I got up at 7h56 and talked with my hosts at the motel and two of the ladies who work there. I then went to Sandeannies for my favourite breakfast, fish cakes, bacon, eggs, home fries, toast, and orange juice, enough sustenance to last a full day. When I came out to the car, there was some blue sky with white clouds at the horizon and wind-driven wispy white clouds overhead; it was a warm +23 (74) and felt humid. I stopped in Mabou to tend to an errand, got gas in Belle-Côte, got my seasonal park pass (free this year in celebration of Canada’s 150th anniversary of Confederation) at the Visitors’ Centre in Chéticamp, and stopped at Cap-Rouge for photos and to enjoy the spectacular views; it was very breezy and with more and greyer clouds. The road at and bridge over Corney Brook are now completely finished and lovely to drive on. Work continues, however, on French Mountain; it was very slow going behind a gravel truck all the way up from Cap-Rouge and, near the summit, I was stopped by a road worker to wait for a follow-me truck, which escorted us through the active work on a torn-up and very heave-y road as far as French Lake, the parking area for which is now preëmpted for use by construction vehicles. The construction continues between French Lake and Benjies Lake, but without benefit of the follow-me truck. New paved parking areas at Benjies Lake and at the southern Fishing Cove Trail Head have marked parking lanes and planters with flowers. The new road from Benjies Lake to MacKenzies Mountain still lacks lane markings, but is a smooth and nice ride, though I noticed two places have already been patched. Although it was hazy over the water at the MacKenzies Mountain look-offs, I stopped for photos nonetheless. The new bridge over the MacKenzies River is to the left of the existing bridge; it is higher and well along and its construction does not impede traffic. The parking area just past the bridge has also been preëmpted by construction vehicles. There are two one-lane spots on North Mountain controlled by traffic lights, one going up halfway between the Lone Shieling and the summit and the other below the summit just before the uppermost look-off, also preëmpted; both sites are blasting out the adjacent rock faces so the road can be moved away from the gorges on the right. I stopped to enjoy the views by the little waterfall I discovered last year at the uppermost parking area on the left when descending, where the temperature had reached +26 (79). At Cape North Village, I checked the hours at Angie’s, which, this year, is currently open 14h-20h except Wednesday when it’s closed. I picked up some groceries at the country market across the road. I then backtracked to the Bay St Lawrence Road and stopped for photos of The Peak; at Cabot Landing Provincial Park; before reaching the Salmon River bridge; and at Black Point. I arrived at Hines’ Oceanview Lodge, carried my things into my room, and settled in on the veranda to enjoy the grand views. The wind was blowing hard (30-50 km/h (18-31 mph), gusting to 80 kmh (50 mph)), enough to bend trees over halfway, which made it comfy—otherwise it would have been way too hot.
¹ Posted on Tuesday, 20 June, for Monday, 19 June.↩
Partially answered correctly by Gloria Burke MacDonald and Anne M McPhee:
the view is from the Cap-Rouge look-off and I was sitting in one of the big red Adirondack chairs
that Parks Canada has placed throughout the Cape Breton Highlands National Park as an advertising theme.
If one kept going straight as the crow flies, where would one end up at the far horizon? What is behind me?
And what is at the bottom of this long hill?
No one successfully answered any of these questions.
This is the view one has from the French Mountain web cam looking to the northeast along the Cabot Trail,
which was then undergoing construction in the valley below. A straight line would bring one out on North Mountain
before it descends to Big Intervale Cape North. Behind me is the weather station and web cam.
Fishing Cove River is at the bottom of the hill, quite narrow at that point, and a good place to see moose.
the answer to one of the questions posed for the previous photo.
This day it was also being used as a parking area for construction vehicles.
this view is tied ex æquo for my favourite view in Cape Breton.
Hazy today, alas, in spite of the strong winds seen on the waters below.
The proposed Seawall Trail runs along the highlands at the left,
which drop precipitously to the sea, giving the trail its name.
Joe MacMaster correctly answered this one: Roberts Mountain and Pleasant Bay.
No correct answers for this one: it’s a panoramic view from the Cape North Massif (Money Point Mountain)
at the right of the previous photo with Wilkie Sugar Loaf left of centre
and then around to North Harbour Beach and Aspy Bay at the left of this photo,
all seen from one spot in the Cabot Landing Provincial Park.
seen from the Meat Cove Road just east of the mouth of the Salmon River.
Meat Cove, Blackrock Point, and Cape St Lawrence seen from Black Point.
About 17h45, I drove down to the village. The Chowder Hut is still under construction and won’t open for another ten days. The Meat Cove Restaurant appeared to be closed, but I spoke with my host who happened by as I was photographing Meat Cove Mountain and he told me it’s now being run by his niece, so I went there for supper, instead of driving back to Cape North Village for dinner at Angie’s. I had a huge bowl of chowder and an equally huge lobster roll full of meat. I then returned to the Lodge and once again settled in on the veranda. My host and good friend came up just as the sun was getting low enough to shine directly on the veranda, so we sat at the kitchen table catching up on our news. He has a new lobster boat and a seasick helper, so has had a lot of work and was dog tired, so it was especially kind of him to come up and visit. I am sharing the Lodge tonight with two of the four road workers who are staying here through the end of this week. After my host left, I worked on Saturday’s post and these notes as I watched the sun set. It remained windy, a bit less than earlier, but way more than enough to keep the bugs away. At 23h35:26, it still felt very warm and humid, though the temperature was only +25 (77). I finally retired just before 0h.
with Cape North beyond in the far distance, seen from the Meat Cove Campground.
