Grand Manan

An island adventure with good company is always great therapy! A recent trip to Grand Manan Island began in the rain and fog but eventually gave way to sunshine as we began our coastal adventure.

Waiting to board the ferry in Black's Harbour

A little windswept but happy and looking forward to the day ahead.

Kathy and Ray .... awww so cute!

Swallow Tail Lighthouse

While the rugged coastline and water views were beautiful, we found a certain charm in these old smoke houses. The weathered buildings sparked some discussion among us about the diminished popularity of smoked fish, which led to reminiscing about things we ate growing up. There was no shortage of material to prompt a good "chin wag" !

I get tingly just looking at this picture .... can't believe I actually got close enough to the edge to take it!

The above photo was taken at Dark Harbour, where just a few weeks ago a "dulser" ( a person who harvests dulse) drowned. One of the locals told us about how he had found the body of this man, who had worked on the ocean all his life, but was not wearing a life jacket, and waited for three hours with it until the authorities arrived. 

While our accommodations were somewhat in need of an update, the location was terrific. Above is the view from the door of our motel room. A short walk across the lawn brings you to the beach where you can find lots of sea glass. Below is what I found during my short stay.

View of North Head Grand Manan from the deck of the ferry.

Sea, sun, a ferry ride, beach walks and good company are ingredients for a relaxing retreat (especially sunshine!) Definitely have to do this more often!