Monday, July 29th 2013
After our bike ride, we rested awhile and then decided to
take advantage of the opportunities here and try our luck at handling a
canoe. We had both done it decades ago,
but really could not remember the fundamentals.
A lot of people say canoes are more comfortable especially as we get
older, and I love the idea of being able to bring a tent and “rough it” on
remote islands. ( I guess my inner Girl
Scout is still there ).
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| Beautiful Mercey River in Kejumukujik National Park |
Well, we were not a pretty canoe team. We were given some instructions on how to
steer, but I was thinking that Norm would be in back doing that job so I didn’t
really pay attention. Then when I was
told that steering was up to me, I started to sweat! I thought “ oh, no this is NOT going to be
fun! “
I struggled and struggled trying to figure it out, but it was difficult. Norm would change paddling sides just as I
thought I was getting the hang of it and we would end up in the bushes
again! I just wanted to cry. He was
getting frustrated as well.
Enough of this torture, I wanted to change seats, and Norm, I am sure, was thrilled with the suggestion. Now I have to tell you, that was a feat worth bragging about! Here we were, holding onto a branch, managing not fall in as we balanced precariously while passing each other on the wobbly canoe!
Our arms
are getting a pretty good workout these days, so when we got home I checked to
see if my new muscles didn’t jiggle
under my arm, but they sadly did. I
think it is going to take a lot of paddling to firm up those flapping babies!
Enough of this torture, I wanted to change seats, and Norm, I am sure, was thrilled with the suggestion. Now I have to tell you, that was a feat worth bragging about! Here we were, holding onto a branch, managing not fall in as we balanced precariously while passing each other on the wobbly canoe!
After that marvelous feat was accomplished, the trip went much better with
Norm in the helm. ( He did, however, take a while to get the hang of it himself ) We paddled up and down river for a couple of
hours marveling at how quiet it was out there, and the how the reflections
of the trees upon the water made the trip just incredible.
Tuesday July 30, 2013
Ahh, a day of rest. I
love these days sometimes as much as the days we are testing our physical
limitations. I vacuumed, cleaned and
pulled out the extra supplies hidden away under the couch and dinette, and
reorganized for the next phase of the vacation.
Norman sat outside and enjoyed a good book.
We also spent, once again, a few hours rearranging our
itinerary making sure we are able to see and do the things that are most
important to us.
I needed to add a day to shop for a dress for my daughter’s wedding if I don’t want to wear the same one I just wore to Norm daughter’s wedding in June. I am glad I have that as an option though. One day. I have no idea what kind of stores there are in St John, but it is a large city. I intend to send Norm out golfing, and he will certainly not have a problem with that.
I needed to add a day to shop for a dress for my daughter’s wedding if I don’t want to wear the same one I just wore to Norm daughter’s wedding in June. I am glad I have that as an option though. One day. I have no idea what kind of stores there are in St John, but it is a large city. I intend to send Norm out golfing, and he will certainly not have a problem with that.
Wednesday July 31st 2013
The activity of the day was to be shuttled up river to a
spot that would afford us the opportunity to kayak down 10 or more “swift water
“ areas on the Mercer River. I was a
little nervous because I had never done this before.
After getting settled in our two person kayak, Norm and I
headed downstream and within minutes had to deal with the first area of
“rapids”. After perhaps the first two
“rapids” we quickly became a coordinated team.
I would say which way to aim around the rocks ( sometimes getting my
right and left mixed up which would cause a problem ) and we would smoothly zip
past them as if we actually knew what we were doing!
I had the camera safely stored in the waterproof case, so I didn't get any pictures of these "rapids". ( In doing so I may have ruined the dangerous image you may have conjured up, and you would have realized just how "tame" these "scary" waters were! )
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| A very beautiful day on the Mercy River |
We were paddling together so well, that this 2 hour trip
took us a little over an hour!
These canoe and kayak trips have been so inexpensive! 2 hours in kayak, 2 hours in a canoe, and a shuttle with over an hour totaled to only $53.00! Back in Florida we sometimes pay that for one canoe for a couple of hours!
After a job well done, we figured we deserved another ice cream!
That evening we took advantage of the park's tour of the petroglyphs given by one of the park's employees who just happened to be a Mi'kmaw native who was extremely passionate about her heritage.
She explained how the most noticeable traces left by her peoples, the Mi'kmaq, are the engravings they created in the glacially polished slate outcrops found at several locations around the lake, referred to as 'petroglyphs' ( carvings in stone ). These images are an invaluable resource for learning the history and lives of the Mi'kmaw ancestors.
There are over 500 individual petroglyphs within Kejimkujik National Historic Site, making it one of the largest collection of such images in eastern North America. The public are only allowed to see one of the sites here, ( and only with a guide )in order to protect these faint, weathered carvings from more human damage. ( Before this became a protected Historic Site, people unfortunately carved graffiti into the smooth slate, defacing this important piece of First People's history.)
This young lady lead us on a walk in the early evening through archaeological digs, and the petroglyphs themselves proved that they were a nomadic civilization, coming and going through the seasons as the weather, and therefore supplies, demanded. We were told of the scared burial ground that was recently discovered that only can be seen with special permission.
These canoe and kayak trips have been so inexpensive! 2 hours in kayak, 2 hours in a canoe, and a shuttle with over an hour totaled to only $53.00! Back in Florida we sometimes pay that for one canoe for a couple of hours!
After a job well done, we figured we deserved another ice cream!
She explained how the most noticeable traces left by her peoples, the Mi'kmaq, are the engravings they created in the glacially polished slate outcrops found at several locations around the lake, referred to as 'petroglyphs' ( carvings in stone ). These images are an invaluable resource for learning the history and lives of the Mi'kmaw ancestors.
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| Add caption |
There are over 500 individual petroglyphs within Kejimkujik National Historic Site, making it one of the largest collection of such images in eastern North America. The public are only allowed to see one of the sites here, ( and only with a guide )in order to protect these faint, weathered carvings from more human damage. ( Before this became a protected Historic Site, people unfortunately carved graffiti into the smooth slate, defacing this important piece of First People's history.)
This young lady lead us on a walk in the early evening through archaeological digs, and the petroglyphs themselves proved that they were a nomadic civilization, coming and going through the seasons as the weather, and therefore supplies, demanded. We were told of the scared burial ground that was recently discovered that only can be seen with special permission.
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