Monday, July 18, 2022
Eastport, ME, to Fundy NP, NB
Cumulative Miles: 1,388
Sunny most of the day, temps 60s near water, 80s inland
We broke camp and were on the road by 9:30, bound for the Headquarters Campground in Fundy National Park near the head of the Bay of Fundy. Before crossing into Canada we stopped at Farmer’s Supply in Calais to top off our propane tanks and picked up a few non-perishable groceries.
There was a considerable line to cross the border at Saint Stephens Bridge. We were glad to have cooked our chicken, boiled our eggs, drunk down to our alcohol import limit and set aside Sandy’s CDB lotion the evening before because they asked about all of those items as well as a number of others. We also found out that, although we’d filled out the ArriveCAN app a couple of days earlier to cross over to Campobello Island the day before, you have to complete the app for each crossing! They were very courteous, though, simply having us pull aside to quickly complete the app so we could be on our way. Whew!
We set up camp around 3:30 that afternoon in a nice shady site. Afterward we checked out the Visitor Center, collecting literature, stopped at a couple of overlooks to view the Bay. We also walked a very short trail around a pond. The trail featured information about plants regarded as useful for treating various ills by the Wabanaki/First Nations people who traditionally inhabited these lands.
We also drove about the town of Alma which is the only nearby town. Alma is a bit curious. It has lots of nice restaurants and bars but, in spite of the large number of campers who mostly prepare their own meals, there is no proper grocery store that sells fresh fruits or veggies.
Dinner was homemade chicken salad, broccoli salad and pickled red beets.
Tuesday, July 19, 2022
Fundy NP, NB
Mid 60s with morning rain and heavy overcast all day
Heavy rain began about 1:00 am and continued until almost noon.
We took the weather as an excuse to treat ourselves to breakfast out, settling on the Octopus’ Garden Café. We both had their variation on Benedict in a bowl with a fried egg over home fries topped with Hollandaise sauce. Delicious! Returning to the camper, we variously read or worked on this blog.
By late morning the rain was nearing its end so we headed toward the head of the Bay and Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. The two dozen or so “rocks” enshrined by the park are so-called sea stack formations or flowerpots that tower some 40 – 70 feet above the floor of the Bay. Caused by erosion from a combination of surface water flow and tidal action, these sea stacks are rather unique in that you can walk among them near low tide and view them as curious small islands when Fundy’s huge tide is near high, like about 25 feet higher.
We arrived near low tide so we would be able to walk among them. We walked about fifteen minutes to get to the 100 steel stairs that took us down to the base of the rocks. Then we wandered the better part of a mile among them. They are huge and they are way cool. (The 100 stairs climb back out was a little less cool.) Highly recommended!
Along the way to and from the Rocks we had many views of the huge tidal flats that characterize the area. Fog filled in as the afternoon progressed until there was little to see gazing toward the Bay.
Dinner that evening was at Alma’s Boathouse Restaurant. The food was delicious and reasonably priced. Bill had sautéed scallops and Sandy had fish & chips. (Yippee for Sandy … the fish was sautéed and the fries were gluten free!)
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Fundy NP, NB
Clear skies with a high in the 70s
We spent the morning exploring the shoreline areas southwest of the Visitor’s Center area. Our first stop was the Point Wolfe Campground. This park has at least four formal campgrounds and many hundreds of sites and we wanted to see what one of the others was like. This one was larger than the Headquarters’ location but otherwise similar, very nice. We also drove through a traditional covered bridge just like you’d find in Lancaster County.
We walked the trail down to nearby Shiphaven, a cove that was near low tide when we arrived. I noticed a couple of rows of old pilings among the stones that comprised the “beach”. Turns out that the cove was once, indeed, a busy haven for sailing ships. They probably took part in the shad fishing industry.
Heading back toward our campground, we stopped at Herring Cove. Along the trail to the beach was a lovely little waterfall. The cove was much like Shiphaven in that it too once formed a respite for part of the shad fishing fleet.
We stopped in Alma to snack on some lunchy leftovers in our cooler at a small parking area with picnic tables that overlooked their harbor.
Then it was off to see Cape Enrage Light, the site of a pretty lighthouse a few miles further up the coast. The site has become a commercial venture with a restaurant and zipline for which you normally pay admission. The place was closed when we were there but visitors were simply walking past the gate to see the lighthouse up close and to use the bathrooms.
On our way back towards Alma we stopped at the Cape Enrage Nature Center where people had created lots of cairns using the flat stones found on that beach. Sandy, of course, contributed to the display.
Back in Alma we stopped at the Holy Whale, a church turned micro brewery, to sample their product. I pronounced their IPA excellent while Sandy settled for iced tea that they brewed fresh for her.
It was over the beer and iced tea that we decided to splurge on lobster for dinner. Walking across the street we stopped in Collins Lobster Shop, a place that sells fresh seafood caught by them, and purchased a pound of fresh-picked lobster at $60/lb.
Good choice! Supplemented with copious quantities of melted butter and some broccoli and green beans to round out our nutritional requirements, we feasted. Life is good!