June 25 2011 Exploring Bar Harbour and surrounds.

This is the bar that you can walk over to Bar Island from Bar Harbour (A lot of bars in this sentence)

Woke up to heavy rain and thunder storms  and very cold which was predicted. Went up to breakfast on top of the hill behind our unit where we had dinner last night. Couldn't see a thing as the sea fog had come in. I think that it is following us. Well we only have today to see the area so wrapped up put our rain coats on and took off. Decided not to do the Acadia National Park as we wouldn't see a thing as parts of it are up high and I believe have some good views.

Didn't explain that Bar Harbour is on an Island attached by a bridge. It is called Mt. Desert Island.
Took some photos in the rain as have to have some reference to where  we have been.

 This photo is taken from the units behind us showing the sea fog over the harbour. Thats our Jeep down there. The photo further down was taken same place last night.
Not sure why all the photos posted went all through my writing out of order. But as Jen would say its something that I have done not the computer.............................

Drove out to NorthEast Harbour taken from marina. Below taken across the other side of the harbour
                                                   looking back.

                                     Walked down the street at Northeast Harbour.

                                       Interesting shop.

                                           Seal Harbour further along the coast.

                                       Back at main street Bar Harbour.

Even in the rain the area looks fabulous. There is plenty to do and many nice drives, and bays to see. They even had an art display in the village green, all under their tents.

Drove down to North East Harbour walked down the street and inspected a few shops. Then onto Seal Harbour and a loop back to Bar Harbour. A quick walk back to see a couple of shops then the heavens opened and the car was some distance away so just ran for it, got soaked. Back to our Unit for a hot coffee and turned the heater on and will relax for the afternoon as too wet to do anything else. Really dissapointed as it is a geat little place and only have one day to see it.

View taken last night same position as top photo.

Also a fun thing to have done but again too wet is you can walk over to an island just off shore when the tide is out which is called Bar Is . As long as you get back before the tide comes back in. You can walk up the hill and look back over Bar Harbour town and harbour.

As you can see we manage to cover a bit of ground today regardless.

Some grand old properties and gardens, all well maintained. Lovely area.

Going down the road to a pub for dinner tonight and thought that we would have another lobster meal before we get too far south.

June 24 2011 St Andrews to Bar Harbour.

Left St John at 8.45am tavelling 201 miles. We were on the road for 5 1/2 hours all up including a stop at St Andrews for a walk around.

Unfortunately weather not the best no sun cold  and grey looking, but no rain although predicted for the weekend.

We detoured to go and see St Andrews as I have heard that it is very nice and the tourist buses always stop there which indicate  its worth a stop. Very nice area and quaint lttle town. If only the sun was shining.

As we crossed over the border back to US we gained an hour as we had to put our clocks back an hour entering US. If you remember we lost an hour when we crossed over to NB.

Therefore arrived at Bar Harbour at 1.15pm. ( our old time 2.15pm).
I was worried about our accom. as it is the cheapest place but it isn't too bad. Up high from the harbour. All rooms terraced up the hill and the higher you go the more the rooms cost and get a fantastic view over the harbour. But guess what we are on the lowest level and see a peep the sea through the trees. We are here for two nights. TV has just announced rain and thunderstorms for  tomorrow.
Went down town on arrival as we were too early for checkin. What a beautiful spot,Quite touristy but not over the top. Little shops of all kinds down the street which flows down to the harbour. Again would be so much more impressive if the sun was shinning. Still cold out there. As we are moving south we thought that it would be getting warmer. This place would be a buzz in the summer, very popular place. They have a national park which you drive round and supposed to have good views which we will do tomorrow.(weather permitting).

The hotel has a restaurant  so will just go there for dinner as done enough driving today.

                                        Maine street St Andrews. And the next two photos.

                                        Old fort, one of three at St.Andrews.

                                       Downtown Bar Harbour.

                                            Main Street Bar Harbour.

                                     Looking down main street. Harbour at bottom of road.

                                     Looking along the foreshore.Its a Holland American line ship.

                                        Towns central park. Theres some expensive real estate here.

June 23 2011 St. Martin and Rothesay

Left hotel 9.00am, only did 79 miles today. Just a morning trip from St John.

We started off going back to  see the reversing falls  as when we saw them yesterday the tide was coming in so wanted to see them with the tide rushing out. Better on the out going tide. Will include a photo but doesn't show how they work. Hard to explain in words so will leave that until we get home.

Went out to St. Martins 40 mins from St John on the coast. The tide was half way out so the harbour was dry. The boats were all high and dry.
They had twin covered bridges in the town. There was a long stony beach with caves at the one end so we had a wonder around there.

On the way back to St John we stopped off at a pretty place called Rothesay which is on the River inland  a bit. There are some lovely homes and gardens along the river bank Nice well cared for area.

We were driving along the road and I said to Pete watch out. He couldn't see the deer running across someones front lawn and straight across the road in front of us.Fortunately Pete braked in time. It was so close. We didn't realise how big they are up close. We weren't expecting them during the day more so at night.

