Finale And Potato Salad Blues

The pictures in this posting are still from White Head Island.

              Symbol of the island economy: Lobster traps.

We got home at 7pm and got busy unpacking the trailer. Strangely, unpacking the trailer goes much faster than packing it.

We had taken the ferry departing GM at 3:30pm arriving at 5pm at Blacks Harbour.

Border crossings went uneventful again and we were all happy to be home again, and may I especially mention Dixie. She must have had strange thoughts about the whole trip. Dixie is quite different than our Molly was. Generally, Dixie is more suspicious towards all new things. It takes quite some getting used to for her to thrive in new surroundings. 

Of course you want to know what the heck happened to the potato salad which, foolishly, was forgotten in the house fridge.

Well, it still was delicious. We warmed the BBQed sausages and got a great meal out of it.

When the clock turned 10:30pm I almost fell off of the couch. I barely made it onto my pillow before I slept. Old age is creeping up on me, it seems.

What? It is Supposed To Rain?

 When you are on vacation you want to have nice weather. Rain will ruin your days. For our trip to GM we have been very, very lucky. It wasn't hot (which I don't like) but it was sunny every day. 

However, studying the weather forecast we realized that rain was in the making for Tuesday. It would make for a miserable drive home and packing up would be no fun in the rain. Likewise arriving in rainy weather would be no good as all our gear would have to be moved back into the house.

So, we made a change of plan. This morning I called the ferry company and rescheduled our departure from June 15 to June 14. We still had most of the day in the campground and it was another sunny day.

But we didn't drive anywhere on GM. Bea took a walk with Dixie into the adjacent bird sanctuary, while I prepared the trailer for departure. And before leaving, I took Dixie on another walk down the boardwalk towards "Red Point". GM has again been an incredible experience for us. Will we go again? After 2 visits there we might opt for another place next time, but if we ever should have visitors,we'd be more than happy to show off this great Fundy Isle to them.

When we have breakfast outside we some times have a guest: Dixie always shows more interest for our food than for hers.

Oh Man, Look At That Hole

 Anyone who has traveled in North America has seen, or at least heard of a place called "Hole In The Wall". Obviously there are numerous places by that name. I have seen some of them but hadn't visited the one nearest to us - on Grand Manan. Here it is:

What it probably has in common with other holes in the wall, is that it poses a challenge to access it. The trail is darn steep and for older folks not easy to negotiate. But hey, we made it, even with Dixie ahead of us on the leash.

The other place we had on our bucket list for today was the "Swallow Tail Light House". It adorns the north end of GM and can only be reached over long concrete stairway, a nature trail and a long wooden bridge and walkway. It is unique in it's special location on top of a rocky outcropping. The tower is barduned down so it does not fly away in ferocious storms.

The lighthouse is one of the first things you see when approaching the island on the ferry. The tower started its service in 1860.

The last thing we visited today was the , in opposite end of GM. We had been here before in September 2020, but it's a place you would want to see again and again. 

The ruggedness of the south end can only be experienced when being there. Pictures won't tell the story of the 300ft steep cliffs ending in small secluded beaches or directly into the cold blue waters of the Bay of Fundy. All kind of seabirds are enjoying the remoteness of the area for nesting and finding their food. A true paradise of the roughest nature one can imagine.

A Place To Forget The World

When visiting Grand Manan in September last year we "forgot" to take the ferry ride over to White Head Island. This time we were determined to correct this mistake.

So this morning we were at the ferry landing at Ingalls Head and we were lucky enough to arrive the second the ferry was ready to leave. In fact, they had the gate up already but seeing us, they lowered it again and we rolled aboard. Nice folks!

Arriving at White Head we were bound to drive every available mile on this island which has a population of 162. There are no stores, no cafes and no gas station.

Ferry running from Ingalls Head to White Head Island

The name White Head explains itself when one sees the white rocks sticking out everywhere.

First we were off to the south side. The paved road ends at a Jeep/ATV trail, and we parked the van there to continue on foot. At the outer point a lighthouse is sending its signals across the open ocean. It's called Long Point Light House Being light house enthusiasts, we had to see it up close. 

The trail is partially somewhat difficult to walk as it is filled with round stones and really rough. But we made it all the way to the tower. There was no information as to when it was built, and obviously it had been renovated with white metal panels.

The next cove over was even more beautiful as it features a huge sandy beach.

We didn't venture all the way out on it as Dixie was getting pretty thirsty. 

Being back at the van, we had our lunch sandwiches and coffee. Dixie was happy to be back on her comfy bed in the van. She is definitely not a long-trail hiking dog.

The beauty of this place led me to think that this island would be the best place to forget anything about the nastiness of world happenings. Yes, if you were looking for peace this would be the place to live.

After our lunch break we ventured on to see more of White Head. Thr oad side is dotted with neat small fisher family homes. And you would love the wild flowers along the roads. Lupines were everywhere!

Being the small island it is you can explore most of it in a half day, that is unless you do a lot of serious hiking. For us we lined up at the White Head Harbour shortly before 1pm and had the most beautiful ride back to Grand Manan. The entire day there was not a cloud around, yet it was not a hot day, which fits us just fine.

If you ever come into the vicinity, you should take the trip to White Head. The ferry ride is free and it is an experience you will never forget.