Cape Breton

7/22/19 Cape Breton. After a beautiful sunset, a sleep by the sound of the waves we woke to a whole beach of quiet. Walked our noble hound Lucy Rose the length of the beach. She had finally mustered the courage and conquered her fear of the crash of waves, something never seen before. The licking of salt water had to be controlled… why am I so thirsty?

Having a boondock spot like this allowed us to have a leisurely morning instead of packing up and flying off. Scrambled eggs, sausage, muffins, Oj and coffee. Another long walk on the beach followed by a slow packing up. Now then where to find a stream to get the salty dog a freshwater dunk? 

On the real side of camper travel which most would say “lets not talk about it”, is the need for a bathroom. We have tried nearly all systems and for a trip like this I have to admit that a marine, flush type, porta-potty has worked splendidly. I am stuck with the maintenance part but it is worth it. 

We drove an old coast road that was potholed and slow but scenic joining up to the Cabot trail going clockwise. This avoided the herds which mostly go counter clockwise to be on the ocean side for views. On our way on the potholed road we took forays down questionable dirt roads only to have to work our way out in our quest to find the next nights perfect spot. Can’t start too late for there are others out there doing the same thing. 

We ended up at one of the two spots I had researched before the trip. There is a man who lives in Massachusetts (we don’t know him) that built a house on a bluff and visits at off times during the year and he allows well behaved people who keep things clean to park their rig on his bluff about 1/4 mile from his home (he isn’t there). The last folks who used this site left it impeccably clean and also a small stack of firewood at the fire ring. 

The photos will not do this justice. The camper back door is 20 feet from the cliff edge (150 ft down?) on a grassy knoll. There is a hard scrabble trail down to the water, not to bad if you go slow. There you are walk either way for a long while at the base of the cliff… mindful of the tide chart. About 1/4 mile down the beach to the north there is a stream rushing into the ocean and Lucy Rose is now her un-salty dog self again. One additional thing to note is the value of a set of leveling blocks. Easy to stack fit together and raise an end or one wheel to level the camper. I hate sleeping with blood rushing to my head or both of us slid into one wall. Lucy does not care.

Fast forward to Sunday 21st, but continuing the trip at the point of the bonfire. It was great with being up wind of the fire…the crashing waves hide the talking if there was any and the fire couldn’t be seen from inside the camper. In the morning …young folks policed the area and they had 5 big trash bags full… the beach was spotless. Country youth raised properly in a small community. 

We decided let the day role out slowly… made a full breakfast and coffee and sat on the beach after a long walk. Finally got loaded up and head for the next unknown. A day one can’t see clearly, just gonna happen.

And, it did.

We arrived in the middle of the afternoon allowing time to putter and organize a bit. I am sure the sound of the waves will do an encore tonight so sleep will be easy. An incredible spot as the photos will attest. BUT…. there is always the unexpected! At sundown…the caretaker of the property came by and said all was well but that friends of the owner wanted to have a bonfire here! So instead of being in the owners way (we were about to sleep), with the top still up I drove through the hay field 150 yards away and parked. Bingo… then a thunder storm came out of nowhere… they never came to do the bonfire.

Up for coffee and breakfast … happening early as a dog needs to do her business…..carpe diem and all that. Off to Meat Cove at the most northerly tip of Nova Scotia. We camped there out of our pickup truck 25 years ago. If, as I expect, that it has been discovered and sadly a zoo of packed together tents we will head out in search of another cliff hanger. 

Meat cove campground is unique. It is not set up for RV’s …no services… so they tend to not go…some do and they are monsters in scale to the rest of the campers and tents.There is a clam shack offering great seafood takeout run by the family. It is still just a big field on a bluff looking out to Ireland. Whales go by…really. Puffins nest on the higher ledges. It was a magical place 25 years ago… hoping it hasn’t been loved to death.

Very Happy to find on our arrival that Meat Cove has balanced growth, maintaining the same feel…actually it is almost as it was. They have added 6 cabins and a little restaurant. Still brave tenters perched on the grassy cliffs and not one road barn to be seen. Many folks do a day trip here as it is prime whale watching from the bluffs. It is gorgeous one the scale of the California coast but with cold North Atlantic colored water. 

Now the news…. the BDS ever…. I was so anxious that it would be taken or ‘discovered’. It is the base of an old lighthouse. A circle of cement and rock right on the ledge. An insanely perfect FWC site, dead flat. One has to back in a thin dirt road but it is jaw droppingly beautiful. Our own patio looking north along the coast (seeing Meat Cove below us…we are a few hundred feet above the water). We celebrated with a beer and snacks looking out toward Ireland… puffins and bald eagles few by as did black tipped gulls. We wait for the puoooooce sound of the whale blow.

We are about a mile away from all other people! Lucy is glad…good dirt road for walks. The rest of the day was longing with binoculars and taking it all in. Last night the wind and rain started up. As a previous person to this site wrote “best BDS ever 10 outta 10….except when the wind howls then 1 outta 10”…. we were… as we are perched out there on the ledge, rocking and rolling… Lucy got off her couch bed and lay on the floor. Buffeting all night with scary gusts but I had been in worse…maybe…so with ear plugs and “nah don’t worry…it’s nothing” we  did our best to sleep… 

Cleared up this morning (Monday 7/22) though the wind is still strong. We will spend most of the day here before heading down east to Sydney Harbor, do some supply shopping and ready ourselves for the overnight ferry to Newfoundland. Lucy has started her 6 pill regiment to have her smilingly unaware of where she is until tomorrow. We have Bonnine, taken when we board. A shower and sleep to arrival.