Sept 28 - Annapolis Royal area

We went to Canada's only Tidal Generating Plant to take a tour at 10:00 but it was cancelled so we went through the building reading the info and listening to videos. It is generated by the incredible tides from the Bay Of Fundy.

Then went on to Fort Anne, Canada's most attacked fort and oldest national historic site. The fort's impressive heritage tapestry records some of the big events that took place here. Over 100 men & women worked on the tapestry, including a few stitches done by Queen Elizabeth II. It connects the lives of people during the struggle for empire between Britain and France in the 17th and 18th centuries.

We drove out to the Melanson Settlement, an important archaeological site. Before they were deported in 1755, Acadian families farmed the dykelands along the Annapolis River. An interpretive trail tells the story of the Acadian village that was once there.

On again to Port Royal, the Habitation, Canada's first major historical reconstruction. Didn't do the tour but did walk the grounds and read the interpretive signs. Champlain helped found the Order of Good Cheer at the fort in 1605 (music and laughter and interaction with the Mi'kmaq).

We stopped for a scallop/lobster burger at a local family restaurant the walked along main street through the parks and gift shops. Drove along St Georges Street with many old mansions from the 1700s-1800s. The oldest house still occupied today and renovated back to the way it was, was built in 1710.

Sept 27 -Anapolis Royal

Took the old hwy 1 along the coast along the Evangeline Trail through the Clare region -Acadian, mostly French names and bi-lingual signage. Many 100+ year old churches and homes.

Checked into Dunromin RV at Granville Ferry, just on the outskirts of Anapolis Royal just in time to have pork pot pie lunch at the Stone Horse Restaurant. Our waitress told us about growing up on Briar Island at the end of the Digby Neck (spit) so we decided to beat the rain and took a drive out to the end of the spit. This involved taking 2 short ferries to get there. She actually gave us her tickets for the ferrries.We stopped for ice cream and consequently missed the next ferry back so had time to stake out the side roads.

On our way back through Digby we stopped for a delicious Digby scallop dinner. The owner there really filled us in on the life and harvesting of lobsters & scallops. Included is a photo of his 12.5 lb lobster and his pet blue lobster. We planned to go to the cemetary tour at Fort Anne at 9:30, guided by a host with a lantern, but spent too long at dinner. Yet another busy but great day :)

Sept 25 - Yarmouth

We again drove along the coast on old hwy 3. Stopped in Liverpool for groceries. It is home to the Hank Snow Museum, which we did not attend with Art & Anita.

Then on through Shellburne, founded in 1783 by the United Empire Loyalists. Again lots of very old buildings. There is a dory museum and boatworks there, which was being refurbished. There was a detour there, marked too late for us so caused much mayhem on the plugged one way street. The "posse" got together, a group of four who deserted their jobs, and took us backwards up a very narrow, heavily treed one way street onto main street -very appologetic to us that the "no heavy vehicles" sign had blown over so we coulddn't see it. We headed for the hills with our faces covered after this. Oh well, just another day on the road :)

Then off through Barrington, the lobster capital, finally arriving at Camper's Haven RV park in Arcadia, just a few miles outside of Yarmouth.

Sept 24 - Lunenburg

Happy 10th birthday Isaac.

Went to Lunenburg to do a 2 hour sail on the Bluenose II. It has 8 sails but we only used 2 plus the assistance of 2-250 HP Cat engines getting in and out of the harbour. It was a perfect day -not too cool and just enough wind -as you are outside the whole trip and NO bathrooms. Enjoyed an ice cream cone on the wharf then went for a 35 minute historic trip through "Old Town"in a horse drawn buggy. The gal was most informative with sooo many dates and names. The town of Lunenburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site so governs any changes being made. There was a fim crew in town filming Moby Dick so lots of characters walking around in period dress (top hats & tails, long cinched dresses and big hats)

We stopped at a waterfront pub in Mahone Bay for a lovely seafood crepe dinner. Another great day :)

Sept 23 -Martins River

We followed the old hwy 3 along the coastline of St Margaret's Bay and Mahone Bay. Stayed at Rayport RV, 5 miles from Mahone Bay, which is a quaint tourist resort/fishing town with lots of boutiques, specialty shops, pub/restaurants, and boats. Drove a few miles up to Bridgewater and played 9 holes of golf on the golf card -$27.00 for 2 with cart. Tough little course but good practice !!!

