26 May - North Sydney Ferry to Truro via Cabot Trail - Day 22 of TCE

I woke up refreshed as I had the chance to stretch the legs and take a proper sleep on the cushioned seats of the ferry. I am happy that I did not fork out more for the cabin which came with different facilities and luxuries. The top end came with a spa and pool on Deck 11. Wanting just a small area to rest the weary body I was content with what I had. On a trip such as this, funded purely out of my own savings, luxury was farthest from my mind and cutting costs wherever possible was closest to it. I believe in all things functional and aesthetic. As long as I have a place clean enough to sleep and a dry washroom for the ablutions I am okay. I was fortunate to have that on the ferry. An hour before she docked in North Sydney I used the washrooms to wipe myself clean with wet wipes and change into fresh clothes. A shower will have to wait till I reached Truro. But, the wet wipes had done the needful. I felt refreshed and ready for the day’s adventure.

Weather is a vital ingredient in enjoying natural beauty. I could not have asked for anything better today. Save the last lap when I had some drizzle between Port Hastings and Truro, the weather was perfect for the route I experimented. Once I got off the ferry by a quarter to 8 am, having gained a half an hour through time zone change, I coasted for nearly 30 minutes before I reached St. Anne's and took the Cabot Trail. The trail came highly recommended from many sources. As I did not have very much to do in Truro I decided to spend some quality time on the Trail. It was time well spent, in the end.

The Cabot Trail is a scenic drive on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. The trail is named after John Cabot, the intrepid explorer who landed in North America circa 1497. The total trail measures about 300 km in a loop around the northern tip of the island. The trail rises from the sea and majestically hugs the mountains to give one a fantastic experience. Colourful fishing villages and historic communities make the drive along the trail truly memorable. A little later into the season the trees would have turned darker hues of green and offer better views. But, what I experienced was in itself unique and hugely satisfying. Nova Scotia itself means New Scotland. A tour of the trail gives one the exact feel of Scotland with name boards in Celtic language and Gaelic culture overflowing.

With mountains meeting the sea, spectacular ocean scenery, majestic plateaus, deep cut river glens, magical coves and glacial ravines made it an awesome trail. The variety is brought about by the periphery of the trail. One side is the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, two sides follow the rugged coast line and the fourth passes through the Margaree River before moving along the Bras d’Or Lake. Admiring the views and constantly getting out of the car to take photos and view the panorama as long as I could made me hungry too. I stopped at a family run restaurant near Ingonich Beach for brunch and ordered an omelette with toast and bacon. What arrived on the table I could have saved up for dinner too. However, I took my time and laboured through the portion. Once the trail was done I was glad that I had taken the suggestion of well-wishers seriously.

It took a further three hours from Breton Island to Truro. A light drizzle had started, but I was not concerned as the weather gods had been kind all through the morning, permitting me feasts along the Cabot Trail. When I checked in at the Berry's Motel in Truro I asked what I could do in the little time I had in the town. Roger, the owner of the Motel, told me that the main attraction of the town is the Tidal Bore, which is the highest in the world. He gave me leaflet that said that the high tide this day would be at 7.27 pm. A motley crowd of mostly elders had gathered at the view point to watch the phenomena, some with fancy cameras. When the tide came in it disappointed those present. The level of water hardly rose, but the sweep of the water coming in was nice to see. The people who had waited, some for nearly an hour, were disappointed by the sparse flow and left with their heads down. A small group of young girls arrived at the view point after the ‘show’. When they saw a video shot by one of those present they felt they had not missed much.

After I got back to the Motel I filled in the log sheet and went to meet Roger. I explained the importance of the log and how I get it attested at the place where I stay overnight. I showed him all eh attestations from Victoria to St. John’s and up to that day. He remained dour and unconvinced. In the end he shook his head and said that he only signed papers approved by his lawyer. That was that. A firm NO.  A lovely day it had been, nevertheless.