Trip North - Cape Breton - Day One

We finally head to Cape Breton Island to drive the Cabot Loop.
It is 225 miles to our first stop from our friends in Herring Cove.  Tucson will be staying with them while we are gone for 3 days.

We get an early start.

Finally the exit for Cape Breton

a slight delay for an accident - no one hurt

We are just about to the causeway to Cape Breton and stop for lunch

Gary always has the chicks hanging out by him

Back on the road and at the causeway over to 

Cape Breton Island

A gypsum mining operation

Yeah!  We made it.

Can't wait to get on the Trail

People fishing along  Bras D'Or Lake

and lots of crab traps

Entering Whycocomagh the sign is in English and 

the Nova Scotia Aboriginal Language

We arrive in Baddeck our first stop and where we will

overnight at a Bed and Breakfast

It is too early to check in - we have an hour to kill so we tour the
Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site

You know you are old when you have used both of these

When the U.S. entered WWI - Bell's contribution was a high speed watercraft.  He developed a Submarine Chaser from his work on previous Hydrodrones.  It had a short  but impressive career - in 1919 it reached a speed of 71 mph

Time to go check in

Looks lovely

Gary brings the luggage up to our room

There are 4 rooms upstairs

We got one with a private bath in the room.  Gary takes a nap and then we head into town for Dinner and to hopefully secure some tickets for a concert 

at the Parrish for this evening.

Our host recommended  a few places but this one sounded the most interesting and it is on the water.

While waiting for our table, Gary visits the locals

It is a very small place - just the bar area and 1/2 dozen tables.

I wanted to go light so ordered a cup of chowder and some mussels as the Island is noted for them.  I was full after the chowder which was packed with seafood - then the mussels arrived - 4 dozen of them!  Gary hada burger and salad.

A view to a lighthouse on an island in the Bay

and catch the beginning of the sunset before rushing off to

the Ceiladh

We had gone to the Parish before dinner to secure tickets.  When I went in there were 3 women thanking a man for the last seats.  Before I could talk to him, 4 more women came in saying a cruise ship had sent them.  He told them he was completely full - couldn't fit in another seat.  When they left I said I guess I missed out by 5 minutes.  I said they visitor's center at the causeway had told us about the concert but didn't mention that tickets were needed and when we checked into our B&B the host also mentioned it and told us to come down ASAP for tickets because it would sell out if there was a cruise ship in town.  He asked which B&B and when I told him - he managed to find 2 more seats.

  It was Mike Hall & Beverly MacLean (an item as we heard from our host later)  They were phenominal - He was amazing and had great stories and told us about the history of the music in Cape Breton.  So glad we got to go.

We go down to breakfast at 7 a.m.  It was a lovely
buffet of stuffed french toast, fruit, pastries, yogurt and more.

Now we get to begin our journey on the Cabot Trail!