Sunday, August 21, 2022
Grand Codroy to North Sydney, NL
Overcast early, clearing in afternoon
Today we return by ferry to Nova Scotia. We had driven the twenty five miles to the ferry terminal in Port aux Basque and were in line to board by 8:15. The ferry departed about 11:45 for the smooth, six-hour crossing to North Sydney. I settled down to read while Sandy played a card game called Five Crowns with others in our group.
Arriving at 6:30, we did the very short drive to Arm of Gold Campground and quickly set up. Since it was a long day and getting late, Sandy whipped up some chicken salad, made some deviled eggs from the ones she’d cooked the night before (because raw poultry products weren’t allowed back into Nova Scotia), added some sweet black grapes and we called it a day.
Monday, August 22, 2022
North Sydney, NL
Breezy, mostly sunny, mid 70s
Our morning was free so I washed the car while Sandy cleaned the camper and we both took showers.
In the afternoon we boarded a bus to visit Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. Sandy and I’d been there before but this tour included an excellent guided tour. Then, on our own, we explored the site with a more detailed understanding of the place. First settled by the French as a fishing port in 1713, it was subsequently expanded into a fortress by the mid-1740s. It was captured by British colonists in 1745 only to be bargained away for other concessions in Europe by the French. It was retaken by the British in 1758 during the Seven Year War after which it was finally destroyed by the British.
The fortress and town were partially reconstructed in the 1960s and 1970s and is now operated as a living history museum by Parks Canada. While the reconstruction created a single fort, the fortress originally consisted of five similar forts. By the 1750s more than 4,000 people lived at the site. This is a wonderful reconstruction, said to be the largest reconstruction project in all of North America.
In addition to the walls, dry moat and military construction, buildings include ones that would house nearly every activity needed for normal life. There are also reconstructions of individual private homes, some of which were very elaborate and which were built only to play to the vanity of some of the people who lived and worked there. We spent a couple of hours touring the buildings and took lots of pictures.
Especially cool is that every afternoon, just after 4:00, a fife and drum accompanies a gun crew on a march to the waterfront where they fire a cannon like those used in the 18th century. The ceremony is very formal and makes for quite a show.
On our way back to the campground our bus stopped for a group dinner at Flavor on the Water at the Sydney waterfront. The place features the worlds largest fiddle which was fabricated from steel by local Cape Breton artisans. Standing 60 feet tall, it honors their “Celtic” roots and rich musical heritage.
Tuesday, August 23, 2022
North Sydney to Truro, NL
Cumulative mileage: 5,851
Rain all morning, mid 70s, muggy
On the road by 8:30, we were headed to Truro, basically on our way out of Nova Scotia. We made a couple of stops for groceries along the way including a Sobeys and another at Masstown Market. The market is really cool. It’s a semi- bulk grocery with really good products and a bakery, restaurant and dairy bar.
We set up in Elm River RV Park about 2:00. The skies had cleared but it was still really humid. So we turned on the AC and spent a few hours working on this BLOG.
At 6:00 our trip leaders conducted a travel briefing as is their practice before every place we drive. They followed up with margaritas our trip leader is famous for and served everyone a hearty meal of nachos they had prepared.