Day 174, Mon. Sept. 24, 2018. Tire problem solved, Three new species!!!!! At Andrew, New Brunswick

Yes, the tire problem was solved and we have new tires on the ones that had the broken bands. Our camp worker, John, (bless him)  gave me some advice about not  only about the tires themselves but where to go to purchase them. That in itself could be a story , but suffice to say  that we got them, albeit a chase to the United States across the border,  to get one of them and the other here in Canada at St Stephen.

The warehouses did not have them so I could not get two in either of these two places but one in each, ("OK Tire" in St Stephen with Cara, and VIP (Reilly) in Calais USA with Zach, across the border). So to be as safe as possible crossing the border, I bought one tire in Calais and returned to St Stephen and had them affix both tires . It was interesting  for me anyway, to see, after the air is let out of the tires that had broken bands , how they returned to normal smoothness. Other wise the center ribs were sticking out and looked out of place. The possibility of  an explosion when they burst was scary.

Had toshow you the tire store sign at least. It's on Rte. 170 in Oak Bay, NB.

 John helped me remove them, and replace them after we returned  from the ride to a "foreign country" and back. Heck , John did all the work, I merely assisted. (John was only 75.!!!)

So we feel better and am very grateful for the travel prayers from those who have done that as God is listening. 

In St. Stephen there is a chocolate factory that we will visit this week.

This is the entry to Canada from USA , Calais. There is a second crossing on the highway where all trucks go.

Main Street  St Stephen  (Prince William Street )

While we were passing through  St Stephen after the tires were picked up,  we thought we would get a haircut, and there was a barber shop at the edge of town. Heather cut my hair while Ruth waited in the truck. In talking with Heather  I discovered that she did not cut women's hair if it was long , but only short. HUH? Ruth has short hair so maybe this would work!  I went out and told Ruth that she has a haircut appointment inside. It worked well and as Heather's husband has been a teacher here in this small village for 27 years we had much to commiserate about. They came here on vacation and haven't left.

After a supper of pancakes (a change to be sure) and with Jim's cooking them, I took the time to walk to the dike to see the fading tide as it moved out to sea at 6:30 today. I looked with the binoculars and thought I saw a different bird in a very large group that was swimming slowly across Passamaquaddy Bay. I went quickly to the truck to get the scope and set it up.  The binoculars I used to spot them but needed a stronger lens.  Yes, after some long looks there were three species that we had NOT seen yet. All sea birds. The beak and the white coloration on the flanks were the key.  The third bird was more difficult as it was smaller and swam close to the water,   but the black markings on top and the white at the water line  were good field marks. They were: KING EIDER, LONG TAILED DUCK and  SURF SCOTER.  There were probably a hundred or more all tolled.

It was a beautiful, cool day here on the Bay with temps in the morning starting at 34 F  and only raising to the high 50's during the day in the sun. A cool north breeze blew steady all day.

Today is voting (Provincial) in New Brunswick, (Dog handlers handing off the dog)

This is a diorama of the fish pens seen all about the Maritimes.  It is a huge industry that contributes $1.6 billion  to the economy. I will repost this and explain each component.

Tomorrow we will explore some of the coves and lakes near here  so stick around. Thanks to all you faithful followers. Every issue is not that exciting, but it is what happens each day that you can read.

Day 173, Sunday, Sept 23, 2018, into New Brunswick and St. Andrews by the Sea,

This is going to be a short ne, and I haven't had one of those for along time, but perhaps I can throw in a few photos.

 At the start this morning I knew I had a very bad tire that needed replacement and stopped at a few places that might help me change the tire. It was Sunday and all the shops were closed.  I was unsuccessful so we decided to continue the trip, carefully and full of prayer (as always)   and made the 180 miles successfully.   I did get both tanks of propane filled as one was empty and the other down a half. Cold weather coming so we will need that.

This run took us through St John , New Brunswick  (where the Ferry comes from across the Bay of Fundy from the Nova Scotia aside), the town of Moncton and the starting town of Amherst which we talked about last night. I will revisit St.John another night as the site of the rare "Reversing Falls".

Some of the rock cuts in New Brunswick, Very rocky.

The campground is  beautiful location on a bay called  Passamaquaddy Bay, but very quiet with few families mostly couples and singles.
 

