From Ferry to Les Francais

Waterfront View

When you whale watch from shore, you’re often deceived by the splashes of Gannets thinking you’re seeing spouts or blows. So, this waterfront view is a hard-to-photograph picture of a diving and spouting Gannet on the Gaspe:

Day 30 July 20

We left our beachfront camping spot and spent a large part of the day in the Placentia Regatta site (empty; the Regatta ended yesterday) since it was raining. After lunch, we headed for the Ferry Terminal and were thrilled that a cabin had come free for the 16 hour journey.

It was funny again how, when we pulled into the terminal, Mandy immediately went up onto the slide. Something about the atmosphere gets her. But she did come down to wait with me:

So, we boarded and left on time at 5:00 pm. Here’s our final view of Newfoundland for this year:

We enjoyed a smooth sail on deck and in our cabin:

Day 31 July 21

We got in right on time and the cat survived the long time without us. I always feel a little deflated when we get back to the mainland after another great time in Newfoundland and Labrador. Even the drive through Nova Scotia adds to the feeling since it’s inland after so many days and nights spent with an ocean view. BUT the roads are comparatively excellent, so we can’t complain.

We just booted it and spent the night at a Walmart in Moncton, New Brunswick. It was quite a little campground by the time evening rolled around. Here’s the view from my chair:

Day 32 July 22

We’ve decided to drive around Quebec’s Gaspe Peninsula for the first time, so headed up to Campbellton by way of the Acadian Coast Drive (the east coast of New Brunswick). It rained and was often foggy, but the drive would be great on a bright day.

New Brunswick is bilingual, and this coast is especially French-speaking with so many proud Acadians. Even the shacks at our lunch spot proudly displayed the Acadian flag:

We mostly just drove and noticed how there were “RV Parks” everywhere. But many of these were five or six spots in people’s yards, in farms and vineyards. There is a real RV culture here.

We decided to stay in Charlo at the Blue Heron Campground (site 107, $37 Full Services) and relax. Here’s the view from my chair:

Day 33 July 23

Okay, we admit that Quebec and Quebecers have not been our favourite things through the years. It’s a long story. But it was time to put this to the test and head into the Gaspe.

It was beautiful. And the people were nice. And the services for motorists (they have the best Halte Municipales, like rest stops every few kilometers; they are usually on the waterfront and provide access to the beach) were better than any place in Ontario for sure.

We stopped often and enjoyed many views and beach walks:

These displays of knitting and crocheting were in many of the Haltes, in celebration of the farm women of the Gaspe:

We decided to get out of the pouring rain and stay at Camping Cote Surprise (Site 60, $46 Full Services), more for the view than anything else:

Perce Rock DID get a little more visible later in the day:

Day 34 July 24

It was a much brighter day, and we got better and better views of Perce and some Razorbills as we headed east:

Again, we stopped at most of the Halte Municipale spots:

This one led to the “Indian Head” and the story says that a warrior’s woman was stolen by a White Man, leaving the warrior to weep and await her return:

Most of the roadside stops would be ideal for overnight camping, but many have signs saying No Camping or 4 Hour Parking limit or No Trailers, etc. But we did find one early in the afternoon near Cloridorme and enjoyed the birds and the whales and the sunshine:

Here’s the free view from my chair:

Day 35 July 25

It was sunny! And warm! And we were ready to enjoy more of the Gaspesie. We stopped at Cap de Madeline for a lighthouse and some whales:

In fact, there are several lighthouse on this drive:

…even a strange and very large vertical Wind Turbine in Cap-Chat:

We hoped to run into our friends Joyce and Mike who were coincidentally visiting Sainte-Flavie at the same time, but they weren’t due to arrive until a little later, and there was a large artists’ festival going on, meaning lots of people and cars, a bad combination for an RV! In fact, from there to Trois-Pistoles, where we stopped for the night, the human and vehicular traffic had really grown (I know, it WAS a sunny Saturday). But we have enjoyed the quieter pace of the last five weeks!

So, we stayed in a fairly uncrowded section of a very crowded RV park (Camping Plage Trois-Pistoles, site K14, $39 Water and Electric). Though the view from my chair isn’t much:

…a lovely beach is only a short walk away:

I even scored more beach glass. In fact, as you can see, my Gaspe beach haul has been amazing with some glass, a few shards, agate, jasper and other very cool rocks and stones: