The best and worst of the Maritime Provinces

Driving was relaxing because there wasn’t half the traffic on Canada’s east coast as the west coast. Plus, I got to admire the millions of lupins that showered their purple, pink, and white flowers by the side of nearly every road. (Featured image: by Masons Beach Road, Lunenburg). BUT the potholes on secondary and some major highways! Driving to Hopewell Rocks, half the road had washed away in several stretches. On one highway there were reminders that moose crossed the road and between watching for moose and dodging yet another pothole, this was a challenge. It appeared that the road crews couldn’t keep up with the amount of damage from the harsh winters.

Day two of Cape Breton Highlands National Park

Rocky Bluffs and shallow coves were typical on the park’s eastern side where winds off the Atlantic Ocean battered the coastline. Green Cove had warnings that large waves could crash against the headland at any time. Near the ocean, plant life was stunted due to thin soil and salt spray. Offshore, humpback whales travelled north from the Caribbean. Leatherback turtles were common and harp seals returned to the Gulf of St Lawrence for two months of the year. While on land, as well as an abundance of moose in the park, there were lynx, snowshoe hare, red squirrel, hermit thrush, American marten, boreal chickadee and gray jay. Twice I spotted moose the previous day, standing like statues in the middle of the road until I drove closer before they finally sauntered off into the forest. 

Day one of Cape Breton Highlands National Park

From Boutouche I headed into Nova Scotia and arrived at St Anns, Cape Breton Island, to a perfect sunset over St Anns Harbour. The Cabot Trail was on my doorstep, but a few kilometres up the Trans-Canada Highway, a ferry crossed the harbour to a restaurant further north where I had breakfast next morning before tackling the national park.