6/30/14 – Headed to Fundy National Park for two days via the 111,1, and 114. Canada’s national parks are expensive, especially for seniors used to US parks. You pay a fee for each day, each person, and STILL for a camping spot! Luckily entry for 7/1, Canada Day, is a freebee. We elected to dry camp at Point Wolfe cg on the coast, where a right angle turn into a covered bridge limits length to 24’

 …but conveniently just outside the campground are several coastal hikes. First hike through the woods, with a side trail down to the beach at the mouth of the river, then back to the covered bridge, where there used to be a mill. That polluted the river mouth so badly the fish died in the tidal bay, so all that remains of the mill are pictures – and a recovering ecosystem.

Next we took a longer and more arduous trail to the remains of an old copper mine, quartz tailings left behind, then looping back for great views along the coastline and glimpses of wildlife.

 7/1/14 – Decided to drive toward Alma, just outside the eastern entrance, and stopped enroute at the Matthews Head trailhead. This is a coastal bluffs and open fields loop trail. Great views up and down the Fundy coastline.

Then headed to park headquarters, since no cell or wifi service at our campground. Very busy everywhere, due to Canada Day. From there, we drove into Alma – Nancy wanted local-caught scallops. Had lunch at the Alma Boathouse, and they fixed a scallop dish the way Nancy wanted, while I had a bucket of fresh-steamed mussels. All delicious. Back into the park, we hiked the Dickson Falls trail loop, woodsy, with pretty falls and cataracts.

Then back to camp. Our primitive site campground still does have nice bathrooms and showers, all free. The campground never got very full, and the other full-service campgrounds in the park still had sites unfilled even on this busy weekend.

7/2/14 – Awoke to fog and mist, and wind gusts blowing it in the bunk window. Not enough to get the bed wet. Headed east via the 114 through Alma and on to Ponderosa Pines Campground, next to Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park. Checked in, then headed on down to the park for the day. We arrived a bit after low tide, but in plenty of time to explore the exposed rocks, caves, and seafloor – along with scads of other visitors. Still some overcast, some sun, and very gusty. Since the tides in the Bay of Fundy are the highest in the world, and this park is at the narrowest point, the level shift can be as high as 45’. Walking around the base of the rock formations, we are far above the low tide level, yet you can kayak through them at high tide.

The park charges admission per person, good for 2 days, but they put the funds to good use, keeping the facilities and trails in very good shape. We returned to the rig for a break and lunch, then back to the trails a little before peak high tide.

Since the trip here from the campground took just a few minutes, we followed a hike down to a beach on the west end of the park that allowed us to see it, across a river and through the trees. Back at the campground, it is clear and sunny now, still very gusty. Will have to decide what our direction tomorrow will be, as over the weekend, Tropical Storm Arthur may make landfall, and we don’t want to get flooded out!

7/3/14 – Another cool, misty morning. We hiked along the lakes sandwiching the campground, trying to spot a moose, but no luck. Also didn’t spot the purported 4’ snapping turtle that was decimating the duck population in one of the lakes. We headed the rig east on the 114 to Moncton, and stopped for a little grocery shopping.and our first gas-up in Canada. Sticker shock on both counts, when used to US prices. Then, we headed for PEI, taking the 2 first to the provincial border with Nova Scotia, to visit the tourist info center and pick up a guide to NS there, before heading north on the 16 to the bridge to PEI, where we intended to pick up a guide to THAT province and arrange camping. However, all the guides and info we wanted were available at this first stop, and we found out there was a country music festival starting the next day in Cavendish, and essentially all campsites on the island had been booked for months. Even our young agent helping us was going. Ironically, it seems the festival may be cancelled due to storm Arthur looming. So, we headed for Halifax, NS, instead, closer to Arthur’s path, but on higher ground, booking a couple days at the Shubie Campground at Shubie Lake, Dartmouth.

We had a few issues getting level and getting power at our site, but once that was settled, we headed out on foot about a mile walk through thick mist to Micmac Bar and Grill, grabbed a table in this always packed restaurant, and dined on excellent steak and shrimp for me, and prime rib dinner for Nancy. Highly recommended, but note they are closing and will be re-opening at a new location next door later this month. Tomorrow, weather permitting, we hope to bus and ferry on foot into Halifax proper.