Enjoying the Island and a much needed mini vacation (June 1 - 28, 2020)

June has been fantastic. Beautiful weather, plenty of evenings at the beach, a mini vacation and exploring more of the island. All in all, no complaints about being "stuck" here during the pandemic and while restrictions ease up.

Looking back, June didn't start off great. The overall stress of working with the public during the height the restrictions was getting to me. I was tired, cranky and sick of people I asked to give me space laugh and say "Oh! You don't need to worry, I don't have the Covi".  Understandably the risk is low on the island but it will likely return and who needs to be that close anyway, anytime?? It is almost comical to see (still happening); I'm talking to someone about whatever product they wanted and step back one step, they'd step forward, me, another step back, them, another step forward. Like we are attached. Really needed a vacation.  Thankfully I'd book a few days off to be with friends from British Columbia who had planned to visit. Sadly that did not happen but I kept the vacation.

Blockhouse Point Lighthouse with downtown Charlottetown across the water on the left

One of our first little trips was to Blockhouse Point Lighthouse near Rocky Point.  We dropped Veda off at her sisters for the day, got some errands done in Charlottetown and around to Blockhouse Lighthouse.  Situated at the narrow entrance from Northumberland Strait to the bay/rivers Charlottetown sits on, the lighthouse had a keeper until 1963. It has been automated ever since. 

Northumberland Strait on the right and entrance to Charlottetown Harbour on left

When cruise ships return to the island we will make a point of coming to see them pass through here. They would be so close and tower over the shore.

Trees hanging on by a root

Love the curves on this lighthouse

One of the line markers on the other side of the harbour entrance

Nearby is the site of Fort La Joye, occupied by both the French and the English, now an historic site. Not much in the way of ruins here - a gorgeous location with educational plaques. Downtown Charlottetown can again be seen across the water.

Ships line themselves up with the 2 markers to navigate the harbour.

Closer view of downtown Charlottetown and St. Dunstan's Cathedral

This squirrel was completely at ease with us walking by within 5 feet of him

We saw hundreds of Blue Herons in Florida. Turns out some of them summer in PEI.

St. John's Island (l'Ile Saint Jean) was renamed Prince Edward Island in 1799. There is much French / Acadian history here as well as New Brunswick. 

Monument dedicated the plight of the Acadians

Caught this little guy in mid song

This map with the numbered lots is very helpful when narrowing down where ancestors lived. Scott's moms family mainly lived in Lot 4 on the west end of the island.  

Scott's great - great grandfather (fathers side) purchased his land on Mill River from an absentee landlord (Cunard shipping family). 

View from Port La Joye showing the Hillsborough bridge connecting downtown to Stratford.

 

I never tire of the water views (near Canoe Cove)

One of the things we planned to do in February was get our PEI licenses and switchover the registration. Finally done now.  

Official PEI residents now

To make a day of our trip to Souris for our new car plate we took Veda and headed out for a drive. First up, Campbell's Cove. A beautiful beach and a pile of lobster fishers pulling and resetting traps close to shore.

One side of Campbell's Cove Beach

Although I see them fishing nearby on the Strait, I was still surprised to see how close to the beach and how many boats there were.

Resetting their traps

 A little further along the north shore we arrived at North Lake, from which many fisherman leave. We arrived just as boats were heading back in to sell their catches.

 Evan and Sarah, do you remember going there with Uncle Roar and seeing the tuna?

4 boats in one shot close to shore

Like planes waiting for a landing spot - many boats were coming back with their catches

Scott and Veda watching the action

One of the boats threw us a lobster - looked pretty small to me and we didn't have a place to put him so
we threw him back in to live another day

Basin Head visitor centre

We had planned to hang out on the beach at Basin Head however the wind was a bit cold and blowing towards shore so we gave it a pass this time.

Later in the afternoon we thought we'd try Panting Shore Beach. No cold wind there.

Panting Shore Beach - Ferry leaving for Nova Scotia (commercial traffic only)

Tide was quite a ways out so we got a good view of the sunning seals

No crowds here

Bar clam - normally he'd be long gone down into the sand - he mustn't have heard us

Scott has also been working on the gardens and the screen room. 

The screen room should be done this coming week.

Staining the screen room

Another visit to Veda's sister and we were able to watch all the birds - finches and hummingbirds,from their kitchen window.

A picture of a picture - Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Gerald at a wedding 

(love this picture of them)

 Gardens are producing - so far, plenty of lettuce, spinach and radishes. Yum!!

Last weekend we headed over to Guernsey Cove Beach. Scott had been there many years ago but I'd heard it was good for sea glass. We walked for a couple of hours and could have kept going. Beautiful day, plenty of lupins up top, lots of sea glass and so relaxing.

  

View seemed to go on forever

View back to where we started closer to the house

Lupins everywhere

A good size bowl of seaglass

Scott trying his new kayak out

Happy place

 

We sold Scott's kayak last year. It didn't have room to move his legs and we couldn't open the car hatch with it on. Since, we've been on the lookout for a new one for each of us and got them over the past week. Not planning on any open water kayaking, just exploring some rivers and coves on calm days so we got sit upons.

Tide is way out - we had a bit of a walk to try his kayak.

 Here's a shot with half the metal roofing on the screen room. The rest is on now but I don't have a picture yet so the "reveal" will wait until next time.

I got my kayak a few days later (left one)

The mini vacation and heading to the beach whenever possible after work is doing wonders for my frame of mind. Last year June was cold and wet - this year has been amazingly hot and sunny.

Love living so close to nature and making time to get out.

The Atlantic provinces are opening an Atlantic bubble July 3rd and knowing the kids won't be able to visit because of Covid this summer we're planning another mini vacation to Nova Scotia in August. In the meantime, we'll keep exploring more of the island.

Hopefully you are all staying safe and enjoyed the update.