reyelle

Hello!

I am travelling via hire car around Nova Scotia for two weeks in July 2014 and have planned my trip almost to the day (don't worry - I have read lots of the other forums and have packed in lots of great NS sites).
I have a bit of 'spare time' that I am wanting to fill in. I will be in the Maitland area on a Monday, staying there overnight. I am aiming to be in Pictou for the Lobster Carnival on the Thursday. I have had a look at the options for the Truro and Parrsboro area, as well as Moncton.
I would love to get to PEI, but am not sure if it is worth the distance. I have also looked at possibly going to NB to Saint John, but to be honest, it looks like it will be very similar to some of the other sites on the south side of the Bay (my apologies if I have offended anyone).
I am not that interested in historical museums, but have a childhood longing to see where Anne of Green Gables and Avonlea all come from.
I would appreciate any advice... I am hoping to have this all sorted by the end of April.
Thank you so much for your advice.

NorthwestMale

We got your message on the other post, but just in case:


I have offered my fair share of advice on this forum about travel to the Maritimes... but something I have regarded as <b>bigger than me</b> (while also being unbeknownst to me, for most of my life) was the <b>urge</b> once shared, by a friend, to visit PEI to perhaps bring to life some <I>Anne of Green Gables</i> references.

<b>So I'm all for your doing that</b>... plus, I know that <b>bicycle riding</b> is big there... and from my having driven the rural roads on PEI, I can imagine that to ride a bike all over the flat and sparsely-traveled/populated island is likely quite comfortable.

Having been to St. John, I echo your hesitation about taking the time to go so far.

Now if you wish to please/match MY thoughts to no end, you would be sure to drive toward Moncton, <b>and be certain to go down to <I>Hopewell Cape</i> at <i>LOW</I> tide</b>, and THEN maybe retreating back toward the <I>Confederation Bridge</i>.

Have your time on PEI and then exit the island via the ferry to Pictou.

Fortunately the HUGE toll on the Confederation Bridge is <b>only collected when leaving the island</b>, so for your would-be itinerary this is perfect.

lucyp

Another vote for the Island. It's small! Do the visit to Cavendish for Anne, perhaps book seats for the musical in Charlottetown as well.

The old unused train lines are now bike paths. The one that runs near the North Shore is especially scenic.

You'll also have time to visit some gorgeous beaches in the prime season for the warmest water temps. The Island is bucolic, green fields, blue ocean and friendly people. Try to fit in a ceilidh too!

Also it's the anniversary of the Confederation conference this year and lots of special events are planned to celebrate the Island being 'the cradle of Canada's Confederation'.

Cranachin

Agree that a couple of days on PEI for all the reasons above (and more!) would be enjoyable.

Just be aware that the ferry toll (also collected only when you leave the island) is even higher than the bridge toll!

reyelle

Hello NorthwestMale

Thank you for your post. I have seen quite a few of your other posts on various topics and appreciate your knowledge of the area. I had previously read advice about the tolls and ferry to PEI and really appreciate your direction on how to travel.
Re: the tides on the Bay. I have arranged for my husband and I to spend time at Cape Split and Maitland and scheduled it around the tides. I was hoping that due to the tight schedule, this would offer us a great view of the tidal changes. I don't know if I will be travelling near Hopewell Cape at the right time to see the tides. I will look at the tide schedule to see.

I was unsure about my travelling route from Maitland to PEI. Do you know how long it would take to drive from Maitland, NS across the Confederation Bridge to PEI? It looks far on the map... It looks about 3hrs? Could you confirm?

Thanks again!
reyelle

reyelle

Hi lucyp

Thanks for your message! Thanks so much for the info about PEI. I have read amazing things about Anne the Musical, with the locals running this performance for so many years. I will definitely make a point of visiting Cavendish and the North Shore.

I had been looking at events on in PEI and saw the Confederation celebrations, but it looks there aren't too many events on during the short time we will be there. As interesting as the Confederation celebrations are, if I only have a couple of days, then Anne and the North Shore will take precedence. I will definitely look out for a ceilidh. We have arranged to get to one in Mabou, NS but I appreciate that each region is different and would love to see one in PEI.

Thanks again for your help!
reyelle

reyelle

Hi Cranachin!

