Malpeque to Cavendish Beach in Prince Edward Island National Park

Malpeque to Cavendish Beach and a visit to Anne of Green Gables was such a beautiful time of our Cross Canada RV adventure. We'd left the RV in Moncton, NB to make this a day trip but there are several RV parks to enjoy on Prince Edward Island. We would have done that, if only we had more time..... never enough time to do everything we'd like to do. For this part of the day, we followed the Green Gables Shore Drive.

Malpeque PEI fishing marina

 We stopped at this fish boat marina and watched some of the fishing boats return after their morning run to check their nets. Many of them are fishing mussels but there are lobster traps on the pier which indicate lobster fishing is done as well.

Lobster traps in storage

We walked through the nearby Cabot Beach Provincial Park, which is closed for the season. It is a big park with lots of camping spots to enjoy during their summer season. It is on Malpeque Bay but we didn’t spend time on the beach as we had lots more to see.

Red dirt roads

We would stop often to take pictures and enjoy the view. The red soil is amazing. It makes Prince Edward Island unique, although it can be seen in other places, I’ve never seen it like this. The soil is red due to iron oxide which rusts on exposure to the air. Dirt is dirt but this is pretty dirt ! It is also rich in nutrients and minerals so that it provides the perfect growing conditions for their potatoes, which they are famous for and have been growing since 1790.

The wily red fox

When I first spotted this fox, I thought it was a cat in the ditch waiting for us to drive by, but as we approached, he came out of the grass and I got a big surprise ! I have maybe seen one other wild fox so was quite excited to take a picture of this critter as he made his way across the road, no doubt with thoughts of getting his dinner at the neighboring chicken house. He did everything but pose for me, then went on his way down the road. I understand there is a good population of fox on the Island, he was fairly oblivious of me, although we were parked a safe distance away.

Anne of Green Gables Museum

One cannot go to Prince Edward Island without stopping to visit Anne of Green Gables. I am very familiar with the character but have never read the books. We almost drove by the Museum, it is more visible coming from the other direction but we turned around and went back. The Museum is actually the home that belonged to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s aunt and where she got married. It holds original artifacts that are on display for all to see at a nominal fee. Family members still live in the home. The gift store wasn’t open.

Lake of Shining Waters Green Gables PEI

The stories spoke of the Lake of Shining Waters and it is nearby. Carriage rides can be taken around the lake, over rolling hills to a private sandy beach and are available May to October by reservation. We were visiting in early fall but the gardens were still pretty. What a pretty place and easy to see what inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery to write her stories. I know I will have to read her stories now, it is never too late !

Cavendish Beach

Cavendish Beach was such a thrill to visit. The rock formation was very intriguing and the story of how it became what it is, is rather interesting. The land was once part of what is now known as the Appalachian Mountains but over millions of years, the mountains were worn down by wind, weather and glaciers. This erosion caused sediment to be deposited here and these sediments gradually compressed to form the layered sandstone bedrock.

Cavendish Beach in PEI National Park

Now the wind, waves and ice constantly shape the soft sandstone, carving these fantastic forms while it wears away at the coastline. The erosion turns Prince Edward Island sandstone back into sand and shapes the beaches and dunes as in the picture. The abrasive action removes the coating of rust from the grain of sand and leaves the white colored beaches.

Cavendish Beach a Perfect photo op !

We couldn’t resist posing for pictures with a backdrop like this. It was a windy but warmish day and we had such fun visiting this beautiful spot.

Click on this link and you will see more of Prince Edward Island.

Bachelor Canada Filming Location
Prince Edward Island was used as a filming location and then showcased during an episode of the first Bachelor Canada in 2012 when Brad Smith brought his fantasy date here.  Click here to see their stay in Ravenglass and visit to Malpeque.

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Confederation Bridge to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada

A drive across Prince Edward Island is like a trip through time. The villages, the history showing in the churches and all that we know about this pretty little island gives us a welcoming feeling. The sunny day was a beautiful bonus to the day planned for our visit. The weather forecast said that Saturday was going to be the nicest day of the weekend, and that was so true. Sometimes that weatherman is right !

The Confederation Bridge, PEI

We left the RV in Moncton, NB and took a picnic to just spend the day in PEI. We stopped at the tourist center at the New Brunswick end of the bridge then took a walk down to the lookout for some pictures. What a sight this bridge makes with the impressive design, blue water splashing waves against the shore and a blue sky for a backdrop. The bridge has a curve as well as an incline that adds to the beauty of it. It really looks like a work of art from our vantage point on the beach.

