These days, most of our Casita camping trips happen during the winter when we’re in the Southwest, but we always take a Northeast trip during the fall. This year we compiled our food declaration list and headed to Canada. I took no goodwill for granted and paid strict attention to Canadian border regulations. Alcohol? No more than 2 bottles of wine (or 24 cans of beer). Food? Everything in its original commercial packaging clearly marked as made in the USA. (I figured that Rosie’s Canadian-made dog biscuits were probably acceptable.) And most importantly— declare everything to avoid fines. As we approached the little border hut in Calais, Maine, I was clutching the declaration spread sheet (homemade in the USA) along with Rosie’s health certificates. The border patrol officer greeted us in French and English, asked if we had alcohol, tobacco, firearms, or bear spray, and asked if Rosie could have a biscuit. Two bottles of wine declared, Rosie got a little bone cookie, and we were on our way. Welcome to Canada!
First stop was Fundy National Park in New Brunswick, where we enjoyed walking on Waterside Beach (a UNESCO Bio-Reserve) when the enormous tide was out in the Bay of Fundy (the water level can change by fifty feet), eating fabulous seafood in Alma ( the best fish and chips ever), and navigating the morning fog to Cape Enrage. The park was closed, but we could make out the lighthouse through the mist and could hear the foghorn. (Check out the video clip below.) We hiked to Mathew’s Head on the Coastal Trail and settled into a pair of signature red Adirondack chairs to soak up the sunshine and ocean views.
Then we were on to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, which was new territory for us. We camped in remote Digby, enjoyed a hike to White Point Lookout and visited the sweet little Saint Paul Island Museum where we scored an excellent dinner recommendation from the very nice docent. When served the gorgeous halibut at The Markland, our waitress smiled and said, “My husband caught it today.” Amazing! We spent a day driving a section of the Cabot Trail, which gave us a good taste of the Canadian Maritime mountain terrain and rugged coastline. We grabbed sandwiches in Chéticamp and ate them at La Bloc, entertained by dolphins feeding off shore. On the way back to camp we stopped to hike into MacIntosh Falls.
Our last camping spot was outside of Sydney, Nova Scotia. (The campground was in New Harris.) Our campsite was on a hillside with a steep drop off, which made parking the Casita a bit alarming, but it afforded us a nice view of the water and an expansive bridge. From there we ventured into North Sydney for yet another wonderful seafood dinner. The restaurant, The Black Spoon, is on the harbor where enormous ferry boats load up for the trip to Newfoundland. Very cool! We spent a day venturing to Sydney where we walked a lighthouse trail along cliffs and toured the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site where we were treated to skilled professional historic interpreters in costume and character — a house servant, a merchant, a soldier on lookout duty, and someone tasked with the unenviable job of guarding the governor’s chickens and pigs. We learned a lot about the plight of the Acadians (kicked out when the British vanquished the French), as well as the indigenous Mi’kmaq. (Same song, second verse.)
French influence is widespread on Cape Breton but also Scottish. The billboard in the above photo is outside a small gift shop. Coincidentally, while we were in Nova Scotia, two sets of Sandwich friends were on hiking trips in, you guessed it — Scotland! We had a wonderful trip and thoroughly enjoyed the gift of good weather and good cheer. In our experience, Canadians are warm, friendly, and generous. “O Canada,” thank you for welcoming us!
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