susys running away to sea

"The rigors (sic) of an expeditionary lifestyle"

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

PEI

despite what I said, is actually a beautiful island - the same ruby-red soil as on the Iles de la Madeleine, though this time the giant child is playing on the green grass with toy farms.

Charlottetown is my size of place for a capital - old painted shingle buildings on tree-lined streets - all very smart - lots of restaurants, and exploiting the tourist as much as possible - and why not? That's why we come here, after all.

We were stuck in Murray Harbour a few days ago - literally! We'd come through the narrow shallow entrance and along the windy (that's w-eye-ndy, not w-i-ndy) channel, turned right - er - to starboard - and stuck in three feet of water... So, with that, and the wind coming up to blow very strongly, we spent the day at anchor, giving J a great opportunity to play with his Danforth kedge (this is for the sailing readers - it's just an anchor, for the others), rowing it out in the dinghy while I paid out the line. Once anchored, there was nothing much else to do, so I read rather a lot of books... J went to the rescue of three young men trying to get back to their bottle green trimaran, rowing against the wind. No chance. So off J went with his outboard on the dinghy and towed them to their boat.

After MH, we went round the corner (Murray Head, Cape Bear) to Wood Islands, which is more of a car ferry terminal than anything else, but the harbour itself has a great feel - small, collapsing dock, fishing boats, a seafood shack (Crabby's, there for 22 years), a hand-painted notice warning boaters they use the harbour at their own risk, a beautiful white and red lighthouse about to fall into the sea, open for visitors (I climbed on a guided tour up to the light - and yes, it's VERY near the edge), and near the car lines, a soulless cafeteria (but with flushing loos!) and a delightful gift shop with fudge (for J) and icecream, and I bought lobster eggs aka chewing gum for two of my grandchildren. Last time I was away, I bought them seagull poo aka choc covered raisins, and Ebby wouldn't eat hers ... Zia read the ingredients and did!

Everything on this island (PEI) is connected to lobsters ... or potatoes (there's a potato museum) .... or Anne of GG (100 year anniversary of the publication of the book).

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