To begin with Day 1, click here.
I woke up at 5:30 to see the sunrise over the bay. Doug was sound asleep, so I crawled out of the tent and sat on a plank bench at the top of the beach and watched the light change. It was lovely, rather than stupendous. Raindrops began to fall after a half hour or so, and I crawled back into the tent and slept another two hours. Those raindrops were the beginning of an all-day rain. We packed up quickly and drove all day, on scenic roads that were shrouded in fog and rain. We gambled that the fog would lift or the rain would pass, and the gamble did not pay off. Some passing vistas were beautiful, I’m sure, on other days.
We didn’t find a place for breakfast until 11:00 am, after 2 solid hours of driving, a cafe that reminded me of the early 80s when it was considered alternative to serve multigrain toast. The soundtrack played was morose folk music that matched the cold rain hitting the windowpanes. The cook was kind enough to fix us breakfast even though it was lunchtime. We were the only patrons. This was in a town called Sussex.
We moved on, stopping a time or two to attempt to peer out an overlook, in hopes of spotting a moose, but succeeded only in getting drenched each time. We stopped at one local museum, and saw many others. Eventually we crossed the 13 km bridge leading to PEI. We had to stop for directions twice. The directions we got the second time were excellent and helped us shave off some miles.
Oh, and we stopped for a late lunch at a place called Harveys, wanting to get the true Canadian fast food experience. We ordered poutin? which is french fries and cheese curds covered with beef gravy, after being encouraged to do so by the friendly, chunky girl behind the counter. She said it was yummy.? Doug also ordered a hamburger. We could not stomach any of it and threw it all away. If you have ever met me in real life you know that this is exceedingly unusual. We thanked the friendly girl and went on our way.
We stopped a bit later at a Farmers, for softserve ice cream, and also a grocery store for some fruit (we couldn’t take any fruit across the border and had timed it to eat all the clementines before we hit Calais). The island is exactly what I pictured: the “gentle island” with rolling hills, fields studded with pine trees and rocks, with glimpses of water in the distance. The architecture is straight out of northern Minnesota too: modular homes and the most modest of dwellings.
We arrived at our B&B in Annandale at 6:30 or so. Another couple is also staying here, from Virginia too, which seems astounding. The B&B is a newly-built log A-frame on an inlet on the eastern side of the island, right on the Boughton Bay. The proprietors are Jane and Pat Dunphy, they bought this place in retirement, it is very cozy and beautifully situated. The hope is that Doug can go play in the wind and water while I play with words. The weather is forecasted to be spotty all week, so we shall see how it works out. We had a late supper at a restaurant attached to a gas station, which sounds awful, but was quite good. They had a nice dining room and a full bar. Doug had fish and chips complete from soup to pie, and I had a spinach salad with scallops. The total bill was $40, which is about typical of what we’re spending for seafood for two, plus a glass of wine apiece, about the same as the places we frequent at home, only here the seafood is absolutely fresh.
We have driven 1322 miles so far.