Day 5 and 6: Sleeping Beside Jellyfishes

Kouchibouguac National Park was amazing in daylight. Green and quiet. We wish we could have stayed longer, but we had another stop planned.

So we set off for Moncton and a quick stop for groceries and books. Lots of driving means lots of car-friendly activities for the kids, and reading is the one that keeps them happiest for the longest.

And then we headed off to Confederation Bridge.

On the P.E.I. Side we stopped for ice cream at Cows Ice Cream. I had the Royal Cownadian Mint, which was excellent. They also make cheeses, so I got another aged cheddar.

Then we headed to The Prince Edward Island National Park. Our spot was on the beach near Cavendish. The view was spectacular.

We were the closest spot to the sea and it was very windy. Many tent pegs were used. But also, there were very few bugs. Yay.

The earth was red. The beach was sandy and covered in blue and purple rocks. But the wind was fierce and the lifeguards huddled in wool tuques and full fishing suits. Two of us went in anyway. It was 15 C.

We spent the next two days playing on the beach, lying in the sun, and cooking things in the fire on sticks.

Our campsite was at the top of low sand cliffs, which were also the nesting ground for bank swallows.

The beach was full of red jellyfish.

Of all the places we’ve been, this was the most relaxing.

Cheese Review:

Cows Creamery, Extra Old Cheddar ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Exceptionally creamy texture, flavourful, but not exceptionally so.

Some Stats:

• Squirrels: so many
• Jellyfish: 4
• Eagle: 1
• Bank swallows: so many
• Potatoes eaten: 0
• Total distance: 1600 km

Kid: Can we go to the fox museum?

Me: Umm, it’s not a “we love foxes” museum, it’s a “look at all the things we can make with foxes” museum.

Kids: (long silence and then a quiet, horrified voice) oh

(We didn’t go to the fox museum)

Day 4: “Well, cecitte, ça vient de blower ma mind”

There isn’t much I don’t like about camping, but setting up a wet tent in the rain, in the dark, is one of them.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves now…

Today’s travels take us through Acadie, the traditional Acadian area of Canada where people speak Acadian French, Canadian French, English, and Chiac (which is French, with a lot of English words, but transformed into French structures). On a hangé around une ‘tite boute.

We started near Forillon National Park, in Quebec, and headed to Percé to see the Rocher Percé.

We stocked up on chocolates and pastries in Percé, and then moved on for a pick nick and ice cream at Cap d’Espoir while we watched the fishermen loading up their lobster traps.

Next, we stopped in Bonaventure, to see the Bioparc de la Gaspésie. It’s a small zoo/refuge for animals, most of which are native to the area. We finally got to see some beavers.

We arrived just in time to watch the bears have a snack: oranges!

Then we headed to New Brunswick, around la Baie-des-Chaleurs. There was a ferocious storm, and the roads were terrible so we lost quite a bit of time. It’s never a good sign when the long haul drivers pull off the road.

We came centimetres from hitting a deer that had been spooked by the wind a lightning.

We ended up with a McDonalds dinner, and the kids watched a movie in the car DVD player (first of the trip, though).

Finally, we arrived at Kouchibouguac National Park at 11 pm and had to set the tent up in the rain. Good thing we are getting quick at that part.

Still, this was the most beautiful campground we’ve seen this trip and we went to sleep warm, exhausted, and happy to be out of the rain.

Some stats:

• Fox: 1
• Deer: 1
• Bird nest: 1
• Sea birds: many
• Total distance: 1600 km