The Confederation Bridge, PEI

The Confederation Bridge spans the Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. This toll bridge, (the toll of $42.50) is collected as you leave PEI, is 12.9 km (8mi) long and takes about 10 minutes to cross. A car would not have a view over the solid concrete sides but in the truck we were able to see the water with boats out checking their traps.

Hill on Confederation Bridge, PEI

The construction of the Confederation Bridge took four years to complete and over 5000 local workers were involved in this project. It opened in the spring of 1997 at a cost of over $5 billion. At the Gateway Village on the PEI side of the bridge, they have erected a replica of the bridge base and put names of the many that worked on the project on bricks at the base of the monument.

If you’d like to know more about the bridge, check out this link:
www.confederationbridge.com/en/design_construction.php

Pretty village setting.

The landscape of Prince Edward Island is different from the other Maritime provinces that we saw. It has rolling hills and very few big hills. It isn’t flat but is open, we didn’t feel closed in at all. We stopped at a hilltop viewpoint and we were looking down on this small village, which is similar to many others. They all look like they have come out of a storybook but have a history unique to all those that have lived there.

We followed the Red Sands Shore Drive for awhile then we were on Green Gables Shore Drive. These are quite well marked with roadside signs, but with so much to be looking at, it can be easy to miss them and take the wrong turn. The great thing about Prince Edward Island is that no turn is a wrong turn, you will just see more of the great scenery it offers.

Blue Heron

The Blue Heron is seen in several places on Prince Edward Island. I cannot resist trying to get a better picture than the last time I took a picture of a heron. Hopefully they all have something different to see. This one was calling across the water to another but with the sun on the other side of the heron, it made this one far more dramatic looking than his mate !

Romantic ride through Charlottetown, PEI

Charlottetown is the capital of Prince Edward Island and has a population of 39,000. it was originally incorporated in 1855. For anyone wanting to take a ride about town, they have the horse-drawn carriage rides.

Charlottetown Waterfront

There is a boardwalk along the Charlottetown Waterfront that offers history and the atmosphere of the Wharf and the waterfront merchants. The Confederation Landing Park offers a perfect place for summer gatherings.

St. Dunstan's Basilica

St. Dunstan’s Basilica is one of Canada’s largest churches. It was erected between 1897 and 1907, It opened in 1919 but three earlier churches stood on this site in 1816, 1847 and 1907. This one was consecrated and then elevated to the status of a basilica in 1929. It is known for its twin Gothic spires, and although we didn’t go inside, it is said to have an impressive alter and fine Italian carvings.

Sunset at Confederation Bridge, PEI

We left Charlottetown as the sun was setting to head back to the bridge to take us home to Moncton, where the 5th wheel was in an RV park. As the sun got lower, we got closer to the bridge and started getting glimpses of it in the distance. I mentioned that I thought the sunset behind the bridge would be such a great picture. Before I knew it, Keith was picking up speed and started watching for a way we could get down closer to the water. We did get down to a golf course but trees were in the way when I noticed a lane going towards the water right behind the trees. I made my way down the lane in the dark, dodging a bat in the process! Normally I would think that could be enough to see me run the other way but when time is of the essence for that perfect picture, nothing was going to distract me ! I am thrilled with the results.

I have more to come from Prince Edward Island. There is so much to see on this tiny island and so much to share.

http://we-love-rv-ing.blogspot.com/2009/09/malpeque-to-cavendish-beach-in-prince.html

Quebec City, PQ - Learning French in La Belle Province

We love RV’ing but getting from one place to another isn’t always the fun part. We followed the highway to get us to Quebec City. We did manage to get through what seemed to be an early rush hour traffic in Montreal with construction ongoing and freeways entangled with each other, or so it seemed. That was definitely a challenge to get through but with the help of Miss GPS, we did make it.

I have always wanted to see Old Quebec city so was very excited about this but we did not know quite what to expect when we arrived in Quebec. I will admit that I had my biggest trepidations about this part of our RV adventure, only because we do not speak French, let alone know enough to understand it should we need to. My French classes in school happened many years ago !

Once we got there, the most challenging thing was reading the road and street signs. They are all in French but with the help of the maps, and some luck we learned our way around quite well. All those that we spoke with were able to speak English, thankfully.

