Turn Around When Possible

Location: Dundee, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada

"Turn around when possible."

That's our GPS, Susan, protesting the fact that we're deviating from her carefully calculated route. Like a loyal sheep dog, she tries her best to keep us herded in the right direction, but we always seem to go haring off on, what must seem to her, a whim.

Mark says "I'll turn her voice off for a while."

We imagine her involuntarily holding her hands over her mouth going "mmfff... mmmm.... mmfmf!". Poor thing.

 We head down to the coast. Not having had enough of Keji, we decide to go to the Keji seaside adjunct. When we arrive we read on the noticeboard that a family of black bears have been sighted over the last few days. Hmm... We've driven quite a way off our track to get here....and they'd close the trail if it was really dangerous... so we decide to walk the trail anyway. 

 Yet another wonderful walk alone in the wilderness. We do find other people when we get to the shore, but still have plenty of space to be alone together. It is here that we find and sit in two more of the park system's red chairs. 

There's a rock just off shore that is covered with seals. We watch their antics as they clamber up onto the rocks to lay like slugs in the sun. Very entertaining. We did not see the bears but chatted with a Swiss family who had - they showed us pictures.

 "Turn around when possib..mmmff...mmm...mmfff."

A night spent at the house of cruising friends of cruising friends. We have a dish that's new to us – "hodge-podge", a Nova Scotian vegetable stew consisting of whatever's in season. Delicious!

 Lunenburg. UNESCO World Heritage City. Say no more. We have a great time, walking up and down all the very steep streets looking at the well preserved old buildings. What wonderful architecture! Also a wonderful, world-class fisheries museum – well worth the admission.

 "Turn around when possible."

We do, but not because Susan is telling us to. Instead, we're heading back to our new friends for another great evening – this time we cook! It's wonderful how friends of friends can quickly become our friends, too. Thanks again for your hospitality, R & H, and we look forward to seeing you again.

Next stop Halifax. The Citadel is a reconstructed fort, built in the 1700s, rebuilt 3 times since then. Complete with costumed docents, canon and musket fire, pipers piping, drummers drumming, and a partridge in a pear tree. Well, okay, not really the partridge. Or a pear tree. But they do have yet another excellent maritime museum.

"Turn .. mmmff..mmfff"

"My. That was quick!" remarks Julie.

We arrive at Sherbrook Village at closing time. That doesn't stop us – we park the RV and walk into town. This is a very pretty old town. The buildings look like they did at the turn of the century. From 9:00am until 5:00pm, the streets are closed, and the town is populated by re-enactors dressed in period clothes. Unfortunately, we missed all that, but it's still pretty cool. We can imagine the townspeople walking around and can almost hear them telling us their stories.

"Turn around when possible." This time, she's right – Mark has totally spaced out, looking at the beautiful scenery and has missed a turn. Thanks, Susan.

Our friend, who we're going to visit in Cape Breton, had told us to look out for a day lily nursery along the way and we're so glad she did. It overlooks the Atlantic ocean and was bursting with plants on a steep hillside. As we walked around, we saw literally hundreds of varieties of lilies, iris, and poppies, among others. When you buy a plant they dig it up and send you on your way. See "https://harbourbreezes.ca" for more info.

A night parked at a trail head is followed by an early morning visit to Tor Bay (we affectionately call it "Mel"). We've spoken to many people who have blown off this part of the trip because "there just isn't much infrastructure there and the roads aren't that great." Au contraire! Well, maybe the roads can be pretty bad, and maybe there isn't a lot of tourist infrastructure, but it's some of the prettiest shoreline we've seen so far. Mel (Tor Bay) has a shoreside park with a really nice trail to the beach. Once again we're the only ones here in yet another stunningly beautiful place – blue sky, sandy beach, rocky spit, waves crashing, and pitcher plants. We saw some in Oregon a few years ago and were surprised to see them here, although they turn out to be pretty common in this wet, boggy land. It's hard to pull ourselves away, but we finally decide it's time to get going and we're off again.

Next stop Canso and the Grassy Island National Park. There used to be a fort here and there's a nice interpretive walk around the island. And here's the best part – the park provides a free ferry service on a lobster boat out to the island! Shades of Mark's youth in Maine, we take the ride. We are once again thrilled to be the only people in sight – not sure why, but we'll take it! We have the entire island to ourselves as we wander through the interpretive walk, checking out the exhibits and just soaking in the natural beauty of this place.

Another boat ride back to the mainland, chatting with the captain and crew on the way, and we're off again, this time on our way to Cape Breton and our friends in Dundeee. We haven't seen them since we met them 10 years ago in the Bahamas, our first year of cruising full-time. We are looking forward to renewing our friendship.

"You have reached your destination."

Thanks, Susan. Job well done. Mostly. You're a couple of hundred yards shy this time, but who's counting? We find their driveway, anyway.

We arrive, pull in, and are greeted with warm hugs, fond memories, and a waiting dinner. It may have been 10 years ago but it seems like only yesterday to us as the bonds of yet another cruising friendship are renewed. We relax, cook, do dishes together, visit some local places, go hear our friend's band play at a local inn, and generally decompress for a few days. What a great life!

"Turn around when possible."

Sorry, Susan, not this time...