September 15, 2009 – Cape Breton Highlands

As I start this, the rain is pelting down. It is a steady drone on the roof of the RV. The wind is insignificant, so we have the windows cracked a bit, but it is cooling off and soon we will need some heat. I don’t really mind the rain because it has held off until we were safely ensconced in the RV before it began. As we drove today, we were in and out of sun; touching the bases of the low clouds while in the mountains and encountered some gentle sprinkles. Thursday, the sun is scheduled to re-assume his rightful place and shine brightly on all.

Cape Breton Island is at the extreme northeast of Nova Scotia. On the map, it initially appears as two islands because of a large inland sea, Bras d’Or Lake, which nearly severs the island in half. We are camped in a K.O.A pretty much in the middle of nowhere, but in actually, about 20 miles west of Sydney. We went to Sydney yesterday, but there wasn’t much to do at 4 PM on a Monday. Accidentally, we wandered on to the quay the cruise ships use. While no ships were in, normally Wed/Thur are ship days, there was a coffee shop open in the harbor pavilion. The shop operator was only too happy to make an afternoon sale as the place was emptier then Nancy Pelosi. We had an engaging conversation where we learned about a museum on the second floor and it was free. After that, it was a drive through old town Sydney, but nothing caught our fancy. Sydney is one of those towns where the two major industries, coal and steel, have gone away and it is now trying to redefine itself as a tourist destination. Blue collar goes culturally historic with a degree of artsyness (is that even a word, I think not) tossed in for good measure.

So this morning, we were off to drive Cabot Trail (www.cabottrail.travel) which encompasses the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The tour books recommend allowing 6-8 hours to fully explore the 185 miles of road, so we ventured out at 8:45. Just east of the town of Baddeck (Bagh deck, there is a strong Scottish influence on the island and Highlanders first emigrated here in the early 1800’s) we began our drive along the Trail. The road from there to Margaree Harbor dissects this part of the island as it winds northwest ward through rolling hills of forest and farm. As we descended into Margaree Harbor, the coastline came into view. From here, the Trail swings northward and you can see the hills to the east, rising from the farmland buffer between them and the sea. The small towns along the way have French names like: Grand E’tang; Belle Cote; and Cap le-Moine. Each town is a blending of fishing and farming. And each town marks a steady change in the topography. The hills are rising higher while the buffer to the sea is dwindling. By the time you reach Cheticamp, the coastline has assumed the ruggedness we saw in Gaspe, with the now, mountains dropping straight into the see, while the coast road does all it can to hang on to the landmass. At Cap Rouge, just north of Presqu’ile, the road leaves the sea behind as it ascends French Mountain (455 M. or 1478.75 ft.). Then just as dramatically as it left, it returns to the sea, racing pell-mell down the other side of the mountain until the shore break is just a stone’s throw away. The reunion is short as the road once more begins the winding trek towards the high forested ridges it will traverse as it re-crosses the island headed eastbound. The east coast doesn’t have the grandeur displayed by the west coast, but remains a beautiful drive. Our friend Dana speaks of her fondness for Crème Brulee in that she enjoys the whole, but loves the top the best. The top being that caramelized surface created by a kitchen torch or under a broiler. Well if this drive is Crème Brulee, the west cost is the top.

In PEI, the soil has a very high content of iron. When the soil is worked and brought to the surface the iron rusts and turns the soil red. Here in Nova Scotia, the iron is still evident, but not to the extent of what we saw on PEI. Much of the exposed rock face we saw in the Highlands revealed the reddishness of iron aside the granite or limestone.

We have seen hints of fall, but the Nova Scotia fall runs a bit later then what will be seen west of here. My assumption is the generally lower altitude combined with the influence of the Gulf Stream serve to keep at bay for a couple of weeks. But as we were driving today, we were both startled at times by a sudden eruption of color. Sometimes, it would be a single red maple tree who decided to show up early for the dance. We would come around a corner or crest a ridge and there it would be, all decked out in a scarlet formal against a backdrop of forest green tuxedos. Other displays have just been the tops of one or two red maples, blushing and embarrassed they have changed so soon while the rest of the tree has yet to even look in the closet. On occasion, we see a sugar maple beginning to transition to the yellow/orange flame appearance. But those sightings have been rare.

Another assumption of mine has to do with churches and cemeteries. In rural Quebec Provence and out towards Gaspe, we never saw a church without an adjacent cemetery. This held true into northern New Brunswick, but here in Nova Scotia, cemeteries sit alone, surrounded by parkland or forest. I believe this has to do with the predominance of Catholicism in eastern Quebec. As each town/village had its own church, the church then had its parish and parish cemetery. As we have moved away from Quebec, the church denominations have increased. Where we saw only Catholic with an occasional Anglican church, we now seen not only those two but Baptist, Jehovah’s Witness, United Church of Canada, Presbyterian and a couple of free Christian. Hence, cemeteries tend to be more diverse then parish orientated.

The most northern realm of Cape Breton has a strong Scottish influence. There is a museum, a Piper’s School and the gift shops are full of Scottish stuff. As I’ve written before, Canada has become a bi-lingual nation with everything official printed in both English and French (this however is not necessarily true in Quebec where English is rarely posted). But in the Highland area, you now get the names of places in both English and Gaelic. Many of the names also represent the Mi’kmaq people who were the first settlers in the area. Like many places around North America, the influence of the various inhabitants has influenced much that we know today.

Tomorrow, our day is dictated by the weather. If it is supposed to rain all day, we will probably move on towards Halifax. If it is clear and windy, we may try to sail here or possibly at Baddeck. Allez les bon temps rouleaux!