44 Quebec & Maritimes

QUEBEC & the MARITIME PROVINCES OF CANADA Aug. to Sep. 2011

Furthest East in North America

Canada was much more expensive than the U.S and we were glad that we had stocked up on fuel, food and liquid refreshments.

In Montreal we spread out in the lovely home of good friends. The temperatures were high and the pool a welcome refuge. They showed us the historic Lachine canal of the fur-trade era as well as the tower and grounds of the 1976 Olympics.

Quebec City is perched on a cliff within fortified walls overlooking the St Lawrence River. We took a tour of the grand old hotel Fairmont le Chateau Frontenac. On level 3, the chef has a garden and hives to supply the kitchen with fresh herbs and honey. We had dinner and celebrated the arrival of a new grand daughter, Jana Leoné Olivier. (To Ingrid and Gerhard). We followed the road right around the Gaspe Peninsula. Tiny villages, punctuated by silvery church spires, crouch around coves. Each little community has a picturesque picnic area for travellers to stop at.

We entered New Brunswick on a balmy Sunday. Children were frolicking in water sprays. There was a band playing and couples were dancing on the banks of the Salmon river. It was difficult to imagine the same area in winter under 3m of snow.

“Lobster Season”-signs were up. For lunch we had to stop for a Big Mac…McLobster!

The 13km Confederation Bridge took us to Prince Edward Island. We noticed red earth peeking out from under corn and potato plants; culminating in sienna-colored cliffs and golden beaches..

St John’s on NFL’s east coast was founded in 1528. Above the strategic harbour, we watched the re-enacting of a battle between British and French regiments. Soldiers in period costume marched, then fired muskets and cannons.

There, in 1901, the Italian inventor, Guillermo Marconi, received the first wireless transatlantic message.

Dipli, however, wanted to be at the “furthest East” in North America. Cape Spear is the Eastern most point and lies on a scenic peninsula. By the direct route, it is 10 000km from “furthest West by road” at Anchor Point in Alaska, where Dipli had been in 2008; but we did it in 37 000km.

The drive back to the ferry was 900 km. There were continuous forests with lakes and rivers. Side trips were to linked islands with bays and pretty fishing harbours. A few vendors had rare Cloudberries for sale. The fruit resembles a yellow raspberry and tastes like apricot.

Nova Scotia

Alexander Graham Bell was a teacher to the deaf and he married a pupil of his. Mabel was an inspiration and participant in his research. In Baddeck they had bought a peninsula and there he schemed and experimented. He designed the tetrahedron and hydrofoil and invented the telephone (the patent awarded to him in 1876.)

It was time for a maintenance stop. The seats were out; the engine compartment and holds were open and tools spread out. To escape from the horseflies, Leone had to perch in a rear corner of the camper, just below the ceiling. TLC for Dipli: Fitted brake & clutch master cylinder kits on the RHD side (in anticipation of the UK); did 10 000 km service (since new engine). RH rear side shaft needed replacement after 140 000 km (since Mossman, Australia) but LH was badly worn after only 36 000 km (since Tok, Alaska)….?

We loved Cape Breton Island, NS with its vast central lakes. We would have stayed longer but radio warnings about approaching Hurricane Irene, sent us away from the coast. At a Walmart parking lot we (and 7 other motorhomes) waited out the storm. Strong winds rocked Dipli throughout the night and the next morning.

A member of the “Maritimes Organization of Rover Enthusiasts” invited us to the annual Labour Day long weekend on a farm near Wolfville, Nova Scotia. There were 20 Land Rover vehicles of all vintages. The challenging drives were through brooks on muddy tracks in forests. A steep rocky ascent led to a picnic on a beach. Meals were provided and were of traditional Nova Scotian fare.

The highest tides in the world (up to 15,8m) are recorded on the Bay of Fundy. We were on a beach near Parrsboro and at low tide could walk to the lighthouse on the other side of the bay. At high tide the sea almost touched the base of the lighthouse on the hill.

At Truro we watched how the high tide came in behind a vertical wave, “the tidal bore”.

The rugged Atlantic coastline of NS has beaches and charming fishing villages, serving delectable clam chowder. We parked at the pretty bay of Chester. We were still considering whether we would bother to contact friends of friends who live there, when, can you believe it!, they happened to come shopping, and spotted Dipli!

They fetched us later and took us by boat to their idyllic house on an island. We were spoilt with lobster and fresh vegetables from their garden.

Dipli was to be shipped from Halifax to Liverpool, UK. The booking had been made and freight paid for on the internet but the Forwarding Agent had to be paid and provided with the paperwork. The undercarriage had to be sort of clean. Before loading a certificate had to show that the propane cylinders are empty and had been flushed with nitrogen.

Shipping costs are calculated by cubic meter. We were irritated when the agent turned up with a short tape-measure marked in inches! (And Canada is supposed to be metric.) Not surprisingly, he got the volume wrong!

The cheapest fare from Canada to the UK is with Iceland Air. While Dipli was at sea, we spent a week in Iceland; touring by hired car. In mid September the fields were still green but families on horseback were herding ponies and sheep to their winter shelter.