Sept 22 -Halifax

Welcome to the first day of fall.

We went back to Peggy's Cove for some more pictures then toured out on many side roads to the ends of the capes. We ended up at the Citadel in Halifax, a gateway to Canada's military heritage and passage to nationhood. It was once the command post and landward bastion of Halifax's defences and principal British naval station in North America. Since Halifax's founding in 1749, Citadel Hill has served as the site of four different forts. Each was built during a time of perceived threat. This Citadel took over 28 years to complete (1856) was intended to deter an overland assault on the city & dockyard. No enemy ever dared to attack.

Sept 21 -Repair day in Dartmouth

We took the coach into Detroit Diesel in Dartmouth to have the transmission seal replaced. Many $$$ later we were on our way.

Sept 20 -back to Peggy's Cove

We spent a good part of another day here at Peggy's Cove, walking on the rocks and through the village enjoying a sunny afternoon with a homemade ice cream cone. The town is full of local artwork and craft shops. They are well frequented by the cruise ship passengers.

Of interest was the Wm E. deGarthe Memeorial Monument, a lasting monument to NS fishermen carved from a 100 foot face of granite outcropping behind his house. The sculpture depicts 32 fishermen, their wives & children, St Elmo with wings spread, and the legendary Peggy, of Peggy's Cove. He started this at age 70.

We also stopped at the Swissair Memorial site, a monument in memory of the people who lost their lives when Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the bay in 1998.

The lighthouse is still operational but is unmanned. The local post office operates from the grond floor.

Sept 19 -Peggy's Cove

We are camped in a great park overlooking St Margarets Bay -Wayside Supercity. The sunsets are delightful. Took a drive out to Peggy's Cove (10 km) It is ALL that the pictures show it to be. A massive point of solid granite, millions of years old, pushed by the glaciers. Had a shrimp/scallop lunch at the Sou'Wester Dining Room -along with 5 tour bus loads of people -truly amazing how quickly they got everyone fed and on there way !! I found two framed leaded glass pieces (crab/lobster) which will hang in a kitchen window someday. They are so colourful and neat. We checked out the Granite Springs golf course at Bayside -to cold & windy today but specials on Monday & Tuesday. We'll have to wait and see on that as we are booked for our transmission seal on Monday and Art may have an appt on Tues to get his leaking skylight fixed. You RVers know that there is always something to fix on these rigs :(

Drove back into Sydney to scope out the old downtown area -lots of big brick buildings. While there we picked up a couple of canner lobsters (under 1 pound) and rushed home for a steak & lobster dinner. YUMMMM.

Sept 18 -Truro

We went through Stewiacke, which is half way between the Equator and the Arctic Circle. Leaves are beginning to turn bright colours.

We stopped at the Info Center in Truro, only to discover that we had a leaking transmission seal so made several phone calls to line up parts and service in Dartmouth on Monday AM. Robert Stanfield, former Premier of NS and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and grandson of the Stanfield clothing company, hails from here. 6 sections of the Berlin Wall were donated to the city by a local resident. There are several tree sculptures in town carved from elm trees that were going to die from Dutch elm disease. There is strong Mi'Kmag Indian culture and history here.

Sept 17 - Glace Bay

We went back to Glace Bay to play 18 holes of golf at the Lingan Golf & Country Club. Finished just before dark so drove home in the dark, hoping not to encounter wildlife on the road. Enjoyed some hot screech around the firepit with Roger & Myrna Watson (Vernon) and Dave & Linda Simpson (Lumby).

Sept 16 -Cabot Trail

We drove the Cabot Trail, counter clockwise as recommended so you were on the view side of the road. Stopped at a few art and craft places and lookoffs for picture taking. We checked out the Highland Links GC at Ingonish Beach but too rich for our blood. Had a lovely blueberry pancakes breakfast in a Tea House in an old United Church at St Anns, which still has services on Sundays. We took the Neil's Harbour Loop, as recommended by a ferry employee -very scenic. Stopped for huge mixed seafood wrap lunch at the Rusty Anchor in Cheticamp where they offer whale watching tours. We spoke to people who had just come in from a tour and they did see pilot whales but were just about frozen stiff !! Stopped to look at the Scarecrow Party along the road. Home after dark.

