Finally....2 Days in a Row Nice Enough to go Camping!

Cape Breton summers are usually very nice with plenty of sun and long, warm days.  In fact, summers are so nice here that I rarely leave the island this time of year because I don't want to miss those long, lazy days of an East Coast summer. 

It's been quite different this year though.  Lots of rain, humidity, north winds and clouds. And it just so happens that I booked my yearly summer vacation during the worst part of the summer.  It rained almost every day.  Fortunately, there were two days close to the end of it that worked out perfectly to allow me to get a camping trip in before heading back to work. 

I planned to go for two nights in Ingonish early on and to Framboise later during my vacation but it didn't quite work out that way.  I did get to camp in both places but it ended up being one night in Ingonish and one night in Framboise.  

I left early that bright, sunny morning, grabbing some coffee and breakfast in Bras d'Or along the way. Check-in at Broad Cove Campground wasn't until 2 PM but I went straight to the check-in gate to see if I could set up early.  No one was at my site at that time so they allowed me to get in and set up so I could be on a beach and in the water by lunchtime.  

 It was high tide and most of the beaches were full of rocks and the surf was high.  I ended up at The Point where there was plenty of sand and the water was clear and calm. I spent a good hour there before taking a long walk along North Bay Beach where I sat and watched the sea until the sun started to go down.  I didn't have time to pack any food for this trip so I ended up eating some home fries and onion rings.  I don't normally eat so poorly but I always treat myself on these yearly trips!

After a walk along the breakwater at The Point and a drive from the Keltic Lodge to Neil's Harbor and a detour to Warren Lake, I headed back to camp.  It was almost dark when I returned so I turned on the solar lights and went for a walk around the campground followed by a cold beer as I sat and watched the stars until it was time to turn in.  Fortunately, it was a warm night so I could sleep soundly to be ready for the long drive to Framboise the next morning. 

 Normally, I do my trip to Ingonish and trip to Framboise separately but due to time constraints and weather, I did them together this year....which meant a 3-hour drive from Ingonish to Framboise after I checked out of Broad Cove Campground.  Back over Cape Smokey I went, along the North Shore, over Kelly's Mountain and across the Seal Island Bridge.  Instead of driving straight through to Sydney, I turned off on the Route 4 in Sydney River and drove towards St. Peter's.  

I arrived at the camping spot Dad and I have been using for almost a decade.  I quickly got set up so I could relax for a bit before taking a long hike along the beach. This late in summer, nightfall comes earlier.  After our hike, we went for a drive into St. Peter's for a coffee and some supper and headed back to camp just before it got dark so we could get the fire started.  This is my favorite part of any camping trip; that quiet time at the end of the day when you can sit around the warmth of the fire sipping on a cold beer and watching the night sky with the sound of waves crashing on the shore below. 

 It was warm that night and I slept soundly despite not having a mat or soft surface to put between me and the ground.  I prefer it that way.  I feel closer to the earth and to nature.  I awoke to the sound of some kind of animal prowling around my tent.  I could hear it but by the time I exited the tent, whatever it was had taken off into the woods. 

With the campsite torn down and everything in the cars, Dad and I parted ways.  He turned right on the Fleur-de-lis Trail to go fishing in the brooks along the highway before heading home.  I turned left on the same road and headed to Point Michaud Beach for a refreshing dip in the ocean.  And the drive home? As always, any drive along Route 4 with the views of the Bras d'Or Lakes is a good drive.