I'm back with my Cape Breton memories
posted: Aug 26, 05:42 PM
Well, we’re home and as is often the case with vacations, it seems like we never left. Cape Breton, however, when we were there, was beautiful. The weather was definitely good for kite flying, the sun elusive, but, unpredictable as the weather turned out to be, it was an integral part of the Cape Breton experience.
There was a full on storm one night. The cabin shook as the wind blew in off the ocean. The rain and wind reminded me of the night Hurricane Juan made landfall near our house. It was an intense storm. I love the energy of storms, the reminder of nature’s power and our tiny place in the universe.
I’d walk on the beach every day and usually see seals playing. I used to joke with the Princess that the seals were human watching. We would laugh about the first seal calling its friends to come and see the silly humans in the rain, looking out to sea. The seals were quite cooperative about having their photographs taken.
One night I saw a young fox out hunting. He wanted to watch us, but didn’t like it when we returned the favor. The Princess and I followed him through a field, where he kept ducking behind trees. It was reassuring to know he was cautious, it will keep him alive.
The weather was truly unpredictable. We could start off in the sun and then a rain storm might blow into the Highlands. You would see it in the distance and then you’d suddenly find yourself in torrential rain. The good thing about this weather was it made for exciting outings. We saw a number of moose, probably due to the weather. They seem to enjoy the mist and rain.
We visited the beach at Corney Brook in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park. This is not a beach where you would want to swim. The currents are strong and the beach is rocky. We go there to beach comb and wildlife watch. There have been bear sightings on the Corney Brook Trail and in the campground by the beach.
The first day we were at Corney Brook we played in the brook, which is almost a river. It had many pools which were perfect for swimming. Two days later, after the big storm, we returned. The Brook was running high and fast, having changed it’s course and certainly not a place one would want to venture near.
One night we had a bonfire on the beach, where we were staying (it didn’t rain all the time) and I lay on the beach and star gazed. The sky and stars are limitless, without the lights from the city to minimize their beauty. We watched the bats come out and a heron fly home to the pond, by the beach, for the night.
I treasure the peace I find in Cape Breton. The close proximity to nature offers perspective on life. Nature reminds me we are part of a greater whole, one which renews on a seasonal basis. I always leave Cape Breton reluctantly, but renewed and refreshed.
Gemini