There were some misunderstandings with the accent, but we worked around that. We did drive the truck downtown and parked near the entrance to the old city, but wouldn’t suggest taking it in there with their very narrow crowded streets.

The wall of Quebec City, Quebec

A great way to see inside the walls of old Quebec plus more is to take a carriage ride and that was the first thing we did once we got there. I had asked one driver if he was available, but he wasn’t and told me to go down the street to the stop and someone would be there shortly, the cost was “eighteen dollars” so we went to wait for the ride.

It turned out that we had to move onto another stop for a carriage, having waited awhile at the first one, and we hired Ricardo for our driver. He was a great tour guide and we enjoyed the hour with him. He grew up in the city and had stories to tell as well as the history of the city to share and he would throw in bits of current politics as well! It was fun.

Saint-Louis Street Quebec City Canada

Saint-Louis street leads us right down to the Chateau Frontenac and to the Place d’Armes. This seems to be the gathering place for tours and there are many of those coming into the city. Statues stand tall all over the city with stories to tell.

French Built Wall Against British Armies

It was when a war between the French and the British began that the wall was built to keep the British out. If these walls could talk . . . they’d have many stories to tell.

There were so many battles with Quebec City that they put that wall to good use and it served a good purpose.

The Constitutional Act of 1791 divided Canada into Upper Canada for the English speaking and Lower Canada for the French speaking colony. Quebec city became the third largest port in North America by the early 1800’s with lumber the largest export.

Quebec City has been the capital for over 400 years of its’ existence.

Gates to Quebec City

There are several gates to get into the city but this is the main one that we used and it brings you into a world of old. These are the real walls that were built to protect those who lived here many years ago and makes it unique from many other places we have visited that are reconstructions of the real thing.

Statue of Samuel de Champlain

Quebec was founded in July 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. It was a French settlement mainly used for fur trading and for missionairies. Champlain was a French explorer and diplomat and was called “The Father of New France” and served as administrator for the rest of his life.

Landmark Chateau Frontenac Hotel

Quebec was originally Kebec, an Algonquin word that means “where the river narrows”.

It is amazing to stand here and realize what has happened over the centuries.

We did drive by the Plains of Abraham and our tour guide described it as the bump in the park, it really is nothing more. There are monuments to commemorate the soldiers lost. The 250th anniversary of that battle was celebrated while we were in Quebec City but our invitation must have been lost in the mail as we didn’t know about it till after the fact.

Horses Get Own Water Fountains

There are two fountains around town that the horses will stop at for their drink while on the tour. These were donated by a lady many years ago for this very purpose. There is a perch at the top for the birds to get a drink from as well as a spot at the bottom for the dogs to get their drink. And did I mention that the price of the carriage ride was not "eighteen dollars" as I'd heard, but was "eighty dollars" when we got to the end of our ride. I must learn how to understand that French accent!                              

Old Port District Quebec

The Old Port District with these narrow quaint streets were a walk back through time and we enjoyed just wandering and enjoying the atmosphere. There are many trendy boutiques, galleries and restaurants to enjoy. These old buildings are adapted for today’s shopping, but still retain their character. There may be drawbacks to operating a business behind these old walls but the charm they offer is appreciated by everyone else.

The Funicular St Lawrence River - Quebec

Quartier Petit-Champlain is located at the edge of the St. Lawrence river and directly below the Chateau Frontenac. There is the Funicular, which is like an elevator on tracks and rides up and down the hill if you prefer to not take the stairs. The ferry crosses the river right below this spot, which allows foot passengers to come over from the other side and do their shopping in this area and the old Quebec City.

Shoes on a Building in Old Quebec

I could not resist this picture. As we walked along the street from a distance, I wondered what was making the streaks of color on the building. It wasn’t till we got close enough that I saw it was painted shoes !! Someone very creative did this and there were others in this section of town with some very creative decorating. Another example of adapting old buildings and their décor.

