, from which we visited Fundy National Park, the Bay of Fundy, Ministers Island, and St. Andrews by-the-Sea, as well as exploring the city of Saint John.

Thursday, September 29, 2022: I wrote about our drive to Saint John and our visit to Sackville Waterfowl Park here: heading to saint john, new brunswick by way of sackville.

Fundy National Park

Friday, September 30: We got a relatively early start today since we had a longish drive to Fundy National Park. The park preserves unique wilderness on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. It has wilderness areas, as well as beaches, rocky headlands, sea caves and inlets, wildlife and stunning vistas.

This 206-square-km (80 sq. miles) park was New Brunswick’s first national park and serves as a microcosm of New Brunswick’s inland and coastal climates. It has been designated as a Dark Sky Preserve by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Among the most scenic of the park’s 100km of biking and hiking trails is Laverty Falls, a 2 1/2 km (1 1/2 mi) trail that descends through hardwood forests to Laverty Waterfall.

We made a quick stop at Wolfe Lake to see what maps we could get from the Visitor Center. The ranger told us she thought the dirt access road to the Laverty Falls Trail was closed due to fallen trees felled by Hurricane Fiona.

Hoping she was wrong, we drove there anywaw to find the crews had cleared all the trees and we were able to drive up the very long road. When we got to the parking lot, we were the only ones there. It was quite cold, so I was all bundled up in layers, a fuzzy hat and gloves, but because the trail was a descent followed by an ascent, I had taken off most layers by the time we returned to the top.

I prefer to hike with wide open vistas, but the Laverty Falls hike was all in a forest. The forest seemed rather magical, however, with its golden ferns, spaced-out pine trees, moss-covered glades, and dappled light. Likely because of Fiona, there were downed trees and streams flowing down the middle of the path, so it made for some creative rock- and root-hopping. We had the trail almost to ourselves.

We ate bread and cheese on rocks near the beautiful Laverty Waterfall and then made our way back to the top.

Laverty Falls hike

a squirrel at Laverty Falls

Laverty Falls hike

Laverty Falls

Laverty Falls hike

Mike on the Laverty Falls hike

Laverty Falls hike

Me at the end of the hike

After the hike, we drove to the eastern end of Fundy National Park, the bayside, for a viewpoint or two and checked out the small town of Alma where we would stay for one night on our way to Prince Edward Island. To get back to Saint John, we drove through the park again.

view of the Bay of Fundy

Alma

view of the bay from Alma

boardwalk at Alma

Alma marina

marina at Alma

entering back into the park

We had to stop to see the strange golf course at Fundy that Mike remembered playing as a 12- or 13-year-old when he visited with his parents. The tee for the first hole is at the top of a cliff.

The course, nestled in the Dickson Brook Valley, was designed by course architect Stanley Thompson. It has some tricky greens and some quite taxing elevations, but carts are available.

first tee at the Fundy National Park golf course

The New Brunswick side of the Upper Bay of Fundy was designated by UNESCO in 2007 as a World Biosphere Reserve celebrating the area’s unique ecosystems, landscapes and cultures. Biosphere Reserves aim to improve the relationship between people and their environment by promoting the conservation of biodiversity and fostering sustainable development. Fundy National Park is the heart of this Fundy Biosphere Reserve.

Some interesting facts we learned:

Today many agricultural lands are a result of dykes built by the Acadians in the 18th century.
Salt marshes form in sheltered areas of tidal mud flats. They are very productive nursery habitats for many species of the Bay and adjacent land.
The Acadian Forest is made up of 32 species of trees which form a rich ecosystem that is home to people and a multitude of plant and animal life.
Arriving along the Fundy shores in late July from the Canadian Arctic, thousands of shorebirds fatten up on tiny mud shrimp in preparation for a non-stop flight to South America.
The Fisherman’s Clock is always changing. Fishing boats can only leave or dock at the wharf when the height of the tide permits. The night time could be morning, noon, or night!

Saint John

After our trip to Fundy National Park, we went out to dinner at Thandi (“East Meets West”) in Saint John. It’s an Asian fusion place but we had Indian food. I enjoyed Korma with shrimp: a mild creamy sauce combined with a mixture of cashews. Mike had Dal Makhani, an Indian lentil delicacy in rich cream sauce with onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and spices.

Mike and I must have been spending too much time together because I got quite annoyed with him after some comments he made about a book I’ve been reading (In the Field by Claire Tacon). I said I couldn’t wait to finish my book. He said, “Why, is it a mystery?” As if a person should only want to find out the ending to a mystery but not any other kind of book. I rarely read mysteries and I’d already told him a lot about this book, which is literary fiction and is set in Nova Scotia. Don’t we want to find out the ending to every genre of book we read? As an English major and an avid reader, I get impatient with his occasional confusion about genres of books and points of view. He said I was being condescending (which I was) and I said he was being condescending (which he was).

On top of that, the waiter kept addressing Mike directly and acting as if I didn’t exist. “Sir, what would you like?” “Sir, can I get you anything else?” It was so patriarchal and annoying. I said, “There are two of us here. And yes, I’m fine, thank you!” I don’t think the guy knew how to speak to women.

