First, last night before hitting the hay early we managed to catch the Reversing Falls of Saint John. The Saint John river flows into the Bay of Fundy whose tidal range is about 16 metres (52 ft). The average tidal range worldwide is about one metre (3 ft 3 in). In one 12-hour tidal cycle, about 100 billion tonnes of water flows in and out of the bay, which is twice as much as the combined total flow of all the rivers of the world over the same period. All that water heads into the Saint John river which at low tide has a waterfall cascading into the bay. At high tide so much water goes in the falls literally “reverse”. It’s the kind of thing a tourist does and then says to themselves, “So, we saw that.” Here’s a short video so you get the “drift”.

As always, click to enlarge

Before going home for an early night we headed to Steamer’s Lobster for dinner. Lobster number one for me, two servings of oysters for Wayne.

Now, on to the ferries. Traveling through the maritimes inevitability requires boarding ferries. In the last two days we have taken three, one from Campobello Island to Deer Island, one from Deer Island to L’Etete, New Brunswick, and today the ferry from Saint John to Digby, Nova Scotia. First thing you see on the Campobello ferry is, well nothing. Just a ramp going into the water. That’s Eastport, ME across the bay.

The ferry arrives, two cars disembark and we board.

The next ferry was a little larger and since there is no bridge access to the mainland it is run by the Canadian government so there was no charge. Maneuvering through the maritimes must be very tricky, lots of turns and twists, sharing of the shipping lanes (ferries do go both directions) and always close to shore.

The ferry to Digby is a different story, eight decks, two of which hold vehicles, and a strict boarding protocol which requires you check in an hour and fifteen minutes before departure which for us was 6:45 AM. Up at 4:30 AM for boarding at dawn.

Two hours later, like Brigadoon (I had to), Nova Scotia appears out of the fog.

See you tomorrow.

avec vue sur la terra

We lazed around the boat in the morning and after a lunch of oysters and seafood our cruise got underway. I opted for getting off at the first lock and biking along the canal giving me a different view than staying on the barge. The food has been incredible and I’ll do a full post at the end of the week.

The process of passing through a lock is one of repetition, pull up, sometimes wait for some traffic, the first door opens after the level in the lock falls, pull into the lock, doors close behind, the sluice doors open filling the now occupied lock from the base of the forward doors, once the water is raised the doors open and on you go. Repeated over and over and over. Here is a series of still and video of process.

Sometimes you catch a passenger through the door.

It’s always a tight fit.

Always a lock house.

We transferred to our mobile home for the next seven days.

We will traverse the Canal du Midi on the Enchante’. We boarded late Sunday afternoon. The barge started cruising once we initially settled.

We got underway and immediately ventured through a series of locks. Maneuvering the locks is a learned skill.

Each tight as a drum.

Some required a head duck to prevent premature beheading.

But each raised our barge just as it has for centuries.

Eventually we moored for the evening, a walk at dusk, and dinner.

Innocent tourists that we are, we didn’t look at the weather report this morning, but outside our hotel the wind was blowing and the rain coming in  sideways.  Unbeknownst to us, Storm Ali was bashing Ireland.  And it was a whopper forcing the cancellation of the second day of the National Ploughing Championships (I know, how will you go on?).  The front desk warned during check out, handing us a map to get out of the city and telling us power lines were down on the M1 so alternate routes had to be taken.

FREQUENT alternate routes.  Seems every road we drove down ended up blocked.

Even the occasional power line down.

With the help of google maps we criss-crossed our way from Belfast to Kingscourt.

Debris everywhere.

Even the trucks were going down single lane country roads in search of a thru passage.

A vacated church in the middle of nowhere.

We finally made it to our lodging for the night.

And now we’re all tucked in our little cottage nursing colds.

Shout out to google maps.  Although I would suggest an alternative to “continue straight”, which we heard over and over and over.  Might I suggest “continue gayly forward”?

Here you go, in response to comments asking for a scenic shot from yesterday!  Seems in Ireland, there is beauty in every drive.

I found my pot of gold on St. Anne Street at Sheridan Cheesemongers.  Having a partner who likes to putter in the hotel room gives me the chance to explore local foodstuffs.  This place is heaven.

Walk in the front door and you are in an ambrosial room of cheese.

My eyes dilated at the selection of meats and cheeses.

I went right for the raw milk.

Came home with a small round of the Drumlin and a wedge of Derg Raw Milk cheddar.

I’ll make another stop Monday before we depart Dublin and not to worry, they have locations in Meath, Galway,  and Wexford.

 It appears we’re exiting Eire just in time.

Are Massachusetts Gun Laws a Model for the Country?