Maritime Trilogy - PEI

PEI, our lady in red. 

The first leg of our maritime adventures started in PEI (Prince Edward Island). This little island truly is covered in a dirty mahogany sand, like a pretty red blanket. The drive to get to PEI from Montreal, is about 14 hours with stops, best to do it in two days. We stopped near Moncton on our way, and the next morning we stopped in at the Magnetic Hill to experience what that was all about. You literally feel like you are rolling back UP the hill. They also have a mini theme park, water park, looks like a great place for kids and families to spend a day. 

Crossing the Confederation bridge in the daytime is well worth the view, and the cost. You pay as you exit the island, but be ready to fork over 46$ per car. The other way on off the island by car, is to take the Ferry to Nova Scotia, which can set you back 72$.  Therefor it may be worth coming to visit for more then a day or two. What is truly impressive, is when you cross from New Brunswick, where it is very green, lush and wooded, with many warning signs of moose or deer crossings, to a beautiful vision of red shores, lighthouses, and very little wildlife hazards. We stopped at the visitors centre to gather information on things to do in the area we were going to be in. Our destination was Cabot Beach Provincial Park, the north-west part of the Island in Malpeque Bay. There is so much to do on this little island, and to visit it from one end to another you can easily spend two weeks. We had four days, and without overwhelming ourselves, we wanted to see and do as much as possible.

One of our goals for this trip was meant to reconnect with nature while camping, biking and hiking on our explorations. Cabot Park is fantastic if you want to get around by bike or foot, it’s not a huge park, but has many little nooks to go visit. We took advantage of this after we set up camp, and rode around the park, and down to the little warf. We were rewarded with seeing a red fox at the park. The winding red sand trails run through the trees lead you near the bluffs, and no matter where you stop, the sights are unforgettable. Close your eyes, listen to the waves crashing into the cliffs, hear the seagulls as they soar above you, smell the sea salt air. The sunset from one of the bluffs in the park is magical, the light hits the rocks creating all different hues, and as the air is filled with quieter sounds, the island gets ready to go to sleep. 

The weather is slightly unpredictable in PEI. We opted to drive around and explore on our first full day. We headed into Cavendish, in search of my childhood favourite Anne of Green Gables. We happened upon Lucy Montgomery’s house first. There is a museum there as well, the famous Lake of Shining Waters, and Mathew Cuthberts’ carriage rides. We continued on our journey, and we first passed our destination, but no matter because it led us to a little shop, where they dye clothing using PEI red dirt. You can even see the shop in the back, where the lifespan of a washing machine is a measly 3 weeks. It’s a great gift or souvenir to get, because it’s not something you will find anywhere else. We also checked out the cavendish boardwalk, lots of nicknacks, and they have a COWS ice cream parlour, but the line was so long we passed on this. 

The  Anne of Green Gables Heritage House is located in the National Park, and because 2017 was Canada 150, entry to the park, and the Anne Green Gables houses and property, free as well. I was giddy and giggly. Bela was clueless, but curious. We took a stroll down Lovers Lane, and through the Haunted Woods. For Béla is was a nature walk, for me, it was a step back in time. He took pictures while I relieved part of my youth, the days where we judiciously watched the CBC tv series every Sunday night - following Anne and her shenanigans, her trials, tribulations, and romantic fantasies. Anne and Diana were present, taking pictures with visitors, and selfies - and the girls were totally immersed in their characters and play their roles perfectly. Anne even knew history on Hungary, and how we come from a nomadic people, which quite frankly, impressed us. The screening process to play her role must be extensive. I went through the house, saw Anne’s bedroom, and yes it looks out on the yard, where the cherry blossom tree grows. My inner teenager was rejuvenated.

On our way back, we stopped at a local restaurant called Ship to Shore to eat. They are open for lunch and dinner, and they are continuously busy. This is mostly because there are not many other places to eat on this part of the island, but also because their food is good, as well as the service. Béla had the clam chowder, while I had the bacon wrapped dates as appetizers, then for main course he had the lobster mac and cheese, while I had a very tasty burger. We passed on dessert, only because we were full. The place is great for family dinner, reunions, the fare is local, prices are reasonable. 

On day 2, the weather was windy, but sunny, so the bikes were put to use. Our goal was to find Tea Cup Rock. We biked our way around, and I quickly realized how wrong I was to assume that this island was flat. What seemed like gentle slopes by car, were a little more challenging when one has only two wheels and must self-generate the energy to make it advance. Add some 40 km winds that day, and well, suffice to say, not all of this exploring was amusing. There are over 60 lighthouses all over the island, some on private property, others you can walk right up too. You can also do your own tour of all of them, if that is what’s of interest to you. 

We made our way over to Thunder Cove Beach crossing through little roads, riding by farms, over little bridges, stopping at scenic lookout points, and fishing villages. There are no words to really give the scenery justice. The colourful little fishing houses that adorn the seaside, are any artists or photographers dream. The colours are so vibrant, they pop and create a beautiful landscape with the majestic ocean as the backdrop. 

Upon our arrival at Thunder Cove Beach, people park their cars randomly on the side of the road, or if you are by bike, you can find something to chain it too. It wasn’t the warmest day, and it gets pretty windy, buffs and windproof jackets were a necessity before we headed down to the beach. In order to spot Tea Cup Rock, just follow the people. You will need to walk by another rock formation that is majestic in its own way.  Over the years of the waves crashing into them, they have developed shapes, and holes, some you can climb, others you can sit on to take a rest. On a warmer day, pack a picnic, bring a blanket and sit, enjoy the free beach, let the kids go for a dip. We made our way through the rock formation, and then we saw it. Tea Cup Rock. It really does look like a tea cup. It’s a great photo op, stands on its own, and you wonder how many thousands of years did it take for it to take this shape. Mother Nature at her finest.

The ride back to Cabot Park was exerting. We were riding into the wind and the pretty rolling hills now felt like mountains, and to be honest, I was disliking the whole thing. The last few kilometres were the most painful, even Béla, who is bigger and stronger then me, was being swayed on the road by the blustering winds. We made it to the O’Neil Home Gallery which was still 4 km from Cabot Beach, and I wasn’t sure at that point if I would make it back, or should just walk it. Béla offered to get the car while I sit and have coffee, and as much as that was the sweetest thing he could have offered, my pride was greater and I mustered enough energy, with many breaks to make it back. 

We decided to explore by car in the afternoon, and we took a short drive over to Kitchen Witch Tea Room. This old house, may have seen better days from the outside, but its battered look is what adds to the charm. Again, the food was tasty - we only had dessert with tea - but everything on the menu looked really tantalizing. They use local products, make everything fresh, the tea list is extensive and they have tea reading as well. They have numerous gluten free options, we tried the chocolate truffles - very tasty - and the peach cobbler pie. Their little shop in the front has many eclectic flavoured jams, jellies and preserves. If you are in the area, we highly recommend you make sure to stop by. 

Our last stop of the day was at the Island Honey Wine company - a meadery. This is of interest for both of us, but for different reasons. I was introduced to honey wine 3 years ago by friend in Colorado who opened their own, Miracle Stag Meadery, and Béla has worked with them on their marketing. So when I happened upon the Island Honey Wine Company, a brand new meadery, with very different flavours, I just had to go see. The owner came out to greet us when he saw I was taking a picture of the front of the store, and offered to take one of the two of us. This friendliness and island charm is contagious. He took the time to explain and present his products, and I had a tasting of three out of the four flavours he has - one he has already sold out since they opened two months ago. All three were very tasty, and very different. These are more a dessert wine, or a late night cap, to be enjoyed with good company and conversation that should flow as smoothly as the liquid itself. I bought one of each, that will be popped open for such evenings, perhaps in the winter, when a ray of sunshine and warmth is needed to help the soul, and chase away the gloomy grey of the outside world. 

Our last full day of PEI led us to a different provincial park, Belmont Beach. To get there you need to pass through Summerside, which is a much bigger town. They have everything you need, from groceries, to car supplies and we opted to get fresh baked bread from a local bakery to go with our lunch. We found Belmont Beach easily, and at first we wondered why we were the only people there. It is at the end of a little road, its almost a community park, but they have clean bathrooms, a playground, picnic tables, and you can walk around the bluffs. When the weather is warm enough, you can even swim. We strolled and found lots of photo ops again, had a quiet lunch facing the beach, one of my favourite things to do. 

People in PEI, or at least on this side of the island, are very trustworthy, and I would imagine it goes from coast to coast. The honour system is very much in place, produce and firewood can be purchased on the side of the road, the owners leave out the products and a little box. You pick up what you need, you leave money in the box. It was a very interesting and refreshing concept, knowing that there are still places you can experience this. As a society, we have become very materialistic and paranoid and sadly we tend to mistrust each other. I enjoyed being able to partake in this venture, we bought ourselves some tomatoes and new potatoes, and left the money in the little box as requested. We popped in to have some coffee at O’Neil Home Gallery, one of the few places you can have coffee in the area. It is also an art gallery, where they host paint nights as well. 

Our last stop, was to the Malpeque Oyster Barn. My close friends will know, that this stop was not for me. Béla however is much more adventurous in the culinary tasting world. What better place to have oysters, then where they are fished and served in less then 6-8 hours. The shucker was a show in itself, and not surprisingly he has won many competitions in his field. Béla decided to try the pan seared oysters - as opposed to fresh, because he had never had them like that before. I order a salad. Stop laughing. It’s just the way things go. I DID try a small piece of his pan seared oyster, it was not as fishy as I expected, and because it was pan seared, not slimy. I however did wash it down with some local Blueberry Ale. It was a great experience, the place is very busy, call ahead to make a reservation. We got lucky because we were there before the dinner rush. Its medium priced, but you can’t beat the freshness of the oysters, clams and other fish that’s on the menu. They had a children friendly menu as well, for kids who may not want to try oysters.

We packed up most of our things on our last night, they had predicted rain, however, one thing I have learned, is the weather in PEI turns on a dime. It can be sunny and windy one minute, cloudy and quiet next, or a light sprinkle followed by more sun - all in the space of an hour. The rain never came, and this was a nice way to pack up in the morning, I was sad to leave, but eager to head to the next leg of our adventure - Kouchibouguac NB.