TRAVEL SNAPSHOT: 75 Days In 2023

In April, we flew from Toronto ON to Las Vegas NV. Helen hung around Vegas and waited for me to return from a 1 week SCUBA live-a-board in ST. KITTS & NEVIS, Saba & SINT MAARTEN, with dive buddy Mark. 

Next, in June; we loaded ourselves and some supplies into LOAF for a 4 week road trip LOAFin Around in New Brunswick and around Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula. 

We ended the year on MEXICO's Cozumel Island (Nov/Dec) with a little more than 4 weeks spent at 3 different resorts and diving with some old and some new friends.

Here's more photographic evidence ... ENJOY!

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The map below is interactive. To view our routes in detail you will need to begin by clicking on [  ] (top right corner) for full screen. Use the hand to pan and +/- to zoom and reduce, as needed.

Cozumel MX - Nov/Dec 2023

We stayed at three different locations on Cozumel this trip.

Along Avenida Rafael e Melgar

This post contains a small portion of the photos (and a couple of videos) of our time here. If you prefer to skip over the text in this post and only view all photos, click here. 

NEW BRUNSWICK: Miscou Island, Kouchibouguac NP ... Running from Hurricane Lee

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Our first post for this adventure ('A Road Trip Around QUEBECs' Beautiful GASPE PENINSULA'), documented travel for CAMPs 01 to 12. We're into the province of New Brunswick now; major stops at - Miscou Island and Kouchibouguac National Park. We had anticipated a much longer stay at Kouchibouguac NP and then a trip to Fundy NP; also for a lengthy stay. 

 Hurricane Lee changed all that ... we're on the run!  

If you prefer to see our complete photo gallery without reading our blog from this adventure, then go here or come back to the link later. 

And, as always, if you're interested in additional information or detail; click on any of the blue links we've provided.

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 OUR ROUTE 

___  Campbellton New Brunswick > Saint-Michel Quebec

8 days / 932.5 kilometres

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 JOURNAL

CAMPs 13 - 15

A BIG Bog & A Lighthouse

Route: Campbellton NB > Camping la Vague, Miscou NB 

Distance (cumulative / daily): 2007.3 + 250.3 + 53.6 = 2111.2 kms

We drove to the ends of all the roads (there aren't many) on Miscou Island; certainly not a difficult task - the island is only 18 kms long x 7 kms wide. Walked some of the Grande Plaine (the BIG bog) and visited the Miscou Island Lighthouse National Historic Site. We did get rained out near the end of our stay here.

SUN going down ...

Fishing for Atlantic salmon, sea (striper/striped) bass and (apparently) bluefin tuna. This fellow fished most of the time we were here and was also successful at foraging for wild mushrooms. He and his wife went for a long bath, swim and snorkel one day at the same spot ... I would have died!

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Out and About

Shippigan Harbour

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LA GRANDE PLAINE

 

Cover as much skin as possible, use copious amounts of bug spray, walk faster than your hiking partner (notice how I'm out front); run if you need to, pray for a strong breeze ... other than that it's a great walk!

There are 8 bogs on Miscou Island, all in their natural state and covering an area of 3,225 hectares (almost 8000 acres), which is almost 45% of the surface of the island.

Pitcher Plant

Bohemian Waxwing

Stock Photo

If you visit in mid (to late) October these will be the colours you'll see.

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MISCOU ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE 

Miscou Island Lighthouse National Historic Site

"The heritage value of Miscou Island Lighthouse lies in its critical and longstanding role as a lighthouse as embodied by the tower’s function, setting, and composition. In 1856, the lighthouse was constructed by the Province of New Brunswick to reduce the number of shipping accidents in the region. Subsequently, it became a major coastal aid, providing safe navigation for ships entering the Chaleur Bay and for coastal traffic between the Atlantic Provinces and Quebec." (Parks Canada)

Next 3 photos are taken from an 80 foot elevation on the top deck of the lighthouse.

Looking easterly ... good boondocking site!

There are some very good opportunities for dry camping / boondocking near the Miscou Island Lighthouse and north along the shoreline from there.

We always search out camping spots that offer activity based opportunities for us; walking, hiking, biking, paddling. These sites here at Miscou Island satisfy our particular criteria; there's privacy, beach walking, paddling opportunities, fishing ... and, you can safely have a campfire! 

