Canada 2022:

June 10 to June 16 (Dundee, NS to Gros Morne, NL)



Click on the photo for each day to view that day's photos.

Day 47 - June 10, 2022

Another very foggy day. But the plan was to visit the Fortress of Louisbourg so that is what we did. A few “scenic” shots along way in the fog.


The fortress is quite the place. I is very large (but still only a small portion of the original). It is actually a painstaking reconstruction of the fortress as it was destroyed by the British in 1758. That was the second time they had taken it from the French. The first time they gave it back. History can be so strange.


Anyway, Bud E. made some friends, got promoted to Gunnery Sergeant, and sold some rum so he had a good day! Then we drove over to Glace Bay before ending up in Sydney. The weather cleared up minutes after leaving Louisbourg, and it is amazing how much better things look when you can actually…I don’t know…see them! Even have a room with a view tonight.


The weather looks like it is going to co-operate for the Cabot Trail tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Fortress of Louisbourg

Day 48 - June 11, 2022

The Cabot Trail does not disappoint. Often ranked as one of the most beautiful drives in the world, and I can understand why. This is my second trip around the Cabot Trail. The weather was beautiful, and the road was not too busy as it is early in the season. We stopped at a gondola and took the ride up. Great view! At the very north end, I took a detour out to Meat Cove which is off the Cabot Trail at the very north end of Cape Breton Island. Very, very pretty!


Then a few shots around Baddeck and the Baddeck harbour. Baddeck is a quaint little village on the shores of Bras d’Or Lake (pronounced bra-door). This is a very large salt water lake (inland sea actually) in the centre of Cape Breton Island. The Baddeck harbour is gorgeous. Bud E. makes friends everywhere.

Cabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

Day 49 - June 12, 2022

Today was the day we decided to take a boat tour to the “Bird Islands”. It was on the “to do” list and the weather was great. A couple shots along the way, Bud E. making friends again and then on to the boat. There were a few jellyfish at the dock, so I got a shot of a couple of those. Bird Island Tours has been operating the tour for 50 years and they are extremely knowledgeable. They named all the birds and while I learned some things, I am afraid I was too busy taking pictures to listen very closely. Suffice to say, I took far too many photos but hopefully a few of them are worth you time.


In our world Sea Gulls are just Sea Gulls, generally frowned upon as nothing more than scavengers and nuisances. However, there are many kinds of gulls and many of them are not only beneficial but very pretty. We also saw seals, Cormorants, Bald Eagles, Eider Ducks, Black Backed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Black Guillemots, Black Legged- Kittiwakes, Razorbills, and Puffins. And seals. Lots of Grey Seals.


After the boat trip, I decided to go back part way up the Cabot Trail.  I bought a sandwich and a few very tasty pastries and had lunch at one of the dramatic overlooks. Stunning.

Puffin in Flight

Day 50 - June 13, 2022

Off to Newfoundland! This will make it all ten provinces for me. Anyway, a couple shots in Nova Scotia (including a beauty of a lighthouse that I had to do some traffic dodging on foot to get), and then a bunch on the ferry. Unfortunately, they had me parked under a light tower with Cormorants nesting on top while waiting to board the ferry. Suffice to say my car is in desperate need of a bath!


The weather was perfect except as we got closer to Newfoundland, it started getting foggy. I had forgotten that I had booked for two for the ferry so the nice lady at the counter gave me a refund of Joy’s fare. I had also booked a cabin because Joy was not really a boat person. I am glad I had the cabin. A place to rest, a private bathroom and a desk to edit the photos from yesterday.


Upon arrival at the hotel, I met a fellow (Karl – 72 years young, ex navy F14 pilot) riding a motorcycle from Arizona to Newfoundland, then planning on travelling across Canada and then up to Alaska! He had a buddy nicknamed “Oats” that was supposed to make the trip but health issues prevented that, so he has a stuffed character named “Oats”.  Bud E. Bear and Oats hit it off right away sitting on the bike!

A Nova Scotia Lighthouse

Day 51 - June 14, 2022

Today was a short drive from Port aux Basques to Rocky Harbour with a detour into Stephenville for a car wash (thanks to the Cormorants at the ferry!). On the drive from Alberta to here, I think we have seen several hundred “Moose” signs and today we saw a moose!


We stopped and got a shot overlooking Corner Brook and some of Gros Morne National Park. Then this evening there was a spectacular sunset over the Gulf of St. Lawrence so with a nice lighthouse for a backdrop I took too many shots of it.


Tomorrow, we have two boat tours booked. The first is Bonne Bay and the second is Western Brook Pond with 700’ cliffs.

Rocky Harbour Sunset

Day 52 - June 15, 2022

Today was boat tour day as we took two very different boat tours. We started in the morning with a cruise on Bonne Bay which is a bay off the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This was a very nice tour with some great views and a very funny crew.  As a bonus, we got to watch a small lobster fishing boat up close.


Then a quick 25 km trip up the coast to the Western Brook Pond Tour. Here you park near the highway and walk 3 kms into the Western Brook Pond which is an inland fjord.  Millions of years ago it was an actual fjord as it was an extension of the ocean but today it is land locked and is fresh water.  It is stunning! The water is very blue (except when you get the reflections from the shoreline, and it looks vibrant green and sometimes even purple) and is over 500 feet deep (165m). The surrounding cliffs rise dramatically 2,000 feet (600m) and the views are spectacular with many waterfalls and dense forest. We were extremely fortunate to have chosen a day when the weather was gorgeous. The tour guide joked that it was the nicest day in 5 years. Of course, Bud E. had to find a new friend to pose with. The scamp!


After the 3 km walk pack to the car, I went on couple other short walks to get a few more photos of the dazzling Newfoundland beauty.

Western Brook Pond, Gros Morne National Park

Day 53 - June 16, 2022

Gros Morne is indeed beautiful. Today we just drove around the Bonne Bay to Woody Point and Trout River. I did take a 4 km hike to the Tablelands which was quite barren and very windy. Other than lunch in Woody point and a drive through Trout River it was an uneventful day. Bud E. stayed in the car except for one stop late in the day. 

Trout River, Newfoundland