Our truck camper hosts, Paula and Jerry, did a HUGE amount of preplanning for this trip. They better watch out or all of us will want to tag along with them to Mexico next winter. It's not easy figuring out where a dozen truck campers can all stop at one time in tiny towns and country roads but they did it.
Tuesday morning the 14th we left Whale Cove and drove through the bottom center of Nova Scotia, going west to east, following along Route 8 through woods that reminded Joe and I of The Great North Woods in Maine. This land was scoured by glaciers eons ago, leaving behind tiny lakes, ridges, and rock formations. Much like Maine, this is timber land and the roads reflect it. Part way though we stopped at a small country store to be greeted by hot pastries just coming out of the oven. Nova Scotia folks know how to bake as we have found out repeatedly. We passed through Kempt and Calendonia, stopping in Liverpool for fuel, groceries and to replenish the adult beverage stash. This was our longest travel day in distance. The goal was getting to Petite Riviere and Rissers Beach Provincial Park.
And oh my what a gorgeous beach this is. Jerry and Paula had reserved the boondock spaces right on the sand beach, a rare treat for those of us who don't have access to sand beaches. The sun was strong, the wind even stronger and we watched as a fog bank was coming into shore. Then the fog lifted and we had one of those perfect nights to camp listening to the surf and no traffic noise at all.
We actually got both sun and wind burns but worth it. We picked rocks, shells and explored folded rock wall along the beach.
Here's the view from inside the camper window.
Today (9/15) we drove up to Paula's ancesteral home near La Have. Parked on a tiny road running by the beach where she used to spend summers and all walked, picking up sea glass, more shells and enjoying listening to her talk about growing up here. Is this a row of Truck Campers or what? We've turned quite a few heads watching us go by during our travels.
The beach is mostly shale that has splintered and been pounded by the North Atlantic forever. For those of you who haven't walked such a beach the smells, sights and sounds are memorable. Even for those of us who can get to ocean beaches, this one was so clean and enjoyable.
Another great bakery with hot raisin and cranberry scones and coffee just before the ferry towards Lunenburg. You can drive the big U shape to get around the bay but at $5 it saves a lot of fuel and it's pretty. The ferry men said it was the heaviest load they had all summer even though we could only get five campers at a time on the ferry.
Tonight we are camped at the Lunenburg Board of Trade campground - next to the Visitors Center. Most of us walked down, down, down into Lunenburg and went to the Fisheries Museum. There were exhibits and artifacts on whaling, cod fishing, rum running and how the wooden ships were built. They are restoring a huge 4 masted schooner berthed behind the museum. Some of our group explored the inns, taverns, gift shops of this small town that has not gone commercial. It was a long, steep climb back to the campground as you can see by the tired looks all around.
Tomorrow we take a cruise on the "Eastern Star" sloop out into Lunenburg Harbor and some of the surrounding islands. Who said Truck Campers had to stay on land?
No comments:
Post a Comment