Additionally, and in the case of this particular location, (a National Historical Site of Canada) ... if you do camp, visit here and pay the entrance fee to the site ($6/senior), you contribute to the upkeep and maintenance of one of Canada's important historical locations ... and that's a good thing ... EH!

Looking more easterly ...

Looking north-westerly ...

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Beach Walking 

I suspect there aren't many parts of the shoreline of Miscou Island where you cannot walk. This walk was in front of our campsite and we could still see forever in both directions when we ended and turned back.

Wild Asters

CAMPs 16 - 18

A   Short Stay this Trip

Route: Miscou Island NB > Site #306, South Kouchibouguac Campground, Kouchibouguac National Park NB 

Distance (cumulative / daily): 2111.2 + 212.1 + 16.8 = 2340.1 kms

We kept close to the coast and followed highway 11 most of the way today. At camp around 4pm, emptied and filled all tanks (black, grey, fresh, gas), lunch out, groceries.     

Heavy rain here but we were able to get in a few short walks thru the dunes (Barrier Islands) on our last day. We spent 9 days in Kouchibouguac NP in 2019 and we were able to hike all (but one) of the trails and cycle most of the paths; this is a wonderful park for both those activities. Fortunately for us; we've only booked 3 nights this time ... because! ... BIG storm coming our way! So, we're going to change plans and head inland instead of towards Fundy NP; that'll keep us out of the predicted path of hurricane Lee over the next few days.

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KOUCHIBOUGUAC NATIONAL PARK

Site #306

Salt Marsh Trail

Wild Asters

Great Blue Heron

Piping Plover

Common Merganser

What nice folks! We bumped into Conny and Simon a couple of times travelling around New Brunswick and finally got together for a campfire, snacks, drinks and of course ... an exchange of information regarding each of our countries. A Swiss couple, this is their 15th trip to Canada and they expect to return again in a couple of years. This time they arrived in May and will be returning their Class B Van in Halifax at the end of September and returning to Switzerland. I have a feeling we may see each other again.

' Journeymakers  are those people who elevate your travel experience with the passion and enthusiasm for the place they call home and for the interest and kindness they give you, the traveller. '

CAMP 19

 Escaping and Hiding from Hurricane LEE ... Today!

Route: Kouchibouguac NP NB > (backtracking northwest to) Miramichi > (west to) Grey Rock Casino, Edmunston NB

Distance (cumulative / daily): 2340.1 + 328.6 = 2668.7 kms

Fuel Economy: 19l/100kms; extremely rough (and sometimes slow, 40kms) drive along hwy 108, some mild grade, very little wind.

Change of Plan: "A tropical cyclone information statement has been issued across all three Maritime provinces and parts of Quebec, warning that the intense system is likely to bring heavy rain and wind in the days ahead. 

Western Nova Scotia and southern New Brunswick stand to see the most wind while western New Brunswick northward into parts of the Bas-St-Laurent and Gaspesie regions of Quebec are at risk of the heaviest rainfall.

High waves and elevated water levels will be more widespread due to the large size of the storm – the most impacted areas likely covering much of the Atlantic coast of mainland Nova Scotia and the Fundy coast of New Brunswick.”

CAMP 20

Back to Quebec 

Route: Edmunston NB > Camping Parc Saint-Michel, Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse, QC 

Distance (cumulative / daily): 2668.7 + 271.1 = 2939.8 kms

Fuel Economy: 21.7l/100kms; head wind early on, massive road construction project on hwy. 85, some long grade changes

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Where To Next ? ... we're making our way to the Saguenay region of Quebec, another area where we have not spent much time.

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  We're LOAFin Around 

... follow along, if you like.

  

Refer to our Trip161 gallery for all the photography.

Cameras: Nikon Coolpix P610

 DSLR Canon EOS Rebel T8i

Unless noted, all content is by LOAFin Around. 

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Visiting CANADAs' National Parks, National Historic Sites and UNESCO WHS Sites.

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As We Travel All Regions ... of this enormous and beautiful country, a personal goal of ours, has always been to visit as many of the National Parks, National Historic Sites and UNESCO World Heritage Sites that we can. 

I've been compiling this map (and its' accompanying list of locations) for quite some time now and it's certainly not complete; particularly for the very large number of National Historic Sites that we do have. My list of our National Parks & UNESCO Sites should be complete.