Three things We're Learning on our RV trip across Canada:

1) Should have paid more attention in history and geography class

2) French :-)

3) Large trucks and old narrow lanes are not a good pairing

Googlemap: We drove from Ottawa to Quebec City:


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Terry Fox Run Sept. 13. 2009

The Terry Fox Run is being held on Sept. 13, 2009. The run is held all around the world, altho the dates can vary, but this young man started something that has continued to become bigger every year. He wanted to raise money for the cure of cancer, which he did but I do not think he could have ever imagined when he started to what the Terry Fox run has become today. The Terry Fox Run has raised $400 million internationally. Check the webpage to learn how to donate to the run and more: http://www.terryfox.org/Run/

This Terry Fox Memorial is at Thunder Bay, Ontario. We have seen others on our travels and the most recent was in front of the Parliament Buildings on Ottawa, Ontario. The determination that it took Terry to continue his Marathon of Hope daily thru rain or shine shows on his face on this sculpture.

Terry Fox ran with his head held high while all Canadians watched him with pride as he ran across the country on his Marathon of Hope.

 

We visited this Terry Fox monument three times during our short visit to Thunder Bay this summer. He is truly an inspiration and I can only imagine the pride his family must feel when they see the recognition that Terry has received for what he did for cancer research in his short life. With their tireless work over these years with countless volunteers they continue to keep his dream alive that one day no one will have to suffer with cancer. His legacy continues.

I wrote more on the Terry Fox Memorial following our visit, to see more, click here.

Confederation Square ~ National War Memorial ~ Unknown Soldier ~ Valiants Memorial

Our visit to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada’s capital city was not long enough to see all that there is to see. The weather was absolutely gorgeous so we decided to use our time there seeing as much as we could that was accessible outside. There are guided walking tours available, which are a great way to learn all about what you’re seeing, and it makes the visit so much more interesting. I would recommend one, especially for a city like Ottawa that has so much history to offer within an easy walking tour.

The National War Memorial ~ Confederation Square

The National War Memorial was originally built to honor those Canadians who died during WWI but now honors all of Canada’s war dead. The great arch features 23 figures representing people who fought in WWI and shows them moving from war into peace representing Peace & Liberty. This is also the site of the November 11 Remembrance Day ceremony which is broadcast across Canada.

                                       

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier ~ Ottawa, Ontario

Directly in front of the War Memorial lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was created to honor the Canadians who die for their country. It doesn’t matter whether they are in the army, navy, air force, or merchant marine, it honors all soldiers from the past, present and future.
The unidentified soldier was selected from a cemetery in Vimy Ridge and brought over to Canada. The soldier was then transported on a horse-drawn gun carriage and laid to rest in a specially designed sarcophagus in front of the War Memorial during a special ceremony in March 2000. The Tomb is a fitting way to honor the sacrifices made to build our freedom.

Valiants Memorial ~ Confederation Square

The National War Memorial sits at the intersection of Wellington & Elgin streets in Confederation Square near Parliament Hill and is lined with historical figures and busts that represent individuals who also served Canada during the wars. This area is call the Valiants Memorial.

Terry Fox ~ Ottawa, Ontario

Terry Fox is also a Canadian hero and has been honored with a statue designed by John Hooper in the square opposite the Parliament Buildings. He was honored many times in his young lifetime and so many times since. The Government of Canada made him a Companion of the Order of Canada, which made him the youngest to receive it.  His Marathon of Hope was described as “one of the most powerful outpourings of emotion and generosity in Canada’s history”. There is more to see about Terry Fox on another page I have posted.

Ottawa, Ontario has much to offer for several days of sightseeing. There are boat tours on the waterways that will take you on a wonderful ride to enjoy the quiet side of the city.  Next I will take you with us on our boat tour on the Rideau Canal.

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada ~ Parliament Buildings

Parliament Buildings of Canada ~ Ottawa, Ontario

Parliament Hill is crown land on the south banks of the Ottawa River and home of the Parliament Buildings of Canada. They see over three million visitors a year. Originally the site of a military base in the 18th and 19th centuries, it began to develop as government buildings in 1859.

There were a number of extensions built then a fire in 1916 destroyed the Centre Block. It took form as is and the Peace Tower was completed in 1927. There is an ongoing one billion dollar renovation and rehab project that started in 2002 and will complete after 2020. Centre Block is expected to be closed for a total of 5 years to carry out extensive renovations before 2012.

Parliament Buildings of Canada ~ Ottawa, Ontario

The south front of the property on Wellington St. is Victoria High gothic wrought iron and the formal entrance is called Queen’s Gate. The front is laid out as a formal garden and is the site of major celebrations, demonstrations, traditional changing of the guard, Canada Day and the Light show, which is held nightly during the summer season. There are monuments commemorating those that have had a great influence in our Canadian history all around the grounds where one is free to wander and enjoy.