Thandi

Korma with shrimp

Dal Makhani

Finally, we both relaxed and decided to put it all behind us. We managed to get out of there without strangling each other and the waiter.

We meandered back to our Airbnb, stopping to admire the 1880 Trinity Anglican Church, a Gothic Revival stone church. It was designated a local Historic Place for its architecture and for being the first established congregation in the city.

The port town of Saint John is a much smaller and more industrial city than Halifax. We saw one of two big cruise ships pulling out of port, a beautiful sunset over the harbor, and some cute shops along the streets.

sunset at Saint John waterfront

Trinity Anglican Church

Mike carrying our leftovers

Saint John, New Brunswick

cute shop in Saint John

me in our meanderings through Saint John

another cute shop in Saint John

Back in our Airbnb, we got cozy and watched several more episodes of Virgin River and then cuddled up for the night.

Steps: 19,119; Miles: 8.09. Drove 176.3 miles.

Saturday, October 1: This morning Mike worked out on the exercise bike on our Airbnb apartment while I had a leisurely morning and a hot bath. Then we went out to explore and learn what we could about the city of Saint John.

Mike rides the exercise bike in our Airbnb

Our Airbnb is on the top floor

Natives of Saint John welcomed explorers Samuel de Champlain and Sieur de Monts when the Frenchmen landed here on St. John the Baptist Day in 1604. It was the first city to be incorporated in Canada in 1785. Nearly two centuries later, residents opened their rocky forested land to 3,000 British Loyalists fleeing the U.S. after the American Revolutionary War, and then an influx of Irish families, thousands who came after the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, and then later many thousands more during the Irish potato famine of 1845-1852.

Today cruise ships bring visitors (75 in 2018) that dock at its revitalized waterfront. Now the city has two cruise terminals.

Industry and the salt air combine to give Saint John a weather-beaten quality, but the town also has restored 19th-century wooden and red brick homes as well as modern office buildings, hotels and shops.

Reversing Falls Rapids

We went first thing to see the famous Reversing Falls Rapids in Saint John. The Reversing Falls gorge is the sole drainage outflow for 55,000 square kilometers of land mass in both New Brunswick and the state of Maine.

The strong Fundy tides rise higher than the water level of the Saint John River, so twice each day at the Reversing Falls Rapids, the tide water from the bay pushes the river some 90km (56mi) back upstream and the rapids appear to reverse themselves. We visited first at low tide, around 11:00 a.m. where we saw the rapids of the river flowing toward the bay. At low tide, the full flow of the 724.5km (450mi) Saint John River rolls and swirls through the narrow gorge between Falls View Park and the Irving Pulp & Paper Mill.

We visited again at 4:00 p.m. to see the higher water levels and the rapids going upstream on the river. It is a fascinating phenomenon and we tried many different viewpoints. Sadly, marring the view is that unsightly pulp plant.

Slack tide only lasts for about 20 minutes and happens when the Bay of Fundy waters begin to rise and slow the river’s flow, eventually stopping the flow completely. During the time between these contrary events, the water’s surface rests placidly at slack tide, allowing vessels to come and go through the 150-meter-wide gorge in relative safety. This is the only time that sailboats and pleasure crafts can sail between the Bay of Fundy and the Saint John River.

The Reversing Falls Rapids phenomenon is only about 3,000 years old. The phenomenon is blamed on the Bay of Fundy, a dynamic marine ecosystem known for producing the world’s most extreme tides.

Reversing Falls Rapids

Besides viewing the Reversing Falls twice during the day, we wandered around the town, first stopping for coffee at Catapult Coffee (pumpkin spice latte!). One thing we wanted to do today was to visit the New Brunswick Museum, which supposedly covered the history, geology, and culture of New Brunswick. Sadly it was closed because of “the stress on the artifacts due to large numbers of visitors.” They were looking to relocate it to a larger space elsewhere. That left us with not much to do except eat, drink, shop and see the Reversing Rapids. I did however manage to buy two pairs of earrings and a bookmark at the New Brunswick Museum Gift Shop. 🙂

Catapult Coffee & Studio

Trinity Anglican Church

New Brunswick Museum

We wandered through the Saint John City Market (the oldest continuously operating farmer’s market in Canada, dating from 1876),with its offerings of mustards, honey, syrups, produce, boxes of La Croix sparking water, and take-out eateries (but no place to sit).

Saint John City Market

We ate plenty of greens at Marci’s Salads Reimagined, where I had a La Mixta salad and Mike a Sweet Root salad.

Of course I always manage to sniff out a clothing store. I discovered In Pursuit: The Uptown Boutique, where I tried on lots of clothes. Ever patient Mike rested in a “husband chair” while I perused the shop. I bought a black sweatshirt that says “EAST COAST” and a brown Fair Isle sweater. I could have bought more if Mike hadn’t been there!

