mat106 |
Aug 28th, 2007 05:46 AM |
Thanks Reeder for your nicely written trip report, and your recommendations on places to stay and eat. They will come in very handy when we plan our next trip.
A couple of comments. You mentioned a "ton" of people on the Skyline Hike. Wow! My husband and I last did that hike in the mid 90's, and I remember passing only a few other people along the way! But, mid-summer is the busiest vacation time in Canada (so we usually aim for late spring/early summer or late August when things are winding down a bit). Yet, I am imagining that the trend of increased tourism that we noted last on Cape Breton a few years ago is continuing.
About Whale Watching - Zodiacs seem to be popular for getting people out to the sites quickly. I myself prefer bigger boats. And I think whale-watching in the Bay of Fundy may offer opportunities for some spectacular encounters. There are several operators from both Briar Island and Grand Manan Island (off the New Brunswick coast) that target the same general area in the Bay. We went on a tour out of Grand Manan in 2003 which was spectacular - a pair of Humpbacks swam right over to our boat, peered at us from alongside, swam under the boat, peered again at the other side, then dove giving fantastic views and photos! The boat appeared to be a converted fishing boat, bench seats, had washroom onboard and served warm drinks. They also included Pelagic Sea Birds as part of the tour (and earlier in the season have a separte tour to a Puffin and other sea birds colony).
Talking about the birds being quite - I'm a birdwatcher also and find that bird song generally starts to fade off in mid summer, even in the mornings when they are otherwise most vocal. Breeding season is winding down, young are mostly fledged and many are starting to get ready for migration. But - if you plan another visit - mid to late August can be interesting along some of the quieter NS and NB beaches and wetlands for the shorebird migration.
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