Here is the article and photos by Colin and Callie for Day 18, a beautiful day in Nova Scotia.
(Sorry, I have been unable to get consistency in the size of the font)
My additions are below this article.
We woke to at dawn to a
beautiful sunrise over the Bras D’Or Lake at Baddeck.
Sitting in bed with a cup
of coffee admiring the view of said lake from our room, and going over the scenic
drive around Cape Breton Island and the Cabot trail, we decided to do this
circular route anti-clockwise, on purpose this time, going up the East coast
first to take advantage of the morning light.
This would add about 20 miles to the 200-mile drive but on such a
beautiful day it would be worth it.
This will remain one of our
best drives. Although cold and blowing
hard we had brilliant sunshine and crystal clear blue skies to drive on this
rugged and beautiful Atlantic coastline - so lots of stops to take photos.
Having started early we
were ready for an early lunch, but were too early for Elaine's recommendation
of the Seagull restaurant at Ingonish. Incidentally we have used many of
Elaine's recommendations, they have all been good, and in addition given us a
useful address to put into the sat nav!
A local pulled up along
side us while we were deciding what to do next and recommend The Chowder House
at Neil's Harbour, but wouldn't let us go before he had told a joke: Vis
What's the difference
between a Scotsman and a canoe?
Scotsmen don't tip.
Oh how we laughed!
The Chowder house is a
shack on a rocky promontory just beyond Neil's harbour lighthouse, one of the
many iconic red and white lighthouses of Nova Scotia.
It's Sunday in Nova Scotia
so lunch is a huge lobster sandwich and a bowl of mussels.
At all the little ports and
harbours the lobster fishing boats were in and harbour sides stacked high with
pristine lobster pots ready for the start of the season which begins in the first
week of November.
Before dawn on the first
day of the season there is a stampede out to sea and family and friends gather
to watch over this charge and shine their car headlights onto the departing
boats.
We continued on the Cabot
trail rising up into the Highlands through forested slopes and above the trees
to enjoy the most amazing views of the azure blue Atlantic Ocean. There are whales out there and we fancied we
saw their tell tale spouts but it was probably just wishful thinking.
A small detour was taken to
the most northerly bay of Cape Breton, St Lawrence Bay. No one there, just us and Cormorants. The next
stop across the sea is Newfoundland.
Descending from the
Highlands with their amazing views to the West coast, but for us no more stops
as we needed to get a move on to get to that tonight's destination in Sydney in
time for supper and a glass of wine.
Simple words are not enough
to express our thanks to Ken and to Elaine for this extraordinary journey
through scenery, geography and history in our wonderful Morgans and with a
smashing group of wonderful people.
Thank you Elaine, Thank you
Ken, and our thank to everyone for the company, support & the fun!
