On Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick

We spent 3 nights on Grand Manan Island ( 9/24-26) and loved every minute of it. On Thursday, our first day, we hiked to see the Hole in the Wall. The sea was like glass, so beautiful that we made a quick trip back to the camper to pack sandwiches and ate lunch on the viewing deck at Fish Head. We stayed almost 2 hours. No whales in sight (we later learned that the best time to see them was "2 hours flood", meaning 2 hours after the tide starts coming in) but we had fun watching seals circling a herring weir below us.
After we left Fish Head, we drove down to the end of the island. The tide was out, so I put on my Tevas and poked around some tidal pools. I was disappointed to see little life, but it was fun and the water was surprisingly warm. On the way back to camp, we picked up some rolls at a great local bakery. Then a quick stop at the phenomenal Dollar Store convinced us that there was better shopping on Grand Manan than at home! Supper was a scallop dinner at Sailor's Landing, where we also used WiFi for email. Showers and ice cream back at the campsite.

Friday was another lovely day. We got more bakery goodies and drove to the White Head Island ferry terminal to check times. Forrest had a sandwich and nap at the campsite, but I couldn't resist taking my lunch back to the Fish Head overlook. More seal fun, and I watched a boat taking in the weir nets. Before the White Head ferry, we had time to visit the Whale Research Station and gift shop, where we did some good Christmas shopping. The trip to White Head Island was a good bird-watching trip. Most of the puffins have gone to sea by now, but a few can still come around the ferry channel and I think I saw one.

White Head Island is an interesting place. A population of 170 with a post office and elementary school. Older kids go to school on Grand Manan ("the main"; if you go from "the main" to the mainland, you are going "away"). There are only 3 miles of road and everyone seems to be involved in lobstering. We saw many traps neatly stacked and assumed it was the end of the season. We found out that the season is just beginning and people were getting their traps ready. We also saw yards and yards of nets draped over bushes and grass alongside the roads, drying and waiting for repair. We were told the red ones were salmon nets.

After we ferried back to "the main", we got the propane tank filled (it took 18#, so we'd been just about out) and bought a ticket for the Saturday ferry to the mainland. Hurricane Kyle was on the way, and we figured the island was not the best place to be. There was also a rumor that ferry service might be suspended on Sunday and Monday due to the storm. Rain was forecast, so before supper (which waited in the crockpot), we greased the camper wheels and put away outside stuff. Good thing - it did rain in the night. Not only that, but it was foggy and the forhorn blew all night long. We were told that there was a baffle on the horn to minimize disturbance to residents, but we still heard it, as well as the early morning ferry which whistled to announce its arrival. Not the best night's sleep, but we didn't know that worse lay ahead!