BATHURST TO SHEDIAC
(New Brunswick)
June 28 - A short travel day and we settle into the Shediac area for ten days.
There is wildlife in and around Bathurst, it just took awhile to see some. Everyone tells us there are tons of moose.
A healthy doe on the way to Daly Point.
After signage all across Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick . . .
we finally see a cow moose between Bathurst and Shediac.
Shediac
known as the "Lobster Capital of the World."
known as the "Lobster Capital of the World."
The super large, most photographed lobster statue (90 tonne sculpture) ever!
Parlee Beach Provincial Park (ten minutes east of Shediac)
July 1st (Long Weekend) - Canada Day, which celebrates the birthday of Canada 152 years ago. 1867 the then called, British North America Act, united the three separate colonies of the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick into a single Dominion within the British Empire called Canada.
July 1st celebrations downtown Rotary Park, with the lobster mascot and a great local band, "Monkeytown."
A major downpour and driving wind, directly onto the open stage band, caused a black out around 9:30 pm for a brief time; they played one more song and then packed up.
We sat there, watching and waiting as they packed up - and we saw band members from the next act, wandering around - thinking they were setting up.
Marc had gone to the truck across the bridge to get a chair. There we sat and waited in front of the band stage. The rain gear was now soaked.
And still, we patiently waited, starving to hear some local music. People left the area, some went under cover at the info centre to wait for darkness and the start of the fireworks. More people left, soon we were the only ones, apart from a smattering of people standing behind us chatting.
Finally, someone tapped Marc on the shoulder and said "you don't speak french do you?" And she informed us that there was no need to sit there any longer the music was done!
Apparently, someone had announced that the music was cancelled!!! We were oblivious (it was announced only in french).
Apparently, someone had announced that the music was cancelled!!! We were oblivious (it was announced only in french).
😳
Good grief!
Almost everyone is bilingual in this area. But, we learned also that Shediac's have a language known as "Chiac" which is a vernacular Acadian French with influences from English and to a lesser extent from aboriginal languages. It it half english/half french.
DOWNTOWN
Acadians first arrived at Shediac in 1751as a result of the exodus from Nova Scotia, during the war.
Shediac was known for its timber industry - lumber sales shipped to New Brunswick to be sent overseas. Ship building as well as fishing was the main economic basis for the town that now has over 6,000 residents.
A set of statues (except for one- Marc, who is in the picture), depicting a working fish/lobster processing plant. This is a mainly lobster market, in the heart of downtown. Frozen lobster meat was selling at $29.00/lb. Whole lobster or lobster meat was all they would sell (unlike the Bathurst area that sells the claws separately).
Antique cars en route to a local show
Main Street of Shediac (two miles of ice cream, sushi, burgers, lobster restaurants, and a favorite close to our campground is Golden Fry - a favorite for fried clams and fish and chips).
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| Bev's New bike |
The bikes got dusted off and we circumnavigated Shediac on the bike trail (about 8 kms).
First stop, Parlee Beach (a ten minute walk from our site - a campground with 210 sites). This beach is a major tourist destination because of its warm salt water (warmest salt waters in Canada at approx 18C/54F in summer). Parking for over 1,000 vehicles, $11.00 per day, rental properties, restaurant and more than 400,000 visitors over the summer months.
For three consecutive summers water quality problems have been a major concern due to faecal bacterial. $5 million has been spent on sewerage improvement but the issue continues to cause problems with tourist numbers declining and businesses suffering in the past few years due to negative publicity of water quality concerns.
The Pointe is part of the Parlee Beach Provincial Park and located on Shediac Bay (an inlet of the Northumberland Strait).
This pointe was once the terminus of European and N. American Railways and a key stopover for Pan-Am's Trans Atlantic air service in 1939. As the forest industry started to dwindle, the shipping of potatoes and livestock brought new industry to the town. Two-thirds of the land belongs to the Anglican church.
Coast Guard: in this area, they research and monitor fish stalks and species. In B.C. cameras are mounted on boats to monitor the catch.
A view of Pointe-du-Chene from the Yacht Club of Shediac at John Lyons Park, overlooking Shediac Bay.
Beach access is almost exclusively privately owned or has rock, decaying eel grass and mud flats, making it impossible to walk along on. Parking is also an issue anywhere near beach with private property or resort patron access only.
Along the walking trails I hear what I thought was a peacock. Finally, I see what all the raucous is about. A pheasant!
A shy bird, it tries to run ahead, then dashes into the field of wildflowers and ducks down. Little did it know, I can outwait it AND I have a long lens so will not terrify it.