Sept 14 -Nfld to Sydney

We caught the Atlantic Vision at 11:30 from Port aux Basques to Sydney, NS. Encountered some large rolling waves which tried to break over the bow but didn't stop us from enjoying a beautiful lunch buffet in a formal dining area. We stayed at the Arm of Gold RV Park, 3 miles from the ferry terminal.

Next day, we went to the Cape Breton Miners Museum in Glace Bay, where we toured the underground mine (a replica built for tourism) with Sheldon, a retired miner who spent 32 years underground. The shafts are only 4-5' high so we took walking sticks along to make walking easier. Shetland ponies were used to pull the coal cars. They eventually became blind from working and living underground for many years. There was an actual garden underground (no lack of water, lots of fertilizer which created heat, and a light running off the generator for the fan system.We had lunch in the Miners' Village. The other buildings were closed for the season (Company house, company store) but we did peak through the windows. We toured the museum and had a lengthy chat with Abie, a 71 year old miner who has spent his entire life in Glace Bay.

We stopped in Sydney and picked up 2 live lobsters for dinner when we got to Adventure East RV in Baddeck.

Sept 11 -Gander

We stopped at the Silent Witness Memorial near Gander. On Dec 12, 1985 a military plane crashed just off the end of the runway killing 248 Army personnel and 8 flight crew returning to the USA from peacekeeping duties on Egypt's Sinai Penninsula. The 20' cross was made from one of the escape doors of the plane.

We went to the North Atlantic Aviation Museum which chronicles the conquest of the North Atlantic and establishment of air routes linking the old world with the new. Coincidentally, we are here on 9/11 and watched "Diverted", a movie made about how Gander and other small communities nearby were able to accommodate and entertain the passengers and crew of the grounded flights, totalling over 6000 people for 3 days.

Sept 10 -St John's

We spent most of the day at the Johnson GEO Centre, "Earth's Geological Showcase", built into the 550 million year old rocks of Signal Hill. The theatre takes you through earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamies, rain & waterfalls. Next exhibit - "Our Planet"-how the earth was formed -rocks, minerals, fossils & geological time. Then "Our Province" -touch 4 billion year old rocks and see a piece of ancient ocean floor. Next "Our People" -where humans came from and our dependence on natural resources. Next "Our Future" -Stellarium showing the 250 stars closest to our own star, the sun. Another great exhibit was the Titanic Story, complete with actual artifacts from the disaster. The last exhibit, the ExxonMobile Oil & Gas Gallery transports you to the deck of a drilling and production platform, shows the latest 3D computer model of the Hibernia Oil Field, and explains how gas & oil are formed. Another day of information overload but most enjoyable. Finished the day at the Keg for a fabulous prime rib dinner.

Sept 9 - Happy Birthday Jan

Drove up to Cape Spear National Historic Site, the oldest surviving lighthouse in Nfld. and the most eastern point in North America. There is a WWII coastal defense battery here (US). The first light of dawn of the new millenium in North America was seen here.

We stopped for a seafood lunch at Chafe's Seafood Restaurant at Petty Harbour -1878 converted family home (75 year old grandson still lives in it).

Went back to St John's and went to George St to try to get Screeched but our only hope at the early hour of the day was at O'Reily's and unfortunately their cod, Seamus, had disappeared from the freezer so we had to abort the plan. Oh well, I guess we'll have to back !!!

Norm made a fantastic birthday dinner of Cornish Game hens, fresh asparagus, wild rice, salad and a lovely chocolate birthday cake :)

Sept 8 - St John's

Checked into Pippy Park in St John's. Went for a drive and ended up at Quidi Vidi, a very old fishing village. While there we discovered the Quidi Vidi Brewing Company so of course took the tasting tour -sampled 7 different beers, the last one being cranberry beer - I think I'm hooked.

Then we went to Signal Hill and the Cabot Tower. Signal Hill was named for the practice of signalling the arrival of ships with signal flags. The Cabot Tower was where Marconi experimented with his trans-Atlantic wireless in 1901. After this, we drove down Water Street and saw the German Cruise ship in the harbour and some of the active nightspots. We also passed the National War Memorial commemorating the 1583 proclamation by Sir Humphrey Gilbert claiming Newfoundland for Britain.