Category: Prince Edward Island

The rain beat down on the roof of my tent all night. Having got to bed so late, with checkout being at 11am, both Jenn and I found ourselves sleep deprived in the morning. Despite the groggy start we soon found ourselves on the road where we arrived at a nearby restaurant.

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With our appetites sated we took to the road once more, heading to Prince Edward Island Nation Park. As we arrived we were greeted by pristine sandy beaches alongside endless waves working their way to the shoreline. With a cool sea breeze and blue skies above, it was the perfect weather for an afternoon stroll. Winnie was overjoyed, she immediately took to the sandy shore with us, bouncing and running laps with seemingly endless energy. Sand dunes rose up along the oceans edge, often garnished with patches of healthy tall grass.

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What was originally planned as a short jaunt turned into hours as we soaked in the scenery surrounding us. Eventually we made our way back to the car. We drove to a shaded area to relax and figure out our next stop. Fatigue was setting in, the lack on sleep from the night before starting to catch up with us. We figured it best to find a campground close by and rest up.

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The drive took us 45 minutes east where we camped close to our destination for the next day. With an abundance of amenities I was able to get some laundry done while Jenn caught some z’s. Night time had arrived at last. We made a campfire and huddled close for its warmth before retiring to the tent. A wonderful start to our first day in Prince Edward Island came to a sleepy finish.

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The nights have been growing noticeably colder as autumn draws near. Upon exiting my tent, a brisk morning air greeted me with a chilly embrace as blue skies above beckoned me forward to explore the land.
It wasn’t long until Jenn and I were on the road, venturing out to Greenwich, a part of Prince Edward Island National Park. We found a place to park and began walking along a short trail that took us to a nice little picnic table where we snacked on some cheese and crackers. With a sparkling lake beside us, the scenery stayed nothing less than stunning. Having chowed down, we returned to the trail and finished the short little hike.

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We found ourselves craving the ocean so we ventured to one of the nearby beaches. A weaving wooden boardwalk guided us to the pristine sands we’d been craving so deeply. Refreshing and cool, the ocean breeze swept through the area as Atlantic waves steadily crashed into the shore.

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With eager excitement we walked along the beach until we found the perfect place to settle and soak in the sun. Occasionally we’d dip our feet in the chilly water before returning once more to our comfy perch. Having spent the afternoon there, we slowly packed our things and returned to the car.

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Only a few hours remained before the sun went down so we took a coastal drive to the most eastern part of the island. We arrived just in time, with the sky bringing forth a dazzling array of warm colors to illuminate the horizon.

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It was time to find a place to rest. We drove an hour and a half west to a campground that was close to the Anne of Green Gables museum we’d planned to explore in the morning. With Hurricane Dorian arriving tomorrow afternoon, it should be an interesting day to say least!

We awoke to an eerie and empty campground. With hurricane Dorian looming on the forecast, it felt like there had been an evacuation and they forgot to wake us up. The storm wasn’t due to begin until noon so we packed our things and set off to Green Gables National Historic Site.

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As we pulled up to the museum, Jenn could hardly contain the joy that was bubbling over into a cheshire grin. A short little stroll took us to the place that Jenn had longed to visit her entire life.

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We entered the house and began our exploring. All sorts of old antiques from the same time period spread themselves about. As expected, Jenn was bubbling over with happiness and she explored.

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With Hurricane Dorian looming over the day, we decided we’d find a hotel early. One thing was for certain, we weren’t gonna tent it in a storm like that! We lucked out, finding a perfect little hotel right beside the water where we settled in. A friendly receptionist named Gail began a cheerful conversation with us, sharing wonderful stories of her own unique travels throughout the country.

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The power went out as Hurricane Dorian arrived. Ferocious wind and torrential rain fell violently outside the building. Powerful gusts of wind grew stronger and more continuous, rattling our door as it tried to rip it open. Despite the raging storm, our bed was quite comfy and we soon dozed off despite the chaos that surrounded us.

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The hotel rattled all night as hurricane Dorian beat down upon it. The power was still out and there was no running water in the morning when we awoke. After heading into the dining hall for a continental breakfast we packed our things and took to the roads.

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Dorian had left a path of destruction. Trees were uprooted everywhere, many of them still laying across parts of the roads despite clean up crews going around frantically trying to clean up the mess.

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It was wild seeing strong trees with thick trunks snapped like they were a mere twig. The power of the raging winds truly were astounding.

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With the hurricane having moved into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by the morning, the ocean waters north of the island were wild and raging. Wanting to catch a closer look at the ferocious sea we took a coastal drive along the waters edge.