If you look on both sides of the trailer  you can see the Passamaquaddy Bay.

Here it is from the passengers side. The rock dike is on a great cliff.

 When I asked at the office upon entering if there was a tire shop near one of the  staff men volunteered to help me,.He  (John) came over and inspected the tires (He had done this work for 50 years so knew tires) . He recommended (never saying "I had to") two new tires as both front tires on the trailer had the steel ribbing broken which had started to make the tire wear unevenly  on the edges and hence were unsafe. He put the spare on the one for now, and he [ointed put a place near where we can  locate and buy two new tires so we will be safe. (Tantamount to a good trip.)

Sunset two nights ago at Loch Lomand near Amherst.

The main street at St Andrews, NB.

Ruth made spaghetti for supper and enough for two more meals (Never make one when three will be better saved.)

That was pretty  much the day and I took time to walk the dike by the sea and it was low tide so the "beach" was waaaaay  out there. More photos tomorrow.

Good night and happy week.

Day 172, Sat. SEp. 22, 2018- Last night in Nova Scotia- (Amherst) Sunset is very colorful.

We did get rain today and as we left the campground in Upper Sackville it was a heavy mist. It was that way until about 1/2 way to Amherst, our destination. Missed the turn for the 102 Freeway, near Lower Sackville but didn't have to backtrack as it was a few blocks from where we stopped to inquire.

Then the sun came out, the roads dried and the tailwind was no longer a tailwind.  The first 50 miles were no strain on the engine to be sure. Tailwinds are a boon to mileage with a trailer.

Northwestern Nova Scotia has none of the 'feel' of the coastal areas and is heavily wooded, with some pasture land in spots.

We passed by signs that led to places we had been three weeks ago.

More of the same. Five Isands was one of the campgrounds.

Looking down # 104 to the west in western Nova Scotia

When stopping for lunch at a "Subway" in Upper Nappan (about 10 miles from the campground), we found that  Highway 2 was the main street. So,  after eating, instead of going back to #104 , we remained on #2 and made our way to the campground at Loch Lomand RV. #2 parallels the #104 highway. It is the "old", original road.

In the afternoon the day was sunny, a few clouds and a stiff breeze blowing from the west/ This campground was not filled like the KOA was. There were essentially few young families. Camping close enough to Halifax for families is what makes the KOA so popular. It was "Full" on Friday, and Saturday.

Our site at Loch Lomand. Very few short term campers. Many seasonals yet.

Both colors were on the same stalk of goldenrod
.

 We had some difficulty leveling the trailer as in order to do so the truck would be in the road.  So we had to unhitch to get it right.   Ruth prepared the best spinach and ham quiche she has made this far. She is getting it down 'pat' as they say.  I spotted a few birds on a walk down by the cove that makes up this park.  We are actually on an arm the Bay of Fundy.  They were BACK CAPPED CHICKADEE, YELLOW RUMPED WARBLER,  BLUE JAY, RING BILLED GULL, and  SWAMP SPARROW.  The Yellow Rumped were very abundant. I suspect in the AM there will be a few more .

The body of water that touches this campground and Amherst is called the Cumberland basin (also the county name)  which is an arm of the Bay of Fundy. The tides are not nearly as high here as near Truro.  Amherst has a population of about 10,000 and is the business capital or western Nova Scotia.  It has a history of manufacturing pianos and car parts but no longer does

I did catch the sunset tonight and tell me which of these photos do you like best?

This one is natural light

This one is enhanced with expressive highlights.

 Tomorrow we will have the last stop in Canada and that will be near St Stephen, New Brunswick. It is right on the Ocean so it will probably be breezy.  See you then.

Day 171, Fri. Sept 22, 2018, -Peggy's Cove, other Coves and FIsh and Chips at Mt. Uniake "Pub and Grub".

 It was a beautiful sunny day, albeit foggy, that met us in the morning as we prepared to head for Peggy's Cove. Along the way and on the way back we passed and stopped at some of these coves  that were adjacent to the road. Photography was ideal for water, rocks and sea 'grass' along with boats and old buildings.   Some of these  coves were; Cliff Cove, Yankee Cove, Margaret's Bay, Middle Point Cove,  Eel Cove, Indian Harbour, Modesty Cove, Black Duck Cove, Upper and Lower Dung Cove, Boutiliers Cove, Mosers Cove and Long Cove . All of these were on the Route 333 on the way to Peggy's Cove.  The Nova Scotian coastline is 13,000 kilometers or 8,225 miles long. These bays , of course, add up to much of the mileage. Here are a few samples.