Parliament Buildings of Canada

Greeting visitors at the front of the Parliament Buildings is the Centennial Flame, the eternal flame dedicated by Lester B. Pearson Jan. 1, 1967 in the Canadian Center was to mark the beginning of the Canadian Centennial.

Reflections of the Parliament Buildings

While sightseeing along Wellington Street, we were able to see the reflections of the Parliament buildings in the mirrored office buildings across the street.



                                              

Light show at Parliament Buildings of Canada

We visited Ottawa at the end of the season and were able to see the light show, which gives a wonderful story of Canada. The buildings are used as the canvas with music and lights making it a great show. We sat in bleachers set up for the tourists and seeing the show, feeling pride at being a Canadian.

St. Lawrence Seaway ~ Brockville, Ontario

We love rv’ing without the limits of making reservations. We enjoy the freedom of being able to stop wherever it looks like it would be a great place to visit. That just does not always work out but some things are just meant to be.

We were on our way to Ottawa, Ontario to visit the capital of Canada and looking forward to that when we stopped at Brockville, Ontario for groceries. We’d been driving inland from the river and hadn’t seen it yet so hoped we might get a good look at the St. Lawrence Seaway during our stop. A very friendly local lady in the grocery store lineup overheard us ask for directions to the water and she offered to lead us there. Away we went, following her on a route we’re sure we’d never have found on our own.

Once we saw this enchanting downtown historic area with the parks, marina and St. Lawrence River, we knew we’d like to stay longer to enjoy this community more, and some things are just meant to be!

Marina at Tunnel Bay ~ Brockville, Ontario

This marina is one of several in the area of Brockville, Ontario and sits right in the harbor at Tunnel Bay, protected from the St. Lawrence river by Blockhouse Island. This is eye candy to all of us who love the water and enjoy it from the comfort of leisure boats, sailboats or anything else that floats. This area is very boater friendly and offers port after port along the shores of the St. Lawrence River. There are lots of restaurants, parks, resorts, museums, golf courses, retail shops all accessible by boat.

Blockhouse Island Lighthouse

As we all know, the lighthouse is there for a purpose. When it is dark or foggy, the light will beacon those coming into port for safe landings. Lighthouses come in all sizes and there are some variances but I take pictures of them all. This was the first one we saw on this RV adventure, with many more to come in the Maritimes and East Coast.

Blockhouse Island Plane

This plane monument sits in the center of the park on Blockhouse Island. It was placed here in 1968 and dedicated by the citizens of Brockville and 426 R.C.A.F.A. to the memory of all the Allied Airmen who gave their lives to the cause of freedom.

Sailing the blue waters of the St. Lawrence Seaway

Sailing is just one of the many ways to enjoy the waterway in Brockville, the Yacht Club has sailboat races every Tuesday and Thursday evenings during the summer months.

We’re looking across the water to Morristown, New York, which isn’t far away. There is a bridge east of Brockville giving access to the USA other than crossing the water.
There are several sunken ships in the area that make it one of the best diving areas. The water can be as warm as 21C in mid to late summer months. Most of the 200 wrecks are over 30m (100’) but some are only 4.6m (15’) deep and can be seen.

Large freighters pass this way several times a day.

The St. Lawrence Seaway which links the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River with the Atlantic Ocean, began construction in 1783. The waterway consisting of locks, canals and channels is mostly used for bulk cargo today. Approximately 44 million ton of cargo moves though the seaway annually, 27% is grain and 47% is iron ore. We saw this one approaching in the early morning fog and waited several minutes to get this picture. This was why the St. Lawrence Seaway was built and I needed to get a picture of it.

Canada’s oldest railroad tunnel

The Grand Trunk Railroad Brockville to Montreal started in 1855. The tunnel, which was the first tunnel built in Canada runs under the city for 1/3 mile. They began the construction in 1854 and it was completed in 1860 to give Brockville access to the riverfront. It is now blocked off from getting any further into the tunnel than what we can see and the rails come out into the park. It would have been quite a feat at the time.

Historic downtown Brockville, Ontario

Brockville began as a land grant to William Buell in 1785. He was a United Empire Loyalist having served 33 years in one of the British Militia units and had fought the British-American war of 1776-1783. It seems he had a vision and sold town lots to new arrivals and gave land for the Presbyterian Church in 1811. It had different names to begin with but became Brockville after Major-General Isaac Brock, a hero of war who died in the war of 1812.

