Bay of Fundy, Canada June 3-4, 2017

On Saturday, we got a late start leaving our Maine campground and headed north across the border (no wall - yet) into Canada without incident.  We were going to stop in St. Andrews to play golf and visit Kingsbrae Gardens, but it was raining so we passed on, taking leisurely back roads down to the coast on the Bay of Fundy.  We stopped early and got a campsite right on the Bay.

The Bay of Fundy is famous for its massive tides - the biggest in the world at an average of 39 feet!

We woke Sunday to high fog and temps around 50, cool and damp. yuk.  We drove through the small village of St. Martins where the fishing boats were moored in the harbor and when we returned through the town later in the afternoon, the tide was out and the boats resting in the mud.

Low tide is not for a couple of hours!

Leaving town through the covered bridge, we drove about 8 miles north to the Fundy Parkway - a 12 mile twisty, turney roller coaster dead end road along the Bay with lots of pullouts, observation points, and picnic sites.  The Fundy parkway has an auto route plus bike and hiking trail.  We stopped frequently for photos.

Overlooking a pretty waterfall

Fundy Parkway cut through blue and pink bedrock

Suspension bridge for hikers and a new road bridge replaced a huge covered bridge.

On our way back to town, I saw that the sea caves that we had passed on our way in were now accessible with the tide out.  I walked out on the rocky seabed to see the caves and get some photos.

We headed northeast to Fundy National Park and got a nice campsite in the woods - mostly pine and birch trees.  Weather is supposed to be much better tomorrow.  Still enjoying the northern Spring - forsythia is just starting and lots of small early spring bulbs.  Seems like for every full day of driving north, we go back a week in blooming plant time.

June 14, Sunday: Waterton Lakes, Canada

It poured around midnight and then the hail started, but it didn't last long and no damage was done.  Woke to dreary clouds and cold - the RV said 51 inside.  Turned on the furnace, but since I didn't do a lot of driving yesterday, the batteries are not fully charged.  Even though the furnace is propane, the fan uses a lot of battery charge, so one quick warm-up would have to do.

I was planning my most vigorous hike here - 750 feet elevation gain within 1 mile, but the weather is not cooperating.  The trail is steep and the rain may have made it slippery plus the views are compromised by the low hanging clouds.....well, that sounds like two good excuses, right?

 I stopped at the visitor center and he said he thinks the weather should hold and I may want to try it and even if it starts to rain, coming down doesn't take very long....yeah, right.  He said the views would be "sweet" even with the clouds.  Well, I am way too old to do "sweet" and I certainly am not going to put myself through the agony of a 750 feet climb (oh, did I mention we start at over 3,000 feet so oxygen is not the same as in Charleston?) in the rain.  So there.

I did stop and tour the Prince of Wales Hotel up on the bluff.  Impressive from the outside, gorgeous location but the interior doesn't even come close to the National Park Lodges...Did love the bellhops in their tartan skirts and wish I could have been there for the afternoon tea.

Weather continues to look threatening, so I headed out of the park and generally north towards Edmonton where I will be picking Jack up Tuesday evening.  I stopped at a campground that has electricity (yeah, first in many days), WiFi, and a laundry.  Housekeeping chores and updating this blog is on the agenda for today and tomorrow morning.

Jack and I will be heading northwest from Edmonton to pick up the Alaska Highway through Yukon, so the blog may be quiet for a week or more until we get internet, hopefully in Alaska!

Our Route Map to Nova Scotia

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Preparing for our 2008 RV Travels to the Canadian Maritime Provinces

I have been researching the Canadian Maritime Provinces for weeks using travel guide books, the trusty internet, AAA and brochures I obtained from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. We have a huge list of things to see and do along with a general schedule that will undoubtedly change due to weather and any other reason, including because we feel like it! We just love the freedom to stay as long as we want or cut short a visit whenever it suits us - this retirement is grand. We have only one item that can't be changed - tickets to the Halifax Royal International Tattoo on July 1st (Canada Day).