Marci’s Salads Reimagined

alley behind Marci’s Salads Reimagined

Mike in his “husband chair” at In Pursuit: The Uptown Boutique

We found some cool murals in our wanderings, one with a giant colorful tortoise and another with an octopus.

Tortoise mural

ocotpus mural

marsh of dreams

Saint John doesn’t have much of a waterfront but plans are underway to re-imagine it. Currently they have a “Container Village” where the cruise ships dock. We wandered through the more than 60 colorful containers but the shops weren’t all that enticing. Calling something a “boutique” when it’s in a container is quite a stretch. Shops open were called Boatique, Beaver Tails, Cannabis NB, The Sugar Spider, and The Vagabond Studios. The village is designed to cater to music events and cruise passengers.

Container Village

We wandered through the downtown and pretty neighborhoods back to our Airbnb.

downtown Saint John

neighborhoods of Saint John

We drove over to Reversing Falls Rapids at high tide, around 4:00 p.m. and saw the rapids going up the river.

Reversing Falls at high tide

We stayed in this evening and ate our Thandi leftovers and watched several back-to-back episodes of Virgin River.

Here’s a video of the water in action around the Bay of Fundy.

Steps: 12,025; Miles: 5.09. Drove 14.7 miles.

Sunday, October 2: Today we took a day trip to Ministers Island and St. Andrews by-the-Sea, which I wrote about here: ministers island & st. andrews by-the-sea, new brunswick.

On Monday morning, we would make our way to Alma to see the famous Hopewell Rocks.

ministers island & st. andrews by-the-sea, new brunswick

wanderessence1025 February 8, 2023

Sunday, October 2, 2022: This morning we drove to St. Andrews by-the-Sea in New Brunswick, almost to the U.S. border in Maine. But before we went into the town, we drove over a sand bar at low tide to Ministers Island.

Ministers Island

The Passamaquoddy people lived on this island, Qonasqamqi Monihkuk, for thousands of years. In 1790, Samuel Andrews, an Anglican minister and Loyalist, built a home here, hence the name. Around 1890, William Van Horne, visionary builder of the Canadian Pacific Railway, established his summer estate here.

The 490-acre Ministers Island stands several hundred meters offshore in New Brunswick’s Passamaquoddy Bay, immediately northeast of St. Andrews-by-the-Sea. It is a geographical oddity in that it is accessible at low tide only by the wide gravel bar suitable for vehicular travel.

It is possible to drive, walk, or bike to the island at low tide; we drove. We were adequately warned to make sure to leave the island before the tide came in or we would be stuck for another 6 hours. The sand bar that connects Ministers Island to the mainland is under at least 14 feet of water at high tide. Tide schedules change daily so it was essential to check the tide chart posted at either end of the bar before crossing. We were warned we should NOT attempt to cross on foot or by vehicle if there were water on the bar as the tide is swift and the water frigid.

Here we are crossing the sand bar to the island.

We drove across at 10:51 a.m. and on the island side, they told us we had to leave the island by 2:00 p.m. or we’d have to wait 6 hours to leave. The overall tide change is 16 feet, covering the sand bar “road” totally.

Ministers Island

the sand bar to Ministers Island

This huge island estate, once completely self-sufficient, was the summer home of Sir William Van Horne (1843 – 1915), chairman of the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1899-1915. Today, Ministers Island is a Provincial and Federal Historic Site and is managed by the Van Horne Estate on Ministers Island, Inc. a community-based non-profit dedicated to preserving the nature and history of the island.

In 1891, construction began on the house named for Sir William Van Horne’s father, Cornelius Covenhoven Van Horne. What started as a somewhat modest summer cottage, after as many as seven modifications, became the 50-room residence of today. It was supported by numerous outbuildings, including a windmill and gardener’s cottage.

By the time of Van Horne’s death in 1915, the island had been transformed into a small idyllic utopia, revolving around the sandstone mansion known as Covenhoven. It was furnished in a lavish late Edwardian manner, with manicured grounds, scenic roads, greenhouses turning out exotic fruits and vegetables as well as a breeding farm.

First, we came upon the large chateau-style barn, designed for Van Horne in 1898; it is one of the largest in The Maritimes, and it was often regarded as the most beautiful. The barn was used for breeding of Van Horne’s prizewinning Clydesdale horses and Dutch-belted cattle, one of the only such herds in North America.

The farm was also home to pigs, geese, ducks, chickens and turkeys. The produce of the farm and gardens was shipped to Montreal by night train during the winter months, providing the family with fresh food throughout the year. The barn was surrounded by several outbuildings, including a creamery, smaller barns and living quarters for the workers. Workers in the barn wore white lab coats. The story goes that, on a visit to the barn, Van Horne saw workers staring out the window. To ensure maximum productivity, he had the windows moved up above their sight lines.

Originally 23 buildings stood on this property, many of which were part of the farm operation. Milk produced by the Dutch Belted Cattle was piped from the barn to the Creamery.

the chateau-style barn

old car in the barn

tractor

buggy

cattle pens

milking stations

the high windows used to keep workers from staring out the window

sheep pens

the Creamery

We went on a tour through parts of Covenhoven, Sir William’s 50-room summer home, which has an old windmill sitting out back.