Thanks for the tip about the tolls and ferry. I think that I am just going to have to bite the bullet, because of our schedule and tight timeframes. I'll just have to buy one less lobster to make sure I can fit it in the budget

Any other tips are always appreciated!
Thanks!
reyelle

Cranachin

Anne the Musical is great! But it REALLY helps to be familiar with the story ahead of time. Otherwise, there are quite a few parts of it that don't make sense (there isn't a whole lot of time spent on character development—it's more the highlights of the book). There were people who attended when we did who said they had no idea what was going on in the play.

Make sure you go to get <b>ice cream</b> at Cows afterward.

NorthwestMale

... agreed, that it is 3 hours from Maitland, NS to <b>Charlottetown, PEI</b>.

<I>And about the tides</i>... <b>most of 2014 society just doesn't</b> (want to take) <b>the time to <I>really</i> gain the full effect of how unique and awesome the Fundy tides are!</b>

(and in many ways, I don't blame them, when you can occupy yourself for hours with a little rectangular box in your hand, who has <b>six hours</b> to sit around and wait for <I>the tide</i>??)

SO, it is mostly <b>an accommodation of your mind</b>('s impatience) that you do your best to minimize and optimize your tide-watching efforts.

Thus, anybody devoting a mere single moment TO the Fundy tides is best pointed at Hopewell Cape, within an hour of low tide, to gain the best understanding/<b>sense of</b> how powerful the tide really IS in the area. You can see pictures all over, of high tide at Hopewell Cape, but until you walk past a sign that says: <b>"Warning, you MUST be off of this beach by ______ (time) to avoid being trapped by the incoming tides"</b>... <i>and then</i> have somebody try to take your photo against one of the <I>flower pots</i>, having to move so far back, to get the whole flower pot in the frame, that you can't hardly find the human in the photo... your mind won't fully wrap itself around the effects of those tides.

The fact that the rivers in the area turn around and flow <b>up stream</b> should sound a bell in the minds of some.

So, in summation, <I>(actually investing time enough)</i> to <b>see the</b> "tidal changes" is a bit much, even for me.

For that reason it is doubly important to be <I>strategic</i> in an attempt to effectively <b>show your mind</b> that the (surprises you read about) are <b>reality</b>. That is most effective near the flower pots at low tide, and on various Fundy docks/beaches on which ocean-going vessels are <b>sitting on the ocean floor</b> while tied to those docks <I>at low tide</i>.

So by no means should you <I>waste your time</i> sitting around and waiting. Instead you strategize, and make short and sweet efforts to target the extremes. Thus the reason I always recommend <b><i>printing out</i> the tide table</b> for the <b>entire</b> window of one's trip to the Bay of Fundy, for <I>easy and immediate reference to tide times</i>.

(consider that if you are delayed by a train, road construction, or an accident up ahead on a highway somewhere, <b>that alone</b> might suddenly land you in <I>prime time</i> for viewing one tidal extreme at a point nearby)


As for <I>Cape Split</i>... I hiked out there, even though I am <b>not</b> a true <I>hiker</i>... mainly for the sense of just being <I>out</i> in the middle of the <I>Bay of Fundy</i>.

Some people take the path which lands them on the beach, at low tide, to where they can actually walk to the part which is <I>split</i> from the mainland. That requires precise familiarity with the tide schedule, and even so, it takes <b>tiiiiiiiiiime</b> spent there to perceive <b>the changes</b>.

I was perfectly content to park, and then hike for 2 1/2 hours (each way)... and find myself on a high bluff, overlooking the middle of the bay, without a shore line <I>clearly</i> visible anywhere.

Some people need not invest the tiiiiiiiiime it took to hike to Cape Split, and may be better served by doing some research into various look-off points, where they can see extreme low, and extreme high tides from a vantage point ideal for appreciating both.

I just... find myself wanting to <I>be more clear</i> with regard to your invested time, and tight schedule.

Another great thing about the tides, is that the schedules are known years in advance, so you can always go-in with a very good idea of the <I>parameters</i> for optimal tide watching.

ltt

if you are going to be in pictou (cute place) there is a nice beach at caribou munroes provincial park and the ferry terminal is right there. if taking a vehicle, i think you need to make a reservation.