August 17, 1999
We took our time getting going in the morning, with homemade pancakes for breakfast and a few more loads of laundry. Then it was off to Peggy's Cove.
Just before we reached Halifax we crossed the 'Halfway Point Between the North Pole and the Equator, 45th Parallel'. Somehow it seemed important but we didn't have time to stop.
On we drove, and turned south, and headed on to Peggy's Cove. We stopped for a short and quick break at a mall to make lunch, and to re-supply the RV. While eating I noticed a beer store in the mall, so after a quick sortie, Matt and I returned with a case of 'Kings Honey Amber' and 'Frosted Frog' beer. "Just incase we have company over Honey..."
I had been to Peggy's Cove almost 25 years ago on my Harley but things now seemed so much more built up and commercialized. And from my motorcycle back then, I never remembered the road being so narrow either. Meeting all those large buses today, one after another and driving this rig wasn't making the road any wider.
We rolled into Peggy's Cove at 2 p.m. for a quick one hour visit.
The 'classic' photo.
The sun seemed to just come out at the right moment.
Okay Niki, now look like a tourist!
Not long after Niki got there, she bumped into a classmate from school. Small world.
Yup, Matt Sable Island is just over there!
Michelle caught Matthew and I looking out over the ocean. Even with all the other visitors climbing rock-to-rock around us, it was still a very peaceful moment. One of those 'special moments' that you seldom seem to get with your kids.
Michelle, backup more. Don't worry, you won't get splashed. Opps!
She didn't fall in the water taking this one, but while we were there quite a few other tourists got soaked being in the wrong place at the wrong moment.
Being exposed to the Atlantic, you see how sparse the surrounding area is.
Looking back into the harbour.
Even with what looks like a busy spot, you can't help but wonder who makes more money from all the visitors. Was it all the little homes converted to shops and coffee houses, or the poor guys working the boats? And it seemed that all the shops sold the same ol' stuff that you could get most anywhere downtown in Halifax.
The greatest thing is that it really was just as pretty as the pictures show.
Looking back one last time.
So while we said good bye to this picture perfect town, even with the bus loads of tourists, it still seemed so soothing to the soul.
Back on the road as we headed on to Halifax, I caught a pothole and one of the rear wheels broke an air line, but we didn't notice that until latter that evening. We still had a working suspension, I just couldn't add more air for leveling.
By late afternoon, we reached Halifax. We parked in a shopping mall next to a big hotel. Latter we found out that there was a Premiers meeting going on in there hence all the security and media. They must have given the big old RV a good once over and then scratched their heads. Since we were parked so close, was it possible that maybe we were a threat?
Well, it was getting late and not sure what to do in town, we first hiked up to the Citadel. There we caught the last tour of the fort of the day.
Lots of 'big' boys all dressed up but nowhere to go!
Afterwards we walked back down to the waterfront and cruised the wharf.
This time we all got in the photo.
Over Michelles shoulder, you can see Georges Island. Also in the harbour was the USS George Washington (just over my shoulder in the picture), a nuclear powered aircraft carrier. As it turns out that during it's stay in port, one of the hands fell off and drowned, sad ending to that story.
Downtown with all the restaurants, we had our choice for eats and Matt again amazed us all by trying, of all things - Lobster.
Honest Matt, nobody will think your a lobster, just because your all dressed in red! ... hehehehe
He got to pick his meal, but declined reaching in and to pull out the live lobster. Still, his dinner went well until he got to pulling out the yucky parts of the claws. I guess that was when things stopped looking like food. He seemed to be happy just finishing off his French fries.
Niki kept her distance from all the strange looking food and stuck to her usual.
By the time we got back to the RV, it was getting dark and as we walked up, I then realized we had a problem with the suspension. A quick check of the systems, and I decided to try and make a campground and get things fixed in the morning. We called ahead, and found a place just outside of Halifax, Woodhaven Wilderness RV Park, and we rolled in just before they closed.
Without the airbags in the back working, getting level was a chore in the dark but we figured it would be within limits for sleeping.