We were told that in the dining room, leading American and Canadian businessmen, railway barons, Japanese royalty, and well-known members of international society dined at the table, which could seat up to 24. Dinner for the men was followed by port, cigars and billiards. For the ladies, it was playing cards and relaxing by a roaring fire in the living room.

Here, Van Horne pursued his diverse interests from art to zoology. A talented amateur artist and collector, Van Horne used this island estate to encourage Canadian landscape painting.

After the tour, we were left to wander through on our own. The cottage-turned-mansion was quite impressive.

windmill at Covenhoven

Covenhoven

Living room at Covenhoven

kitchen at Covenhoven

Covenhoven

Van Horne’s artist supplies

details at Covenhoven

Covenhoven

In one part of the home, we learned about Van Horne’s efforts on behalf of national parks in Canada. In 1883, at Van Horne’s suggestion, the federal government began to consider the creation of national parks and in 1885 set aside land around the sulfur hot springs in Banff for public use. Legislation was passed in 1887 making it the first National Park in Canada. Today Parks Canada manages 168 national historic sites, serves as Canada’s representative at the United Nations World Heritage Committee and is responsible for the administration of 11 of Canada’s 17 World Heritage Sites.

The summer estate reflects Van Horne’s vision of the importance of tourism and agriculture in Canada’s development. The buildings are in the Shingles style, popular for resort architecture in Canada in the late-19th and early 20th centuries.

Ministers Island

Canadian Pacific Railway

Banff

As we wandered outdoors on the grounds of the estate, we were confused by the time. Our cellphones kept picking up Maine time (the state is just across the water), which was one hour behind. The time on my phone was showing it to be one hour earlier than it was. So at 2:00, when we were supposed to leave the island, my phone could have been showing 1:00, thus giving us the mistaken impression we had an extra hour before we had to leave the island. If we had not realized what was happening, we might have been stuck on the island another 6 hours.

We walked to the southern tip of the island, where Van Horne had constructed a bathhouse from red sandstone blasted from the beach below; the perfectly round two-story building was completed in 1912. The upper level offered panoramic views of the bay while the lower level contained changing rooms and provided access to the beach via a circular walkway and the family’s in-ground tidal saltwater swimming pool. We walked on the rocky beach and were battered about by the icy wind.

walkway to the bathhouse

bathhouse

changing rooms in the bathhouse

Sandstone bathhouse

the beach

me on the “beach”

beach

bathhouse

kelp

bathhouse

Before leaving the island, we saw Cedar Lane, a cedar-lined foot and carriage trail to the Covenhoven estate. We left Ministers Island at 12:40, in plenty of time to avoid being trapped there for six hours, and headed to St. Andrews-by-the-Sea.

Cedar Lane

leaving across the sandbar

Here we are driving across the sand bar back to the mainland.

St. Andrews-by-the-Sea

We had a nice lunch at Niger Reef Tea House in St. Andrews. I enjoyed fish cakes with lemon dill aioli and Mike had Veggie burgers: mixed bean and roasted vegetables with sun-dried tomato pesto.

Niger Reef Tea House

Veggie burger

fish cakes

St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, on Passamaquoddy Bay, was designated a National Historic District in 1998. It has long been a summer retreat of the affluent, and mansions ring the town. Of the town’s 550 buildings, 280 were erected before 1880, and 14 of those have survived from the 1700s. In 1777, Loyalists from the U.S. moved north to escape the Revolutionary War and settled in what is now St. Andrews in 1783. Some Loyalists even brought their homes piece by piece across the bay from Castine, Maine.

We walked past the blockhouses built to defend the batteries that were meant to protect the harbor and river from privateering raids. Fort Tipperary, a modest fort, had been built in 1808 above the town, but citizens felt it didn’t protect the harbor sufficiently. During the American Revolution privateers attacked and robbed every port in the Maritimes except Halifax. In wartime, governments licensed private businesses and ships to seize enemy vessels and cargoes as “prizes.” This was frequent along the east coast during the War of 1812. Licensed American privateers were drawn to the ships for their valuable cargoes, or to the town to loot prosperous homes and businesses. Privateering was a common wartime practice until the mid-1800s.

block house in St. Andrews by-the-Sea

low tide

cannons in St. Andrews by-the-Sea

St. Andrews by-the-Sea

We strolled the streets of St. Andrews, stopping at various shops, including McGuire Chocolate Company for hot chocolate and pumpkin spice latte. Another shop, Kilt & Kaboodle, sold woolen sweaters, scarves and hats made in Killarney, Ireland. I bought a fisherman’s hat, which Mike enjoyed poking fun at, calling me “Roscoe” and other crazy names. He said I reminded him of Susie in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. That hat gave us lots of laughs throughout our trip.

Mike bought a nice plaid shirt in The Leather House and I bought a cool scarf in browns and creams. I also bought some earrings at Warm & Coasty Boutique. I always enjoy our shopping time during our travels. 🙂

We walked out on the wharf and saw the low tide, the waterfront and people in life vests preparing to sail off on a cruise.

