Cape Breton NP

Tuesday July 19,

Driving day, but since it was overcast and raining that made it a good day to drive since we couldn’t do much else. Started from outskirts of Halifax and drove to the Cabot trail, a road that circles Cape Breton. We didn’t make it to the Cabot trail until around noon. The most interesting stop was Baddeck. A beautiful small town on Lake Bras d’Or. Baddeck is where Alexander Graham Bell choose to retire. We could see the grounds of his home from our picnic lunch site. The large lake has a small connection to the ocean and lots of coves so it’s protected from ocean swells making it a good harbor. There was a movement in the 18th and early 19th centuries to make this a new Scotland. That and the rugged beauty of the land attracted Bell to live here in retirement. Here’s a picture of the Baddeck harbor…

A hedge fund billionaire’s 226 ft yacht was docked just to the left of this picture. It was all the talk of the people at the dockside restaurant. I didn’t think to take a picture of it and the couple I spoke to didn’t know his name. We drove on to Cape Breton NP. Ate seafood dinner at the Crofton. Campsite is ok, nothing special. It’s a short walk to this view from our campsite…

People swim off this beach, in the cold, cold north Atlantic water.

Wednesday July 20. Staying put in Cape Breton NP. We chose two hikes, Coastal Trail/Jack Pine and Lake Trail. The former about 3 miles, the latter less. The views are stunning.

I eat seafood at every meal. Peggy thinks she’s allergic to shellfist so sticks to fish, which here in NS means haddock. We had lunch between the two hikes…..

Seafood chowder circled by lobster and mussels with crab meat on top.

Thursday July 21 Started driving south along the west coast of Cape Breton. This side was more heavily settled by the scottish. Crofters, the scottish term for sharecropper, were kicked off the land especially in the highlands when the laird realized he could have more sheep if there were fewer people on his land and therefore make more money. This was known as the highland clearance, occurred in the mid to late 1700’s. Lots of those very poor highlanders came here where they could own land and continue their lifestyle. As we drove south at first the land we saw was too rugged for farming and shepherding but it began to level out as we proceeded south. Again the scenery here is stunningly beautiful.

Both of the above pictures are of the gulf of St Lawrence. Didn’t see any whales from these or other over looks.

We ate lunch at The Seafood House just south of Inverness after doing two hikes.

This side of Cape Breton is known as Canada’s musical coast. The scottish immigrants kept their music alive and there is still a thriving music scene. We stopped for a drink in the afternoon at this place owned by the Rankin Family, well known throughout Canada for their scots/irish themed music .

Staying tonight in Antigonish. Going to see some of south island Nova Scotia before heading back. Finally learned that Will is flying back from his Indianapolis to Boston bike trip so we are not on any time constraints other than our own.

Got 4 new life birds while in Cape Breton; Northern Gannet, Guillemot, Great Black Backed Gull and Common Eider (have seen the latter but never recorded into eBird).