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| Fox island to Port Hood |
We are now at Port Hood on Cape Breton Island - site chosen with care for its internet availability and arrived at early enough for Steve to be able to enjoy (!) the England Algeria match this afternoon.
It rained all day yesterday for our journey along the Eastern Shore (Turquoise on map) from Murphy's Cove to Fox Island, nr Canso. The road surface was particulary bad and the roads were practically deserted. We had to use another short ferry to cross an inlet but fortunately timed it pretty well and didn't have to wait for an hour! Our biggest worry was that we would run out of fuel - the area is very remote and we drove for 120 miles looking for the next filling station!
Fox Island was a pretty spot, even in the rain and mist. This morning it was sunny again - long may it continue so. The area's main claim to fame is its straight line proximity to Europe and therefore its suitability for the landfall of trans-atlantic telegraph cables. Gordon Bennett, of the New York Times was a partner in the cable company that brought in the cables to Fox Island, Canso and established a relay post there in 1876.
Once we had bought some very expensive petrol in Canso, we set off along the rest of the Eastern Shore for the causeway to Cape Breton Island (green on map above). Before reaching the causeway we stopped at the 'Look-off' near Guysborough to read about the theory that Nova Scotia was discovered by one Prince Henry Sinclair of the Orkneys in 1398. A bit further along we stopped for our 'picnic' in Eddy Point Marine Park to find that the lobster boats had just come in and crates of live lobsters were being loaded into a fire truck of all vehicles.
Cape Breton island is no longer an island as a causeway was constructed in 1955. We are currently travelling round Cape Breton island in a clockwise direction up the Ceilidh Trail. The other language on road signs is now gaelic! There's even a distillery...trouble is someone has to drive!
Try and keep mum away from the distillerys!
ReplyDeleteJust catching up! Super whale photos - weren't they good to wait for you? Most of my other comments as I read through the last 3 posts have already been taken... but you shouldn't be surprised by gaelic in Nova Scotia, surely! Incidently we saw the other end of the transatlantic cables in Porthcurno when we were in Cornwall at half term.
ReplyDeleteSpoke to Sally earlier and she was bemused by a tent on the front door-step - presumably something to do with Glastonbury!
Have a few lobsters for us
ReplyDeleteLinda & Peter
Liberate a few lobsters for Louise!
ReplyDeleteTell Steve that the WCup hasn't really heated up yet; it's a bit flat, low on excitement and skill. So time you're home it may have become a bit more thrilling.
ReplyDeleteThis area seems a very gentle place to be. Are there many such as yourselves doing these trails, Pam? Any other local delicacies, other than lobster and whiskey?