By 4:30 pm (July 5) the 38 degrees C and humidity turned into a huge storm. The skies darkened and the wind whistled as we hunkered down in the trailer, thinking we may have to bring the slide in.
The neighbors quickly works to get their site secured before the storm takes their shelter down the street.
It is only a minute before the thunder and lightning start and the thunder cracks right beside our trailer. The rain starts.
It is a popular place for surfers.
Here is Old Meets New - with a historic stone buildings and glass connecting a modern office building.
Farmer's Market - Indoors because it is open year round (with full on winter).
These yummies I have not seen on the west coast.
They are in every market we have gone to along the east coast;
and date squares are common on both coasts.
BACK IN SHEDIAC
Nice new courts: used in the mornings a few days a week. No one in the afternoons the week we were here (maybe word got out when we arrived?!) 😁
The Wildlife Service built this platform to establish a colony of terns that were displaced (they arrive here in May and stay until migration the fall where they migrate to winter in Central and S. America). The platform protects them from predators like raccoons, fox and cats.
Well, almost everything . . . . .
While hanging out around the main street in this small, quaint town, I was walking along the bridge by the giant lobster, talking to a woman from Mexico who was petting Tazz.
We hear yelling (in french) from a woman who was cycling on our side of the bridge. She quickly jumped off, ditching her bike, put her hand out to stop traffic traveling in both directions.
She ran over to a man who was straddling the railing on the other side. He was about to jump! Someone quickly dialed and the police were there in a minute and things turned out fine.
Tree swallows are abundant along the trails between Shediac and Pointe-Du-Chene. Of course - there are millions of bugs. During a 'still' night, the mosquitoes and black flies are brutal!
Most of the time I spent along the marsh and on these trails was when the winds were strong (mainly to not get eaten alive by mosquitoes!). These birds are so strong and they are amazing insect catchers. They must eat their weight daily in insects . . . so, they tend to eat larger insects like flying ants, flies and dragonflies.
Tree swallows winter farther north than any other American swallows and return long before other swallows come back. They can eat plant foods as well as insects which helps them survive cold snaps and wintry weather of early spring.
The DUNES
A trip to see the Bouctouche Dunes. The longest strip of Dunes on the east coast of North America -12 km (7.5 miles). A walk to the end will get you to a lighthouse. (We didn't do it because no dogs allowed and we were out for the day so had to take Tazz with us).
The dunes are home to nesting Piping Plover is seen here (an endangered species in Canada)
This lobster was donated in memory of a couple's son who died at sea. The lobster weighed in at close to 30 lbs
A small historical village has been restored and rebuilt to commemorate the life and times of the pioneer village of Grande Digue. Acadian is the predominant culture and Acadian French the spoken language in this town.
Every building is filled with original, historical artifacts from local settlers. This old school house with original wooden desks and an original blackboard was found in the walls when restoring and rebuilding took place.
An old, wooden wheelchair and a respirator.
A shoemaker's workshop
First stop, Parlee Beach (a ten minute walk from our site - a campground with 210 sites). This beach is a major tourist destination because of its warm salt water (warmest salt waters in Canada at approx 18C/54F in summer). Parking for over 1,000 vehicles, $11.00 per day, rental properties, restaurant and more than 400,000 visitors over the summer months.
For three consecutive summers water quality problems have been a major concern due to faecal bacterial. $5 million has been spent on sewerage improvement but the issue continues to cause problems with tourist numbers declining and businesses suffering in the past few years due to negative publicity of water quality concerns.
From the beach and along the marsh we cycle past this house over to Pointe-Du-Chene.
The Pointe is part of the Parlee Beach Provincial Park and located on Shediac Bay (an inlet of the Northumberland Strait).
This pointe was once the terminus of European and N. American Railways and a key stopover for Pan-Am's Trans Atlantic air service in 1939. As the forest industry started to dwindle, the shipping of potatoes and livestock brought new industry to the town. Two-thirds of the land belongs to the Anglican church.
Coast Guard: in this area, they research and monitor fish stalks and species. In B.C. cameras are mounted on boats to monitor the catch.
A view of Pointe-du-Chene from the Yacht Club of Shediac at John Lyons Park, overlooking Shediac Bay.
Early evening sailing class.
This is what most beach access looks like (decaying eel grass).
Beach access is almost exclusively privately owned or has rock, decaying eel grass and mud flats, making it impossible to walk along on. Parking is also an issue anywhere near beach with private property or resort patron access only.