With this post, I hope to encourage others to investigate the many facets of 'Canadian' culture ... the different 'coast to coast to coast' culinary experiences (muktuk, nanaimo bars, cod cheeks, poutine, beaver tails, peameal bacon, butter tarts, tourtiere etc) ... the local & regional music (from the Inuit throat singers in the north, to the Indigenous hoop dancers in the Prairies and to the Acadian fiddlers on the east coast) ... the geology, geography, history ... and the endless outdoor activities in one of the most accessible and friendliest 'Adventuring' nations on the planet.

GET OUT THERE! You may have several of these places closer to you than you realize.

The map is interactive. All google viewing features are available - clickable locations, search, zoom, pan.

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LEGEND

Some locations will have multiple designations.

🌲 National Parks                    Visited / Not Visited 

⭐ UNESCO WHS Sites         Visited / Not Visited

🏛  National Historic Sites    Visited / Not Visited

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We're LOAFin Around 

    

Clicking on any of the labels at the end of this post will open all blog posts we have published for any of the locations we have visited.

 

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A Road Trip Around QUEBECs' Beautiful GASPE PENINSULA

We're finally getting away on this much-anticipated road trip; LOAFs' solar system has been upgraded and his chassis serviced. Thanks to ...

'Senior RV technician' Kevin, at Carl Cox RV Sales & Service in Belleville; installed a new 3 kw, GoPower pure-sine wave inverter in the cabin. The Nespresso coffee maker can brew an espresso now!

And, his chassis was fully serviced at Cannifton Garage in Belleville; by LOAF's 'dedicated mechanic' Shane. 

We've been near this beautiful region of Quebec a couple of times in the past and had always intended on driving the Gaspe Peninsula. Each of those times, a hurricane (Arthur in 2015 & Dorian in 2019) were predicted to make landfall in the area we were travelling through (to reach the Gaspe) - we wisely changed our travel plans then and those storms did inevitably hit. This time we've been successful in finding a window during the otherwise 'stormy' season here; no high-tailing it westerly this year ... weenies that we are.  😁 

Quebec Route 132 is the longest highway in Quebec. It follows the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River from the border with the state of New York in the hamlet of Dundee (connecting with New York State Route 37, an unsigned reference route, north of Massena), west of Montreal to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and circles the Gaspé Peninsula. This highway is known as the Navigator's Route. It passes through the Montérégie, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie regions of the province. 

We got on Route 132 at 🚚Levis Quebec and off just east of Matapedia near 🚚Campbellton, New Brunswick, We will not do the section that crosses (north-westerly) from Matapedia to Matane. 

If you prefer to see our complete photo gallery without reading our blog from this adventure, then go here or come back to the link later. 

And, as always, if you're interested in additional information or detail; click on any of the blue links we've provided.

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 OUR ROUTE 

___  Wellington Ontario > Campbellton New Brunswick 

12 days / 2007.3 kilometres

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 JOURNAL

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CAMP 01

Route: BASECAMP ON > Farran CG, Ingleside ON.

Distance (daily/cumulative): 264.3/264.3 km.

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CAMP 02

Along Quebec Highway 132

Route: Ingleside ON  > Camping Riviere-Ouelle QC. 

Distance (daily/cumulative): 264.3 + 509.2 = 773.5 kms. Lovely drive along Quebec Route 132 following the St. Lawrence River.

If You Go: ask staff for one of the 'dry-camp' spots at the front of the campground, 6 or so tents and small rv's not needing service easily fit in this area and it's very quiet.

Our campsite view of the St. Lawrence River

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CAMP 03

Route: Our 3rd waterfront site with a view. 

Riviere Ouelle > Camping Parc Sirois La Baleine, Matane QC.

Distance (cumulative / daily): 773.5 + 257.3 = 1030.8 kms. 

Some construction today, Hwy 132 continues to please, beautiful drive. An interesting stop @ Centre d'Art Marcel, neat sculptures. Good weather so far, clear and sunny skies, cool overnight temps.

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CAMP 04

Route: Matane QC > Site #87, Camping Au Soleil Couchant, Grande-Vallee QC. Our best view and campsite so far.

Distance (cumulative / daily): 1030.8 + 246.0 = 1276.8 kms. 

Checked out a side trip to Parc Nationale du Gaspesie PP; not our type of spot. Grades to 14% for 1 km today, late afternoon rain. A whale breached at our seafront site. 

Black shale and rows of striated rock

Of interest for any dry-camping / boondocking /overlanding members in the group ... 

We have dry-camped every night so far on this trip. We're running (2) 185 watt solar panels for a total of 370 watts, a 3 kw GoPower pure sine wave inverter, (2) Interstate 100 ah AGM batteries. We often store over 950 amp hrs daily, rarely drop below 12.6 volts and the hourly daytime gain has been as high as 5.1 amps. We can utilize all systems (except A/C) with this set-up.

Of course, we would also rely on propane for our furnace, cooking and the refrigerator. Our furnace has only been turned on to make sure it works. The Northern Lite is very well insulated and we have not (yet?) camped in anything colder than the shoulder seasons; a small, variable speed 750 watt ceramic heater is all that's needed to warm our feet in the dinette area. We typically cook over a woodfire or use a small propane BBQ; our stove has only been used to boil water in an emergency. Our oven and microwave have never been used. 

We plan on additional solar panel(s?) sometime in the near future and when these AGM's are done we'll move to lithium, but (for now) this current system satisfies all LOAF's 12 volt energy requirements.

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CAMP 05

A National Park

Route: Grande-Vallee QC > Site #48, Rosebush Campground, Forillon National Park

Distance (cumulative / daily): 1276.8 + 168.2 = 1445.0 kms. 

Drove through to Gaspe for lunch and groceries. Twisty and curvy road, some road construction, slow speeds, grades seem steeper heading counter-clockwise through this section. Heavy rain and storm surge warnings predicted for this area over the next 24 hours. We got to our campsite just before the heaviest of the rain began. No photos today. Decent internet here. 

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FORILLON NATIONAL PARK

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CAMPs 06 - 08

Route: @ Forillon National Park 

Distance (cumulative / daily)  : 1445.0 + 40.1 + 44.0 + 81.5  = 1610.6 kms. 

We'll be here, at Forillon for 3 additional nights. Did a few hikes, including a stop at Fort Peninsula, parts of several trails near the North Area Discovery Center; Prelude-a-Forillon, La Taiga and a Beach walk. Saw several phoques (fr. pronunciation fhawk). Driving grades to 15%, walking tour around Grande Grave, L'Anse au Amerindians, spotted a seal colony during a short hike ... and to cap off all that fun stuff, repaired a malfunctioning black water valve; ... can't get more exciting than that! 😁

Inaugurated on May 1, 1942, the Gaspe naval base would play a dual role, protecting Gaspe Bay (seen as offering haven to a portion of the Allied fleet in the event of an invasion of Great Britain by Nazi Germany) and helping to protect Allied commercial and military vessels sailing in the St. Lawrence.

This military complex, christened "HMCS Fort Ramsay" consisted of the naval base proper, three coastal batteries (Fort Prevel, Fort Haldimand and Fort Peninsula), a huge anti-submarine net, which closed off Gaspe Bay to any would-be incursions by German submarines, and a fleet of 19 warships.

This site is a moving remnant of the Gaspe naval base, one of Canada's leading military stations during the Second World War.

Along the Prelude-a-Forillon Trail

The Beach Trail; that's the town of Gaspe; along the far shoreline in the distance.

  

Harbour Seal

  

Northern Gannet

Semipalmated Plover

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GRANDE GRAVE

"GASPÉ, QC, July 17, 2023: A community event attended by more than 100 people was held yesterday at Forillon National Park to mark the implementation of the Grande-Grave heritage accommodation project. The gathering highlighted the valuable collaboration between the 'Association of Persons Expropriated from Forillon and their Descendants', members of expropriated families in the Grande-Grave area and Parks Canada. This long-awaited revitalization of Grande-Grave includes the conservation and presentation of several heritage buildings, the commemoration of the history of the expropriated families, and the creation of a distinctive accommodation offer for visitors to this area of the national park." (Source: Parks Canada)

Seal Colony

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CAMPs 09 - 11

Rounding the Cape

Route: Forillon National Park > Site #17, Camping du Village, Percé

Distance (cumulative / daily): 1610.6 + 114.2 = 1724.8 kms

There's a 17% / 1 km grade descending to Percé. This is our first serviced site ($50CDN + tax); dry camping here was crowded with tent sites so even though we didn't require it; we opted for electricity, water and a dump. We have a very good view of Percé Roche from our campsite; here for 2 nights and had an excellent dinner at La Maison du Pêcheur. 

La Maison du Pecheur

We've decided to spend a 3rd night, weather is great (mid 20's C daytime w. a cool breeze, cooling @ night), some easy walking to nearby viewpoints and village sites. 

