The Calm After the Big Storm

Well, much can be said about the last week but I'll sum it up with this: SNOWMAGEDDON Cape Breton version.  If you watch the news at all, you likely heard of the monster snowfall we received here over a period of 3 days.  160 centimetres. Record-breaking, in fact.  It made the national news and I think it even made international news.  Long story short, it took me three days to dig out (at one point I couldn't even find my car as it was completely buried!) and some people are still trying to clear their driveways as of me writing this. I had entire week off work due to the state of local emergency we found ourselves in. Nothing like a surprise, paid winter vacation!  Too bad I can barely move my arms from all the shoveling. 

As with everything bad, something positive always comes out of it, and this monster storm was no exception.  Once I was able to get my car out of my driveway and safely navigate the streets, I set out to finding a place to finally enjoy my snowshoes after two winters with barely enough snow to use them. When mother nature makes snow, I make fun! 

I set out with my father on a sunny, warm day and hit the trail in the nearby community of Lingan. It was so warm, I had to remove my jacket and gloves!  Such a relief after the fury we experienced for those three days earlier in the week.  

The trail started out good with heavy, untouched snow and a smooth passage onto the pathway through the forest.  It didn't stay that way, though.  I had not taken this trail since before hurricane Fiona came through last year.  I should have known there would be windfalls and debris.  Let me tell you, navigating fallen trees in snowshoes is quite the challenge.

We made it to the clearing where several wind turbines and an old fort are and took in the white landscape set against the deep blue sea.  The Newfoundland ferry was going by and it made a nice picture but as I was lining up my shot, Dad noticed something at the cliff edge.  "It looks like a deer" I heard him say in a whisper as he crept a little to the right and forward to get a better look.  Sure enough, it was a deer and although it noticed us, it didn't seem bothered by our presence.  We took a few pictures and pressed ahead toward the old fort.  

Once inside, dad went to one of the windows to get a better view of the deer.  "Come here, there are three more deer on the slope just below the other one!".  I crept closer to get a better look and accidentally stepped on some gravel and glass that made a loud crunching sound under my snowshoes and off they went!  "One, two, five, six, eight....nine deer" dad proclaimed.  Luckily, I had my camera set on video ready to take a scenic video of the area and I hit "play" as they took off across the field.  

The trail might have been a bit difficult that day but it was worth the effort just for that sighting!