St. Andrews by-the-Sea

low tide at St. Andrews by-the-Sea

St. Andrews by-the-Sea

Mike at McGuire Chocolate Company

me at McGuire Chocolate Company

St. Andrews by-the-Sea

me being goofy

Warm & Coasty

Map of St. Andrews by-the-Sea & Ministers Island

cool murals in town

the tide comes in at St. Andrews by-the-Sea

the tide rolls in

St. Andrews by-the-Sea

We also saw cool murals, The Kennedy Inn, and the Pendlebury Lighthouse, aka the St. Andrews North Point Lighthouse. Built in 1833 at the tip of the peninsula, it was deactivated in 1938 and has since been restored and registered as a Canadian historic place.

Pendlebury Lighthouse

a beautiful house near the lighthouse

In 1840, the Charlotte County Court House was built and used continuously until 2016. Next to it was the Charlotte County Gaol, which operated between 1834-1979. It accommodated the jailer and 17 prisoners. The Presbyterian Greenock Church, built in 1824, was the second church built in town.

Charlotte County Courthouse

Charlotte County Gaol

Greenock Church

We had left Ministers Island at 12:40. While leaving St. Andrews at 4:00, we drove by again. It wasn’t yet high tide (which was at 5:30 p.m.) but at that time we could no longer see the sand bar.

the sandbar at 12:40

Ministers Island sign at 4:00

the sand bar is covered at 4:00

4:00 views of the covered sandbar

the covered sandbar at 4:00

Lepreau Falls

On our way to Saint John from St. Andrews, we stopped at a gas station where the young man behind the counter was quite friendly and garrulous. After complimenting my “shirt” (I had on a vest and shirt), he asked where I was from and wanted to know all about Virginia. He told me chunks of his life story, how he lived with his grandmother in Florida two months out of every year and how he had friends he wanted to visit in Virginia. He told us we should visit the nearby Lepreau Falls Provincial Park. Since it wasn’t too far out of the way, we stopped and had the waterfall to ourselves.

The name Lepreau Falls is of French origin and is a derivative of la pereau, for “little rabbit.” The contemporary spelling has prevailed since the mid-19th century.

The rapids above the main falls produce white caps and eddies which culminate with a roar over an 8-meter rocky ledge into the Bay of Fundy at its base. It is one of New Brunswick’s best “drive-by waterfalls.”

Of course Mike requested that Roscoe (the name he began calling me with my new fisherman’s hat) pose for a picture wearing the aforementioned hat.

Lepreau Falls Provincial Park

Mike at Lepreau Falls Provincial Park

Lepreau Falls Provincial Park

me as “Roscoe”

Lepreau Falls Provincial Park

Saint John

Back in Saint John, we went to dinner at Mashawi Zen Syrian Food. The door was locked though signs were outside on the sidewalk indicating it was open. We knocked on the door and the guy there grudgingly opened the door. He took his sweet time waiting on us and then revealed that they didn’t have any meat at all. We ordered the Aleppo Fava Beans plate, a very rich dish into which we dipped bread. Mike had a lentil soup, Mamounieh. All in all, it was very disappointing.

As we walked out, a guy walking by on the street said, “Did you like it?” We said, “They were out of everything!” Mike added, “…because it’s a Sunday.” The guy said, “Great to use ‘Sunday’ as an excuse!” He added, “It’s not my thing.”

Mashawi Zen Syrian Food

We went to our apartment where we got cozy, watched Virgin River, and prepared to move to Alma the next day.

Steps: 12,183; Miles: 5.16. Drove 144 miles. 🙂

heading to saint john, new brunswick by way of sackville

wanderessence1025 February 1, 2023

Thursday, September 29: We checked out of our Airbnb in Halifax this morning which required quite a bit of packing and cleaning up.

We did a quick drive through Truro, known as “The Hub of Nova Scotia” because travelers go through it on the Trans-Canada Highway. It might have been an okay town to explore, but it wasn’t all that fetching from what we could tell.

Sackville, New Brunswick

Sackville was of interest to us because of the waitress from The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse in Halifax. Our waitress had gone to college in Sackville, an idyllic university town with stately homes and ivy-clad university buildings. Mount Allison University, founded in 1839, specializes in liberal arts education at the undergraduate level. It’s small, with a student population of about 2,400.

One of the things we learned in this small town is that when people cross crosswalks, they don’t bother to look to see if any cars are approaching. They just step boldly out into the crosswalk, deep in conversation with their friends, bringing cars driven by clueless Americans to a screeching halt. In the U.S. people generally try to catch a driver’s eye to make sure they’re seen before stepping out into a crosswalk.

We made it through the town without running over anyone and went directly for the Sackville Waterfowl Park.

Sackville Waterfowl Park

What could be better than all these things at once: a sprinkling of fall colors, a boardwalk over marshland, a breeze tickling the marsh grasses, and gleaming birch trees? We found all of these at the Sackville Waterfowl Park about halfway between Halifax, Nova Scotia and Saint John, New Brunswick.