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We were trying to figure out what to do with our day as many of the shops were closed. After some humming and hawing we set off to Charlottetown where we checked out a local dog park.

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Having burned off some of Winnie’s energy we took to the town where we admired a variety of attractions before grabbing a poutine for dinner down by the docks.

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Having inhaled the delicious meal before us, we walked our way along the harbor as the sun set in the distance. It was a nice way to end our exploring in the city.

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Having found a campsite 30 minutes east, we began the annoying process of setting our tent up in the windy weather. The two of us tackled the tough process of pitching our tent and building a sort of wind protection around it together. It’s days like these I’m reminded that Jenn’s a keeper. We were successful at setting everything up and crawled inside at last. The windy evening finally came to its close.

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The wind stayed strong through the night, interrupting sleep as it howled throughout the tent. When we woke up, we were feeling rather groggy and exhausted. Despite the sleepy start, we were ready to embrace the day.

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We soon found ourselves entering into a vineyard that appeared beaten and ravaged. Countless grapes lay scattered across the ground, broken twigs and vines adding to the mess. Hurricane Dorian had been cruel to this plot of land and the winery was closed until further notice.
The next winery on our list was close by and it wasn’t long until we’d arrived. Rossignol Estate Winery was lucky, having taken significantly less damage from the hurricane. The main building sat high on a hill looking out over the water, a scenic and beautiful location. We walked inside and did a round of samplers, tasting the various wines they offered. Having found a few we liked, we picked up a few bottles and continued on with the day.

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With the sun beating down on us we simply had to get some ice cream and decided to stop at Cows Creamery for a bite to eat. They claimed they were Canada’s best ice cream but we would be the judge of such a boast. Having picked up a few cones we began chowing down. Was it the best ice cream I’d had in the country? Hard to say, it was delicious though!

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The day was nearing it’s end but we took advantage of the light we had, visiting Argyle Shore Provincial Park to take a walk along the waters edge. The place offered a unique look some of the block like crumbling cliffs.

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With the sun taking its final dip below the horizon we pressed on, passing Confederation Bridge on our way west. We found a nice little campground by the ocean where we settled in for the evening, a day of adventures coming to its close.

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Jenn had a friend she knew online through her side hustle and wanted to meet up. Having covered so much ground the night before it was only a short drive to a restaurant where her friend Shirley greeted us with a smile. A lively chatter began as we chowed down on the tasty meal set before us. With a bright and beautiful day waiting outside we simply had to continue the conversation outdoors.

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A nearby boardwalk along ocean waters served as the perfect walkway for an afternoon stroll. Up and down the wooden planks we walked, taking in the suns shining rays as we looked out across the sea.

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My cousin Drew lived in Charlottetown and we decided to meet for dinner at Piers Quay. He was eager to hear about my travels and I gladly filled him in on the details. While it was awesome catching up, nighttime was approaching, so we said our farewells and went our separate ways.

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With Jenn’s flight leaving early in the morning, the two of us found a campground close to the airport where we got an early nights rest. It was still dark when we woke up and I drove her to the airport. Goodbyes are always tough but I know we’ll see each another again soon. Poor Winnie was fixated on the window, watching her walk away before she disappeared into the airport. With Jenn catching her flight home I returned to the campground and dozed off again. I must say, it felt a little lonely not being squished into the side of my tent.

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Right as I woke up it began to pour. Luckily I’d pitched my tent under some trees which deflected some of the rain water as I packed my things back into the car. The first thing I had on my list for the day was to restock some supplies. A short drive into town took me to one of the markets where I picked up what I needed before returning to the vehicle, a lengthy drive awaiting me.

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It’s interesting viewing some of the restaurants scattered throughout the country, some have some staggeringly similar resemblances. For instance, Robyn’s seems quite similar to Tim Hortons. Boom Burger is another one, feeling awfully similar to Five Guys. Who copied who I wonder?

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I had spent plenty of time exploring Prince Edward Island and I was ready for something fresh. Working my way west took me to the lengthy Confederation Bridge. I drove to the shoreline and admired the engineering feat, it truly was incredible seeing a bridge stretch on for so long, 12.9 km in total!

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I pressed on south, crossing the bridge and soon arriving in Nova Scotia once more. I realized I was making slower time than I had hoped for. With a near constant rain and fog following me the entire day, I was driving slower than usual. All the thick clouds gathering above caused the darkening sky to creep up on me rather quickly. Night had arrived and I wasn’t stopping, I was determined to cover lots of ground. I saw a neat looking town named Lunenburg less than an hour from Kejimkujik and decided I’d view it in the morning. A campsite was nearby so I decided I’d call it for the night and continue to the exploring tomorrow.

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