The government of Upper Canada recognized the importance of the town and by 1830 it was one of few villages in the province that sent its own parliament representative to Upper Canada legislature. It then became the first community to be granted self-governing and the first to elect village council, pass local ordinances and raise money for local improvements by taxing its residents. Aha, now we know where that came from!

Beautiful fountain in Court House Green

The Courthouse was opened in 1810 and the open space around it was developed into what is now known as Brockville’s Court House Green, considered to be one of the finest urban spaces in Canada. The town now has a population of about 40,000 people who share their pride in one of the oldest in Ontario, known as the “City of Churches” with steeples gracing the downtown skyline, and just a great place to visit.

Brockville is also known as “City of the 1000 Islands” and we couldn’t leave without taking a cruise among the islands. Join us on our cruise by clicking here.

Thousand Islands ~ Brockville, Ontario

Thousand Islands, which is the origin of the name for Thousand Island Dressing is an archipelago of islands that straddle Canada and the US border on the St. Lawrence River. They are scattered on the river for

80 km (50 mi) from Kingston to Brockville, Ontario.  We were staying in the Brockville, Ontario area, which is the eastern end of the Thousand Islands and there are Seaway cruises offering excursions to see the islands leaving from the docks at Blockhouse Island.

Cruise the Thousand Islands

General Brock 3 was waiting at the dock to take us out to see the sights and give us a tour of the Thousand Islands. Our Captain was the guide and offered information on many things. We did hear an SOS on the radio for a sailboat that was taking on water. The captain interrupted the tour so as to listen to this and then turned on the radio so we could hear that the Canadian Coast Guard was responding to the SOS. We then also heard that all was well with the rescue.

Glass-like water on the St. Lawrence River

We began our cruise by touring past the Three Sisters, which are the most easterly of the Thousand Islands, with the same most westerly islands in Kingston being called the Three Brothers, or was it four? One of the islands in particular is a gathering place for a large population of Cormorants.
                                 

The Double-crested Cormorant colony

The Double-crested Cormorant are a large fish eating bird that had been devastated by the effects of toxic chemicals and the nesting pairs had been decreased by 86%. Their numbers have increased over the years due to the efforts made by declining levels of contaminants and human induced changes in fish stock.
Cormorants average 1.9 kg (4.2 lbs) and are a very sociable bird that require undisturbed nesting sites. They will frequently swim in a group to form a semi-circle, driving their prey. They dive into the water from the surface and up to 37 meters (121’) using their wings as well as their feet for underwater swimming.

St. Lawrence Island National Parks

23 of these islands form the St. Lawrence Island National Park, being the smallest of Canadian National Parks. They have docks on which to moor your boat, and we saw some very pretty spots for enjoying the parks that appear to be a little piece of paradise.

Private island home

Some islands are privately owned and have had homes built on them. Most of those homes are built on higher ground, but if you do not have that choice, you do what you have to do.This home looks like it is sitting in water.

One of the islands of paradise

Most of these islands are privately owned but there are those with Canadian National Parks that are available to the public to use. It would be an easy ride out in a boat to one of these island. They are not far from shore and the invitation is there to enjoy your own island for the day. Well, maybe it isn’t really your own, but why not dream?

A private island of the Thousand Islands Archipelago

There are 1864 islands altogether and in order to qualify as an actual island, they must be have at least 2 trees and be 3’ out of water, and there are several that do only that, but some are as large as 40 sq. miles.

Bird watching opportunities on the islands

The Thousand Islands offered a protected nesting island for the Blue Heron to allow their population to increase after it almost became extinct. That has been a successful endeavor as well as for the Cormorant’s return. Altogether there are about 240 species of birds who enjoy the Thousand Islands.

Blockhouse Island Lighthouse

We return to Tunnel Bay and the welcoming lighthouse on Blockhouse Island.

Blockhouse Island was once called Hospital Island. During the 1800’s, many refugees arrived by vessels from Europe and due to their illnesses after that voyage, they would spend time on the island before being allowed to go on the mainland.  To see more about the historic town of Brockville, Ontario, clik on:
http://we-love-rv-ing.blogspot.com/2009/09/brockvilleontario.html