The Sackville Waterfowl Park has more than 3km (2 mi) of boardwalk and trails through 55 acres of wetlands that are home to some 180 species of birds and 200 species of plants. Throughout the park, viewing areas and interpretive signs reveal the rare waterfowl species that rest here.

At the interpretive center we learned that this area, once part of a vast salt marsh, was dyked and drained by Acadian settlers in the late 1600s to secure land for agriculture. A century later, immigrants from Yorkshire, England expanded drainage to access more farmland.

The park stands at the edge of the upper Bay of Fundy marshes, the largest wetland in Atlantic Canada. Natural wetlands are important water reservoirs, natural purification systems and wildlife habitats. The park was impounded and flooded in 1988.

The trails had some cute names such as Quack Trail, The Birches, Loosestrife Lane, Redwing Way and Minnow Overpass.

marsh grasses at Sackville Waterfowl Park

Sackville Waterfowl Park

quirky trail names

Sackville Waterfowl Park

me at Sackville Waterfowl Park

Sackville Waterfowl Park

Mike at Sackville Waterfowl Park

Sackville Waterfowl Park

birches at Sackville Waterfowl Park

Sackville Waterfowl Park

Mike

me at Sackville Waterfowl Park

Sackville Waterfowl Park

a covered bridge at Sackville Waterfowl Park

Sackville Waterfowl Park

winding boardwalks

Sackville Waterfowl Park

It was such a lovely day, it was hard to force ourselves to get in the car to drive another couple of hours to Saint John.

On our way out of town, we stopped at a cute bakery where we bought a few sweets and savories.

Saint John, New Brunswick

We arrived at our Airbnb in Saint John around 4:00. It was an airy and roomy place, the top floor of a large house within a short walk of the downtown. The host’s father rented the bottom floor.

The apartment was actually lived in part-time by the hosts and they efficiently put their stuff away into locked cupboards when guests came to stay.

We enjoyed drinks on the back porch. Then we drove around to look for a grocery store. At Sobey’s we bought some goods to hold us during our four night stay: eggs, grape tomatoes, Fold-it bread, and creamer.

We ate in tonight but I don’t remember what we had. After dinner, we settled in and watched a couple of episodes of Virgin River on their huge flat screen TV.

Mike on the porch of our Saint John Airbnb

kitchen in our Saint John Airbnb

dining area

one bedroom (of two)

stairs leading to the first floor

living room

living room with exercise bikes

It was time for us to begin our explorations of the Bay of Fundy.

Steps: 11,198; miles 4.74. Drove 286 miles.

an unwelcome welcome from hurricane fiona: arriving in nova scotia

wanderessence1025 November 30, 2022

Virginia to Massachusetts

Wednesday, September 21, 2022: As I got in the car for my 400 mile drive to Sturbridge, Massachusetts on my way to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Mike came out to the driveway to wish me safe travels. “Things don’t look good,” he said. “It looks like Hurricane Fiona may be headed straight for Halifax.”

This was the first I’d heard we might encounter problems. We had packed up the car and I was on the way out. All of our Airbnbs were booked and it was by no means certain that the hurricane wouldn’t veer off in another direction. It would take me 2 1/2 days to drive and I hoped the forecast would change as I drove. But there was no way to know and no way I was going to cancel our trip based on what-ifs.

I drove through Maryland, Delaware (“Endless Discoveries”), New Jersey via the New Jersey Turnpike, New York, Connecticut and, finally, Massachusetts.

The drive wasn’t horrible until I got to New York, where my GPS routed me to various four-lane parkways that were slow and crowded. In Connecticut, the worst part of the drive, I crept along on the Merritt Parkway and the Hutchinson Parkway until I rerouted myself to Norwalk, where I got on I-95N. That was surprisingly even slower. What was supposed to be a 7 hour drive turned into 9 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Fiona was looming as a Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. It had made landfall in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, passed near Turks & Caicos Islands and was at that time threatening Bermuda and Atlantic Canada. The 6th named storm, 3rd hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, Fiona developed from a tropical wave that emerged from West Africa, before developing into a tropical depression east of the Leeward Islands on September 14.

When I arrived in Sturbridge to Scottish Inns, Sturbridge, I was exhausted. I went out to grab a McDonald’s cheeseburger and ate it as I hunkered down in my room. I watched The Weather Channel, listening carefully to the news about Fiona and learning about all kinds of weather disasters on “Weather Gone Viral.”

Steps: 4,321; Miles: 1.83. Miles driven: 410.9.

All packed up and ready to go

My drive from Virginia to Sturbridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts to Saint John, New Brunswick

Thursday, September 22: I left Sturbridge by 8:15 a.m., after meeting a family from Denmark in the breakfast room at the hotel. They had just arrived the day before in Boston and were heading to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, then to Niagara Falls, both the American and the Canadian sides. They didn’t need to concern themselves with the hurricane because they’d be inland. I told them I was in love with Danish TV shows: especially Borgen, Rita, and The Bridge. I always mispronounce Borgen and meet puzzled looks when I mention it.

It was dark and pouring rain for the entire drive today. Visibility was almost nonexistent and I was stressed out to the max, driving in those conditions and worrying about Fiona. I arrived at the Maine State Visitor Information Center and took a break; I have always loved the feel of Maine with its pine trees, lobster culture and rugged coastal terrain. I had another 4+ hours to Canada.

Maine Visitor Center in Kittery

Mileage signpost in the visitor center

Lobster pot in the Visitor Center

I was especially stressed on Route 9 to Calais, Maine, which was about 75 miles through a mountainous, deserted, wooded area. It reminded me of the night I drove over the Sangro de Cristo mountains after visiting Adam in Crestone, Colorado. I don’t like being alone driving in dark deserted areas.

Luckily, crossing the border to Canada was easy. One strange question: “Are you carrying anything that you plan to leave in Canada?” I couldn’t think of a thing and answered “No” as to whether I was carrying cannabis or firearms.

At the Welcome Center to New Brunswick, I picked up various pamphlets. The guy working there seemed to think the hurricane coming was not all that unusual or threatening. I bought some funky socks for Mike’s Christmas stocking and was on my way.

Once I got into Canada, the road to Saint John was smooth sailing. It was a modern 4-lane divided highway that I had almost to myself. It took me an hour and half to get to Quispamsis, east of Saint John, where I checked into Quality Inn & Suites Quispamsis. I went out for a dinner of Yellow Thai Curry with Shrimp at House of Chan and enjoyed a cup of wine when I got back to the room. My fortune cookie promised “Your hard work will soon pay off.” I guessed we would see about that.

House of Chan

My route today from Sturbridge, MA to Saint John, New Brunswick

the hurricane forecast on Thursday night

I watched the Weather Channel about what things people should get in case of power outages. They were expecting prolonged power outages especially in Cape Breton. Rather than watching about Fiona’s approach toward the Maritimes, I thought I’d cheer myself up by reading Anne of Green Gables.

Steps: 3,535; Miles: 1.48. Miles driven: 477.10.

Saint John, New Brunswick to Halifax, Nova Scotia

Friday: September 23: There was a nice breakfast with scrambled eggs and bacon at the hotel, so I was properly fueled to face the day. It was sunny, surprisingly, when I left. I had expected the area to already be cloud-covered with Fiona’s approach.

It seemed that Hurricane Fiona was now predicted to make landfall in the Maritimes around 2-3 a.m. Saturday morning. We had our Airbnb reserved in Halifax and if Mike was able to fly in, he was due to fly to Stanfield International in Halifax at 5:18 p.m. Friday. It got windier and rainier the closer I got to Halifax.

I was nervous because I didn’t know if I should continue on to Halifax since the predictions were that Halifax would be hit by the outer southwest fringes of the storm. I wondered if I should scrap my plans to stay at the Airbnb and stay further inland at a big hotel in Truro. But if Mike’s flight in fact came in, there would be no one to pick him up. We had no idea if the flight would even come in at 5:18.

It was touch and go and I didn’t like having to make these decisions without being able to communicate with Mike.

I decided I’d go ahead to the Airbnb and see what it was like. I first stopped at Sobey’s in Truro and stocked up on groceries, trying not to buy too many perishables or refrigerated goods, knowing it was likely we’d be without power for some time. I picked up a prepared meal for Mike of chicken, stuffing, and mashed potatoes since I figured he wouldn’t get a meal on his flight. I would eat my leftover Yellow Thai Curry with Shrimp from Thursday night.

Halifax, Nova Scotia

The Airbnb, an entire three-story house (including basement with laundry room) was nice enough and certainly too large for the two of us, but the neighborhood was rather slovenly. The steps up the backdoor were broken and rather precarious. Luckily the house sat on high ground and there weren’t many big trees around. I moved all our stuff into the house and got the food situated. After getting settled, I drove a half hour back to the airport, which I’d passed on the way in, hoping Mike’s flight would arrive. It did arrive, probably the last flight of the day, but it took him forever to find me despite the airport’s small size.

It turned out that the pilot had told the passengers on Mike’s flight that if it was too windy in Halifax, they’d have to turn around and return to Toronto, where Mike had connected from Washington.

We drove to the house and got comfortable for the night. Mike ended up eating my leftover Thai food, and he made us his famous whiskey and ginger ale. We watched the Weather Channel, trying to determine when and where Fiona would land. We also watched an episode of Bitter Daisies (O sabor das margaridas) and did our Duolingo. We rarely watch TV when we’re traveling, but this would be one trip where we watched something nearly every night.

We went to sleep in one room but the wind was howling on that side of the house so we moved to the other side of the house.

We didn’t know how much damage the storm would cause, how long we might be without power, how long it would rain or how long we might be trapped by downed trees. Everything was unknown.

I couldn’t help but think of people all over the world affected by crazy climate events that don’t have any choice but to fight for their survival in the face of devastating storms, fires, flooding, earthquakes, or devastating winds.