Can't get over how bad the roads are in this area. Shocking, pot holes rough finish. It seems as soon as they decide to fix any holes they just throw some repair seal in the holes. All patchy terrible. But they do have an extreme climate here. Like for example a lady we were talking to yesterday said that the snow was piled up outside her shop to 7ft high and she didnt think it would have melted till summer. But it has melted !!!
  
Came back to town picked up some lunch and took it back to our hotel and relaxed for the rest of the day and watched some of the tennis.

There is a pub downstairs under our Hotel so just come back from having dinner there.

Bar Harbour tomorrow after a stop to look at St. Andrews and then back into US and we will gain an hour.

Reversing falls up river when the tide is rushing out and the flow of the river is moving down stream. Will have to explain later.        
   

                                        3 big crosses,  small church!!

Now in St Martins. Covered bridge nice little house behind. Same below.

                                           Hows this for foundations.

St Martins boat harbour. Tide has three hours to low tide. Below same harbour.

                                        Gift shop in St Martins.

                                       Entrance to the boat harbour. Boats stranded until tide comes in.

                                           Caves at end of beach and below.

                                      Light house on the river at Rothesay. Very nice area.

School bus. They are all the same in US and Canada.

June 22 2011 St. John New Brunswick

Before we left Hopewell Rocks at 8.30pm we went down to the park to have one more look at the low tide  before we left for St John. Travelled  127 miles.

These famous formations are carved by the Bay of Fundy dramatic tides that rise and fall  about 46 ft but in some other areas it can be 50ft.

As we left this morning it was still very overcast but could see a line of cloud further south which had the clear skies in the direction we were heading and as we approached St John perfect sunny day.
We travelled through the Fundy National Park and partly down the Bay of Fundy coast.

Dave last night when we were trying to ring  you,  and you sent a text saying you where now home, which  we didn't receive due to no coverage where we where. Today we received it fifteen hours and 50 miles later.

We arrived at St John at the Holiday Inn Express at 1.30. Checked in had a coffee then went out for a drive around the town. We are here for two nights.

Went and checked out the reversing falls but can't explain how they work at this moment.

I have just done my first load of washing in a washing machine. Real luxury. First hotel that we have noticed washing facilities. Everyone over here uses laundrimats. I usually hand wash every night to keep up to date and hang it all over our room.

This gives a better idea of the rising tides. As the sea is the same colour as the mud it is very hard to see the sea line on the left. When we went back at high tide this area was completely covered.This photo doesn't indicate the hieght of the tides but those deep trenches that fill up are alot deeper than they look in the photo. This also shows why the sea is so red crossing over all this mud.

This is the entrance to our B&B last night. They cooked us an amzing breakfast including eggs benedic. Below is our room. A lot bigger than it looks with ensuite.

                                 Another covered in bridge. I believe we will see a lot more in this area.
                                 Below- The inside . Look at all the structure

This is at a little town called Alma we passed through on the bay of Fundy coast. Tide was right out.
 Would loved to have seen it when the tide came in.These high/low tides are all along these coasts.

This is taken on the highest hill behind the city looking out over the city and harbour. This is where the old fort is and Below Pete standing beside the memorial.

                                            

This is the view from our Hotel window where I am now sitting at the desk typing this. Its taking sometime to complete as I keep getting distracted with all the movement going on.

June 21 2011 Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick

Left Halifax 8.30am arriving Hopewell rocks 12.30pm. Travelling 208 Miles.

Woke up to another overcast day looking a bit black in the distance. All for the lovely day we had yesterday, didn't last long. Drove across Nova Scotia from east to west coast just all on highways which I mentioned once before just go for miles none stop. Finally crossed over to New Brunswick .

As soon as we reached Hopewell Rocks went straight to the park of the rocks as it was still low tide so we could walk around the rocks on the beach until 2.45pm before the tide started to come in and rise to 46 ft in this area. On the Nova Scotia coast on the other side of the Bay of Fundy it can rise to 52 ft. Amazing. Spent a good two hours wondering around the rocks which many have names, which I will explain in the photos. The weather never improved unfortunally as the sun on the rocks would have brought the muddy red colour out, so the photos look a bit dark. The water looks red because as the tide comes in it covers the red mud. The river we drove alongside getting to this area  they call the chocolate river.

 This is when we first arrived and the tide had 4 1/2 hours to come in. This is one of the areas we walked around before the tide came in.

                      This is the same area at high tide and the Kayakers are just coming in sight.

              Here come some more. Found out later that our  B&B host is the instructer/guide in the
                                                     single kayake. 

                                                   Is that you Joe.

 

                                      The stairs going down to the same area before the tide came in.

                                                        P.T.

                                                This one is called E.T.

                                                 The three flower pots

                                                  Mother-in-law

                                                  Lovers Arch

                                                Our B.&B.   for the night

At about three left the rocks to book into our B & B Innisfree. Lovely old house beautifully done out with old furniture. Five rooms but only one other couple staying tonight. They are over the other side of the house so feel very private. The couple who run the B&B are a very nice people, Alan and Elaine. Would be in their early forties and travelled NZ for 2 months three years ago.