Tomcats 2011 Trip to NE America & Canada: June 15 2011 Central Coastal Drive, North Shore.

Left base at 8.40am. Drove 102 miles today on the Central Coastal Drive on the North Shore. This drive has a north and south shore .Cloudy and very cold wind.They say it was 13deg. but it felt more like 10deg. The average this time of year is 21deg.

This is the area of Anne of Green Gables, Cavendish which is a well known for summer holidays ,beaches fun fairs and lots of national parks which run along a very long surf beach. Sand isn't really red but not white. Pete called it pinkish. This area gets really busy in the season. We are just ahead of the season. This would be the most popular area on PEI. Its really pretty up in this area, rolling green hills and well kept fields and some lovely sea views and generally more developed. We think that the potatoes have been planted but not coming through yet. Some nice homes.

We drove all along the coast of central North Shore . Lots of sand dunes which would indicate high wind area. It was blowing today. Too cold to stay out of the car for too long.

Not a long driving day back at unit by 1.00pm. Had a coffee and muffin then off to do down Charlottetown as we only wizzed through it when we arrived to buy our lobsters. And yes brought more lobster , crabs legs and chowder. We decided that we likied the whole lobster rather than just buying the flesh. Tasted fresher. Three nights in a row what pigs we are, but leaving the island tomorrow for Nova Scotia by ferry.

To summerise the Island We enjoyed the four tourist coastal routes, North Cape including Cape Wolfe west coast around west point (185 Miles), Central which includes north and south coasts, South (76 miles) north (102miles). and Points East, (186miles) A total of 549 miles over three full days.These routes were a lot longer in places but we took some short cuts due to time. On the whole the weather wasn't too bad, a real mixture. We were here for five nights. Alot of cloud, 1 1/2 days of sun and about 1 1/2 days of rain 2 or 3 days of cold. Main industry growing potatoes and fishing for lobster. Tuna in season. The amazing Confederation bridge of 13 Kms. We didn't get time to visit the lighthouse which claims to have got the first destress signals from the Titanic which was at Cape Bear on the east coast.

North Rustico Harbour. We met an American lady here who was on a tour bus. She picked up my accent and asked where I was from. When I said NZ she opened her coat and she was wearing a NZ T-shirt. She got all excited. She was down under three years ago but since had lost her husband aged 68 from cancer so asked me if she could give my husband a hug. I said go for it. Then she got tearful and wanted to give me a hug as she said that NZers were such friendly people and thats where she had had her last holiday with her husband. She was such a nice lady.I had to tell her that she had better get back to her bus, I was worried that they would go without her.

North Rustico Harbour. Lobster boat coming back from his catch through the bar into the harbour.

Cavendish Beach. Pinkish sand, Very windy and cold. Could only get to it through the national park gates. In season you have to pay to drive your car through the park to get to the beach. The national park runs for miles along this beach.

Board walk over the sand dunes to the beach.

Country side on the north shore Central drive.

The old Bagnall house on PEI. Richard Kays (whom we had drinks with the other day) gave me the directions to find it. Des can you tell Ga that we saw this and perhaps show her this picture. For those who don't know Petes Dad was related to Bagnals on his mothers side from PEI.

Map showing PEI. The pink section to the left is the North Cape Coastal tour, yellow and pink in the middle is Central North and South and yellow to right is the East Point coastal tour. We leave by ferry tomorrow at the south of the yellow east side.