Along the walking trails I hear what I thought was a peacock. Finally, I see what all the raucous is about. A pheasant!
A shy bird, it tries to run ahead, then dashes into the field of wildflowers and ducks down. Little did it know, I can outwait it AND I have a long lens so will not terrify it.
The bird eventually surfaces and trotts on its merry way, in safety.
By 4:30 pm (July 5) the 38 degrees C and humidity turned into a huge storm. The skies darkened and the wind whistled as we hunkered down in the trailer, thinking we may have to bring the slide in.
The neighbors quickly works to get their site secured before the storm takes their shelter down the street.
It is only a minute before the thunder and lightning start and the thunder cracks right beside our trailer. The rain starts.
People come running from the beach.
Day Trip to Moncton, New Brunswick
(an hour NE)
(an hour NE)
A short walk along the boardwalk to the large, indoor Farmer's Market.
The Petitcodiac River is famous for its tidal bore (waves moving upstream over downstream waves, occurring twice a day and coming from the world's highest tides in the Bay of Fundy).
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| CBC News photo |
Along the boardwalk is this mural - sadly, a collage made of beach garbage on the back wall of an art gallery.
Beautiful old buildings in downtown old Moncton.
Here is Old Meets New - with a historic stone buildings and glass connecting a modern office building.
Farmer's Market - Indoors because it is open year round (with full on winter).
These yummies I have not seen on the west coast.
They are in every market we have gone to along the east coast;
and date squares are common on both coasts.
Have never seen this in a Costco before - whole lamb.
BACK IN SHEDIAC
Only in Shediac!
Nice new courts: used in the mornings a few days a week. No one in the afternoons the week we were here (maybe word got out when we arrived?!) 😁
Along the trails at Pointe-Du-Chene is a small colony of nesting Common Terns.
diving for food and bringing back nesting materials, these birds are busy little beings!
Downtown - again! Always looking for activity and just admiring my surroundings.
Well, almost everything . . . . .
While hanging out around the main street in this small, quaint town, I was walking along the bridge by the giant lobster, talking to a woman from Mexico who was petting Tazz.
We hear yelling (in french) from a woman who was cycling on our side of the bridge. She quickly jumped off, ditching her bike, put her hand out to stop traffic traveling in both directions.
She ran over to a man who was straddling the railing on the other side. He was about to jump! Someone quickly dialed and the police were there in a minute and things turned out fine.
Tree swallows are abundant along the trails between Shediac and Pointe-Du-Chene. Of course - there are millions of bugs. During a 'still' night, the mosquitoes and black flies are brutal!
Most of the time I spent along the marsh and on these trails was when the winds were strong (mainly to not get eaten alive by mosquitoes!). These birds are so strong and they are amazing insect catchers. They must eat their weight daily in insects . . . so, they tend to eat larger insects like flying ants, flies and dragonflies.
Tree swallows winter farther north than any other American swallows and return long before other swallows come back. They can eat plant foods as well as insects which helps them survive cold snaps and wintry weather of early spring.
The DUNES
A trip to see the Bouctouche Dunes. The longest strip of Dunes on the east coast of North America -12 km (7.5 miles). A walk to the end will get you to a lighthouse. (We didn't do it because no dogs allowed and we were out for the day so had to take Tazz with us).
A boardwalk was built along
1 km of dunes to preserve one of a few great sand dunes along the NE coastline. With every major storm, the shape changes. A variety of marine plants and animals make this their home.
The dunes are home to nesting Piping Plover is seen here (an endangered species in Canada)
At the Irving Eco-Centre; a small info centre about the Dunes and marine and wildlife:
The largest lobster on record was found off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1977 - it weighed 44 lbs 6 oz.
Grande Digue
Just 20 minutes northwest of Shediac
Mussel farm
We saw some old buildings and decided to check it out.
Every building is filled with original, historical artifacts from local settlers. This old school house with original wooden desks and an original blackboard was found in the walls when restoring and rebuilding took place.
An old, wooden wheelchair and a respirator.
A shoemaker's workshop
An artist's rendition of what the area used to look like.
That is our time in New Brunswick: Next stopover will be PEI.
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing! We drove our Motorhome across the Confederation Bridge to PEI and were glad we were sitting high as otherwise wouldn't have seen much.
Did you ride the Confederation Trail I think it is called? We enjoyed our time as well but unfortunately went in June I think it was which we were told was just before their tourist season so some attractions weren't yet open!
Enjoy!
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