Some  of the beauty that is there.

From Lobster pots, to fishing gear, those shacks hold a livelihood.

Some old some new, all used.

Very simple but functional.

One thing to remember is that this Peggy's Cove is only about 25 miles from Halifax where the big tour  ships come in every day especially in Sept-October. That makes a place like Peggy's Cove a haven for the buses and visitors  by the thousands. When we arrived there were six buses in a very small area that was actually a one lane road leading up to the small (25 car ) parking lot.  In between buses we were able to get some shots with little traffic, but this was not the season to do that.
The small village here is gradually changing from all fishing and lobster trapping , to tourist emphasis. Small fishing shacks are being replaced by novelty shops or fishing gear shops, or retail fish and lobster  shops. Many venues, but still the fishing industry is alive here.

The premiere pose of Peggy's Cove Lighthouse.

Peggy's Cove, the fishing village , has a few houses and many boats.

There are hundreds of scenes like these one could chose to photograph.

Looking out toward the Ocean , we gather the breadth of the visuals.

An idyllic scene at Peggy's Cove. That's a B and B with the red chairs.

A fee final photos  and we end the trip to Peggy's Cove.  On the way back we did stop for lunch (our pre-packed one), and looked for birds and took more photos.   We did have "Fish and Chips" at the local  "Pub and Grub" (its' name).  Also the following.

There was a bagpiper who played for an hour while we were there  I was able to get a good video of the music.

Old boats and prophesies?

This guy has been holding those fish for years.

What lives on the shore.

Some info on the fishes and lobster trapping.

Day 170, To the big City-Halifax, some genealogy, souvenirs, and lunch at the port of entry.

 All over the world there are "Day Care's" and Halifax is no exception. Great care being given.

 On this trip as many of you know by now, Ruth and I are not big fans of "doing" the big cities. "Off the beaten track" is our forte, but today we mingled with the crowds and got some valuable work accomplished at the same time. Two things were on the agenda, 1) a visit to the Nova Scotia Genealogy building to see if there were records of Ruth's great grandfather  coming through Halifax, which we believed was the case  and 2) to pick up a few souvenirs at one of three places,  especially at the harbour where the souvenir shops were by the big passenger vessels.

The time in the Public Archives of Nova Scotia was well spent, as Gail the guide there, gave Ruth some personal time and instructions about working the machinery and the parameters of what is possible. Ruth did find information of her Great Grandfather's movement in England, and family relationships in England. There is still much to be done, but it was a help.  We had visited the Dalhousie University in Truro as you might recall, and this was the main campus here in Halifax. (Historically , Halifax was the site of the huge explosion that occurred here in 1917 during WW1.
...
From Wikipedia..."The Halifax Explosion was a maritime disaster in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, which happened on the morning of 6 December 1917. The Norwegian vessel SS Imo collided with SS Mont-Blanc, a French cargo ship laden with high explosives, in the Narrows, a strait connecting the upper Halifax Harbour to Bedford Basin." 1,930 people were killed and 9,000 injured. 
 

Nova Scotia archive building across from Dalhousie U.

Gail helping Ruth get started. She was very helpful.

Ruth deciphering the ship manifests.

The microfiche are up to date and have more "moves".

The entrance to the "U" is right across the street.

 The second half of the day was spent at the harbour where three huge passenger liners were docked. (The one that was delayed because of the Hurricane had left, but one had a blood emergency and had asked for "O" type donors to save a woman's life.They succeeded. We parked right across the street from the immigration center and port with our  Handicapped license, and viewed the shops that were selling to the thousands that were coming off the ships. (3,500 on the "Regal Princess", 2.500 on the 'Aidadiva', and an unknown number on a third ship. There was a small lunch shop there and a we bought two sandwiches and talked to Alex the cashier.  We commiserated with an English lady while eating. She had a friend coming from Michigan to do some "Halifax" things with her.

The shopping "mall" inside the new Immigration Building. T shirts, crystal, pots, jewellry, and other souvenirs.

The "Regal Princess" carries 3,500 passengers and a crew of 535.

