Friday/Saturday September 16/17 – The trip to Nova Scotia.

Heading down TCH1 Towards Port aux Basques

Up early, showered and departed for Port aux Basques.  Were all checked in and in queue by 9:30 for our 11:45 departure, and we sailed at noon.  Quiet, smooth sail for 6 ½ hours.  Met a nice couple from Monterrey CA while in line, and they were next to us on the boat-Jim and Martha.  Bought some more souvenirs on the ship, and had cod fish dinners there in the restaurant.  Our ferry, the Blue Puttees, was named after the famed Newfoundland Regiment from WW I.

On the ferry ride back, we talked with a young couple from St. John's who were going to Nova Scotia to buy a new truck.  They had their son with them, and explained how it was much cheaper to go to the mainland and bring it back yourself rather than have it shipped.  Apparently the shipping costs for goods going to Newfoundland are just horrendous!

Heading out of Port aux Basques Harbor

A final look back at Port aux Basques

In at 6pm, we ate at McDonalds and arrived at our KOA campground by 7pm.  Jim remet Paul, his bagpipe playing friend from last month and they chatted about Westmorland, Johnson, and Khe Sanh.  We watched the last chapter of Random Passage.  Jim had finished his second “Newfie” book on the boat, and Becky has read at least 5 books on the trip!

The North Sydney Bridge from our KOA campground

Saturday morning we packed up and headed down the highway 104 through St. George’s instead of the Baddeck road.  Nice drive- it’s a fast, well maintained road and much more scenic than the other direction.  Stopped in Antigonish to shop at Sobey’s, and also gassed along the way. 

  Into the Elm River Park campground in Debert (near Truro) at 3pm, both of us pretty whipped.  Becky napped, Jim did laundry.  Open campground, family type place with older residents for the most part.  Pretty anti-climatic day!