Acadia in New Brunswick

 

I guess you can say I am officially on the east coast! A few days back I crossed over the Restigouche River, from the province of Quebec into the community of Campbellton, News Brunswick.

It was a goose-bump moment for me. But this one was different – it was an east coast-ish type goose-bump. Bigger. So much so, I had to take a picture of the bridge for prosperity.

I spent the last few days getting to know the lay of the land. So far there are many, many small little villages lined up one after the other. Almost every one of those villages enjoys a large beach, a quay and a marina.

From Campbellton I decided to start my travels exploring New Brunswick by following the acadia Route along the waterfront on the east coast of the province.

The route would take me through many villages but for my purposes I stop for tourism.  So, with tourism in mind,  I  explored the communities of Campbellton, Dalhousie, Petite Rocher, Bathurst, Grande-Anse and Caraquet.  Campbellton and Bathhurst being the largest, I spent most of my time there.

After my stay in Campbellton I ended up  in Bathurst, New Brunswick for a few days. It was the biggest centre in the region, so it was a good bet.

During my stay the weather Gods were playing tricks with me. One hour it would rain and then the next it would get hot on me. I would be putting layers on, shelding myself with rain gear and then, not 2 hours later,  I would be peeling layers off again.  And… to make things interesting – every time I took layers off,  the mosquitoes smelt blood and transformed into attack mode.  Out  came the repellent. It became a step by step system for me after repetitiveness.

My two favorite parks I visited on the same day.  Except the day seemed like 2  different worlds. In the morning I visited Youghall Beach Park on Nepisiguit Bay under cloudy skies, heavy winds and showers. And then, a few hours later, I was on the other side of Nepisiguit Bay exploring the Pointe Daly Wetland Park under sunny skies, partially cloudy weather. Heck.. I could see Youghall Beach across the harbour.

Youghall Beach covers the entire peninsula. The wide sandy beach bends around a point and connects to a marina. It is a long sandy beach with far reaching views.  On my visit there was a couple walking on the beach holding hands and a lone man fishing from the shore. “No luck,” he said when I asked?  And that was it – fish, love and me.  No one else in sight.

I walked the waterfront park, marina  and the beach making mental notes.  But nothing felt better than my stroll,  in the misty rain,  lost in my thoughts.

For us EH  Boys the beach is were it is at.  The mist from the bay, the instant down pours and the forceful winds.. it makes no difference to me. I walk a snails dance when I am in the zone.

Pointe Daly Wetland Park was a treat and well worth the shedding of layers and putting them on again.  Hot.. cold.  Hot.. cold, you know the drill.

There were dirt, grass, boardwalk and beach trails. The park was well signed and provided many options for hiking. I decided on the Warbler Trail because of the wetland scenery. It took me out to the middle of the marsh.

It was a long boardwalk path. I crossed a footbridge, surrounded by reeds and cat tails all the time.  As far as I could tell I was the only one in the park.  How can that be?

Am I the only one in Bathurst today who does not care what the weather is like?  How come I can see the beauty in all weather conditions. Am I that odd? To me, harsh weather adds to the adventure, not dampen it. No pun intended. (Main BLOG Photo).

From Bathurst I continued driving down the coast.  Leaving early and finishing late stopping in on villages.  One of the villages I stopped in on was Grande Anse.  It is in the heart of acadia.

The acadian flag was everywhere. Flags hanged on proches, out car windows, from flag poles and as lawn ornaments.

The acadian are a proud French people who in the 1800s fought off expulsion from the country by the British Army. Even there lighthouse on the waterfront is in the acadian colours.

Now, I sit in my pod at the doorstep of  the acadian Islands – Miscou and Lameque Islands. Tomorrow it is a day of beaches and bogs from what I have read.  Cannot wait.