Steps: 4,132; Miles 1.75. Miles driven: 316.

our Airbnb in Halifax

Watching the Weather Channel in Halifax

Saturday, September 24: The wind and rain of Hurricane Fiona battered the house all night long, but for the most part we slept through it. Of course we woke up to no power. Luckily there was still hot water in the tank, so I was able to take a hot bath and Mike a shower. Of course we couldn’t brew coffee in the multiple coffee / espresso makers that came with the house, and sadly the stove was electric, so there was no way to cook or heat up anything. We luckily had some yogurt to eat for breakfast. The house, however, was getting cold quickly without heat.

One of the places we planned to go during our stay in Nova Scotia was the cute town of Lunenburg, and since it was further southwest and away from the storm’s center, we hoped the town would have power. Mike called a hotel listed in the guidebook and they told us they were on a different power grid than Halifax, so they had power. We drove 55 miles to get a cup of coffee and to visit that area. As we drove out, it seemed all of Halifax was without power. Not even gas stations or McDonalds were open. There were no lights on anywhere for miles around.

Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

In Mahone Bay, we found a cozy coffee shop, The Barn Coffee and Social House. It was warm and bustling with people trying to dry out from the storm. We sat inhaling the coffee beans and the beeswax candles and chatting with other customers who had come in out of the cold on this Saturday morning. Mahone Bay was further removed from the center of the hurricane which was at that moment moving over Cape Breton and Newfoundland, further north. One woman chatted on and on about her property and the horses she used to have.

me staying warm in The Barn Coffee and Social House

Mike in The Barn Coffee and Social House

The Barn Coffee and Social House

beeswax candles in The Barn Coffee and Social House

Mahone Bay is a pastoral town with three vintage churches strung out along a grass-fringed curved shoreline. The town was once a thriving shipbuilding center. Back in the day, pirates and privateers thrived here. The town was named for the type of low-lying ship they used: a corruption of the French word “mahonne,” a low-lying barge-like boat. Galleries and studios lined Main Street but sadly none were open on this post-storm day. Its population of 1,100 includes many craftspeople.

After our leisurely time in the coffee shop, we drove around, encountering crews working to remove downed trees from porches, driftwood sculptures resembling dinosaurs, a Humpty Dumpty on a red clapboard house porch, Saltbox Brewing, a marina and sailboats bobbing in the bay. Houses and businesses in orchid and turquoise colors lined the street. Bluestone Magik boasted of fresh fudge and a yellow raincoated sailor steered through a storm. On the window of a cute restaurant was “Oh My Cod!”

Mahone Bay – crews removing downed trees

crazy driftwood sculpture in Mahone Bay

Humpty Dumpty in Mahone Bay

Mahone Bay

“Oh My Cod!” in Mahone Bay

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

We drove to Lunenburg, a town whose colorful buildings and colorful past earned it a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 1995. It has many rainbow hued houses, many with the “Lunenburg Bump,” a detailed dormer over the front door.

The British founded the town in 1753, attempting to settle Protestants in Nova Scotia. The Germans, Swiss and French Protestants recruited to settle here also put their stamp on the town.

UNESCO considers the site the best example of planned British colonial settlement in North America, as it retains its original layout and appearance of the 1800s, including wooden vernacular architecture.

By the 1850s, the town was a world-class fishing and shipbuilding center. The town flourished in the late 1800s and much of the historic architecture dates from that period.

By this time, we were hungry for lunch, but the town was still mostly shuttered. We stopped in the only place open in town, J’s Pizza, and enjoyed pizza with spinach and mushrooms, accompanied by a glass of wine for me and a beer for Mike. We had to celebrate our survival through our first hurricane.

Mike in J’s Pizza

me in front of J’s Pizza

We strolled around the colorful town after lunch, popping into one of the town’s only open shops, Seek Gifts and Home Decor, where “troubles melt like lemon drops.” I bought a Chai Candle that we could use upstairs in our room at the Airbnb if the power remained out. The ladies there were super friendly and said they heard that parts of Halifax had power as did some neighborhoods. We felt temporarily hopeful that we’d return home to find our lights on. They told us the Salt Shaker Deli & Inn was planning to open at 4:00, so we could come back to town for dinner at that time.

We stopped into another shop, Down Home Living Furnishings, where I bought a bar of pear soap and some stickers for my journal. That woman was quite chatty and told us we should take a short drive to Blue Rocks, which is “no Peggy’s Cove but is a cute village on the water that is scenic and charming.” She showed us paintings people did of Blue Rocks. We determined we’d go there and see it and then return to Lunenburg for dinner around 4:00.

We walked up and down the steep hills of the charming and colorful town. We also saw the Lunenburg Academy, a rare survivor from Nova Scotia’s 19th-century academy system of education. It was designed in 1894 by Henry H. Mott in the Second Empire style. It was built of wood, the most popular building material of the Maritimes. Academies were regarded as the most prestigious publicly funded secondary institutions in the each county. We also admired the stately churches, Zion Lutheran Church and St. John’s Anglican Church.