Pier 21 is thePort of Entry and immigration center . Note the top of the "Regal Princess in the background.

A view of the top deck of the "Regal Princess" .Whew , too busy for me.

We found our way out of town around the heavy , narrow streets and that was much easier on the driving  even though a bit longer. We did not visit the Citadel, as we had been there on our last trip here  some years back.







N.B.: Nova Scotia is one of the few Canadian jurisdictions to digitize its Historical Vital Statistics and put them online.  Two centuries of surviving birth, marriage and death records registered with the provincial government are available on our companion website, www.novascotiagenealogy.com.  That’s one million names in a searchable database, each name linked to the corresponding digital record of the event – you’re going to be busy!

The "Aidadiva" of the AIDA Cruise lines (Germany) is in port today with this itinerary.

Departing Sep 7	from Warnemunde-Rostock, Germany
09 Sep 07:00 -17:00	Bergen, Norway
10 Sep 11:00 -19:00	Kirkwall, Orkney Island, Scotland
13 Sep 08:00 -20:00	Reykjavik, Iceland
16 Sep 08:00 -13:00	Qaqortoq, Greenland
18 Sep 14:00 -20:00	St Johns, Newfoundland, Canada
20 Sep 08:00 -16:00	Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
21 Sep 09:00 -18:00	Bar Harbor, Maine
	23 Sept. Arriving in New York, Cape Liberty NYC    The top of the "Aidadiva" is showing. It had the itinerary above. We had a few sidelights on the day and here the photos sum them up for you . An aerial view of Halifax with the "Citadel" at the left on the hill. Triple decker busses bring a "British" flavor  to the city. Handling 6,000 tourists can be taxing! How about a tour of the town? Note sign on back for tempted auto drivers. Tomorrow we shall visit Peggy's Cove and environs. ** I have tried to use Canadian (British) spelling on words of note .IE: harbour, flavour, whilst, etc.

Day 169, Wed. Sept. 19, 2018, "Necessaries" and a truck check. Saving photos help.

Well, by now when we say "necessaries" you probably have already guessed that it is the laundry. Yes!  The secret to traveling and the laundry could be  summed up in "Are there washers available". We have mentioned that before and have two laundromats that we put on the "censored" list.  Definitely not usable. But today the washers and dryers were at the KOA campground here in Upper Sackville, Nova Scotia. They were fine except the one that ate the money and wouldn't start."Joe" the manager was helpful and made good and helped get laundry out that was finished so we could get started.

Our visitor today at the feeder, (Blue Jay)

Taking the clothes to the laundry.

 As there is usually WiFi in the laundry, we take advantage of the time to do whatever is needed on the internet.  Here it was the KOA WiFi which has been excellent. Oh the laundry cost? $2.50 for wash, and $2.00 for dry. Good machines so all went well. ( I didn't know WiFi was spelled with two capital letters!)

There were visitors to the bird feeder  today as a pair of BLUE JAYS were at the feeder. No other birds except  three RAVENS have appeared in the campground. A mystery?

The rest of the post noon time we did indoors activities at the computers, Ruth had contacted Apple for some help and did get it.  She needed to get more space for her photos.  I took the truck to the local NAPA garage for some looks at the truck. I wanted to make sure that the brakes were in good shape, and the bearings were as well. It was  time to rotate the tires as they have not been rotated since we left (13,000 miles ago). All was OK with the brakes and tire rotation. The guys there were efficient, and worked swiftly. They allowed me to inspect the work that was done. I give credit to a young man  named Dakota, who was the mechanic. He was clear in explanation, and polite to a flaw. I believe his work was top quality. I went away feeling good about the brakes and the wheels.  The rest of the journey is still ahead  and to have it be safe is important.

The Dahlias at the nursing center across the fence were fantastic. I received permission to go in and photograph.

A 1/2 moon shot a few nights ago.

The NAPA garage (TTL) where the truck work was completed.

 We continued our work in the trailer as the rain was very light and intermittent,  but did wet the ground a few time during the day. It was only our 5th day of rain on the trip of the 169 days.

Tomorrow we hit the big city of Halifax, the home of the 1917 explosion of two ships that collided in the harbour, that shook the city , and also the hone of the Citadel , where they play bagpipes and march  in kilts on the hour.