Percé Roche, you can just see the arch on the right

Percé Roche is a huge sheer rock formation in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence on the tip of the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec, CANADA, off Perce Bay. Percé Roche appears from a distance like a ship under sail. It is one of the world's largest natural arches located in water and is considered a geologically and historically rich natural icon of Quebec.

A boardwalk spreads across most of the towns' oceanfront.

Bonaventure Island

Following 2 photos are for all my warm water diver friends that are used to temperatures of +/- 27 C (80 F).

SCUBA diving off the Atlantic Coast of the Gaspe Peninsula with Club Nautique de Perce. Water temperatures are 5 - 12 C (41 - 54 F), minimum 5mm dry suit required, whales, sharks, seals, mostly big stuff ... I passed. I know this because I talked to a local diver ... can't make this sh#t up!

Twin Honda 250's, room for 8 divers max.

Had lunch at the same restaurant as yesterday and it was just as enjoyable ... Gaspesie clam & seafood chowder (Helen) and salmon tartare (Dann) accompanied by a nice bottle of chardonnay; Helen also had 'gateau a christine' for dessert ... never even offered me a nibble!

GOOD MORNING

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CAMP 12

New Brunswick

Route: Perce > Campbellton NB

Distance(cumulative / daily): 1724.8 + 282.5 = 2007.3 kms

We finished our travel on Quebec Route 132 just east of it's terminus at Matapedia. From there we crossed the Restigouche River and we will be spending the night at Sugarloaf Provincial Park near Campbellton. Both being history buffs, a favourite stop for us anytime we travel CANADA are visits to National Historic Sites along the way; here's some information and photography at 2 from today.

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BANC-de-PECHE-de-PASPEBIAC National Historic Site

Banc-de-Peche-de-Paspebiac NHS

The Banc de pêche de Paspébiac is a complex of ten buildings in Paspébiac, Quebec, Canada. The buildings were built between 1783 and 1900 by fishing companies from Jersey. The Paspébiac fishing bank is situated on Chaleur Bay, on a dune closing the Paspébiac lagoon in the Gaspé Peninsula. The Entrepôt Lebouthillier is the largest building on site. The building is approximately 30 metres (98 ft) tall and is the main symbol of Paspébiac.

Le Boutillier Warehouse is recognized as the largest wooden structure in North America built between 1845 and 1850. It was a 'stage', a building devoted to drying and storing fish.

A sculpture of scattered cod and (on top) the bows of 14 upturned fishing boats. Each bow represented 100 boats; acknowledging the approximately 1400 boats that once worked these waters for cod.

The Forge

The Carpentry Shop was most likely built in the 19th century as a ship-building site.

The blacksmiths bellows were made from a cows stomach; or to be more precise ... the 4 stomachs of 1 cow. 

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BATTLE of the RESTIGOUCHE National Historic Site

Battle of the Restigouche NHS

" ... marked the end of any serious attempt by France to keep hold of their colonies in North America. "

The Battle of Restigouche was a naval battle fought in 1760 during the Seven Years' War (known as the French and Indian War in the United States) on the Restigouche River between the British Royal Navy and the small flotilla of vessels of the French Navy, Acadian militia and Mi'kmaq militias. The loss of the French vessels, which had been sent to support and resupply the troops in New France after the fall of Quebec, marked the end of any serious attempt by France to keep hold of their colonies in North America. The battle was the last major engagement of the Mi'kmaq and Acadian militias before the Burying of the Hatchet Ceremony between the Mi'kmaq and the British.

The Machault

One of the largest artifacts raised by SCUBA divers; the prow of the Machauld is 9 meters long and most if it extends below the floor (in this photo). 

The wreck of the Machault is considered one of only three 18th century French frigates discovered to this day.

"Secret instructions and official correspondence are carried in a sack weighted with a cannonball. If the ship falls into enemy hands the captain can do with with all the documents by throwing the sack overboard."

Canon turret

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Where To Next ? ... we'll be making our way to Miscou Island NB; another place we've not been ... apparently the hiking and biking is exceptional.

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  We're LOAFin Around 

... follow along, if you like.

  

Refer to our Trip161 gallery for all the photography.

Cameras: Nikon Coolpix P610

 DSLR Canon EOS Rebel T8i

Unless noted, all content is by LOAFin Around. 

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