Bay of Plenty

20.9. 6:30am, first glimpse out of the window: oh, that again. I turn around and go back to sleep. Two hours later nothing has changed but I get ready to roll.

After entering the highway I get hit by one of the worst rainstorms I have ever encountered (I mean ever...). I could barely see where I'd go. With no shelter, no bridge, no exit close by I pull through until Truro (the "hub" of Nova Scotia) where I need to find a gas station. Suddenly the clouds break up, and the sun comes out...

In case you're looking for the economy...

With roads drying up I follow route No. 4, then No. 2 along the Bay of Fundy in direction of Parrsboro. At Five Islands Lighthouse Park at Colchester I have lunch with a spectacular view on the said five islands.

One of the islands is pierced. At high tide the hole is covered by the water, and over time the flow-through will make it bigger until the bridge eventually collapses. Maybe not tomorrow, but time is relative in terms of geomorphology. 

At the entrance of the town of Parrsboro I come across these eye-catchers.

A sign leads me to the harbour and the beach. It's currently low tide, and there is plenty of beach... The water is 2km away.

But as I sit and watch, the tide is about to change, as is the weather. Dark clouds are coming in, it's getting a bit chilly, and it starts drizzling. However, I like the atmosphere of this place and the village, and decide to stay the night.

I opt for the Parrsboro Mansion, and they have a vacancy, lucky me. It turns out that the owners are German immigrants, and we have a great time chatting along. I get "the suite", a spacious room big enough for four people, for the single occupation price, and the bike gets to sleep in the clean and dry garage of the owners.

Parrsboro was once a successful little city, with an interesting past. In the 19th century it was ship building and fur trade, in the beginning of the 20th century it became a major hub for coal transport. In its heydays 1,600 ships have been registered annually.

Oh, and there were some pirate stories as well. But today, nobody talks about it, all these facts don't get marketed for tourism, although it is the village's main contributor for revenue besides fishing and farming (blueberries mostly).

However, the town is in good shape: there is a supermarket, a few shops and restaurants, a Home Hardware store, an Irwing gas station, a golf course and even a Tim Hortons drive thru. Plus the Fundy Geological Museum. And when you are into fossils, and minerals (which I am), this is the thing to do in Parrsboro.

I am magically drawn to the beach again, and have to check on the tide. Meanwhile high tide is in, and the beach is completely gone. The mean tidal range is about 6m (20ft) in this area.

The weather changes once again, and sends me a rainbow at the end of the day. I really like this place. Life is good.

Today's leg of the journey:

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