Kouchibouguac

Our next stop was Kouchibouguac National Park, yes, that is really it's name, I am still practicing saying it: Coo-chi-be-gwack. It is a Mi'kmaq word meaning "river of long tides."

Tidelands of Kouchibouguac NP

As we get further into the Maritime Provinces we are seeing the evidence of a harsher existence for life. Peat bogs are common and have an interesting variety of miniaturised life. Life in a bog is not easy. Bogs get started from glacial scouring out of pockets of rock. They fill with organic material that does not rot. There are standing pools of water that have very low oxygen levels, drainage and circulation of water is limited. Decomposition happens very slowly so most nutrients are locked up in the peat. Trees are stunted by harsh weather, low nutrient levels, water logged roots and a short growing season. However, if you look closely, you will see a lovely variety of organisms but on a very small scale. At least 3 plants I have learned about have adapted to these difficult conditions by becoming carnivorous, attracting and eating  little bugs that come their way. It is too late in the season to see these guys in action but I was able to read about them. There are interesting and beautiful varieties of mosses, fungi, blueberries in large quantities, and lovely lichens.

Kouchibouguac NP has many ecosystems interwoven within it's borders. After my bog walk I went for a very nice walk in the woods, wandering by still ponds, splashing little streams, beaver dams and large stands of dark trees. The changing colors of leaves are more evident everyday, with yellows, oranges and reds lighting up the trees and shrubs. The park also has extensive beaches, marshes and grasslands and are very involved in the preservation of the piping plover. The plover is an endangered little bird that likes to nest on the beaches. Seals rest and feed in sheltered lagoons every summer.

It has an interesting cultural history as well. The Acadians (descendants of the first French peoples) farmed the land and fished the seas for hundreds of years in this area. And, of course, the Mi'kmaq people for thousands of years before that. In the 1960's the Canadian government decided they wanted to preserve this land as a national park. They bought out as many of the residents as they could and then started forcibly taking over people's properties. This was not received well by many of the residents being displaced. Well, push came to shove, and the residents were removed with many bitter feelings. The park was created, homes, barns and fields bulldozed and naturalized. The government, after many years, relented somewhat and allowed former residents to continue fishing and lobstering in the area. This has created much needed income for the fishermen and is an added attraction for the park. Visitors can buy fish and lobster from the fisherman and see the boats going out and coming in every day. After the conflict created by getting Kouchibouguac started, the government has vowed to never again remove people from their homes to create parks. It is a beautiful park, still in the process of becoming the pristine natural area that it once was.

At the center we started talking to a lady who is a full time RVer and has been doing it for 15 years. She is 72 years old, travels by herself in a 30 ft. RV towing a small car, and loves to photograph birds and nature. She has a shed that she calls home in Oregon but spends most of her time on the road. She was a character!

Blueberries!

Beavers at work in the forest

Little fungi

I want lobster!

Fungus among us

The park offers many interesting interpretive programs for visitors during the summer, cultural and natural history in particular. They also offer opportunities for biking, canoeing, hiking, and cross country skiing. We spent most of the day in the park, toured the visitor center, and watched a very informative video.  Though we visited on a cool fall day and we were almost alone, this must really be a happening place in the high summer!

We continued on our way toward PEI, stopping in Shediac when we saw a LARGE lobster on the side of the road. Obviously, photos were needed so we parked and scurried back across the bridge we had just crossed. As we were taking our photos we noticed another Rialta, just like ours, parked in the lot nearby. We wandered to the visitor center to see if we could figure out who was traveling in it. Didn't take long before we were gabbing it up with Charlie and Gina, from Santa Rosa, CA. We quickly found common ground with the desire to have a lobster lunch so we drove into Shediac and found a likely place. We had a nice meal with them, Charlie and I shared a lobster platter while Thayer and Gina went for the prawns and scallops. They are on a 6 month, and possibly longer, sojourn around the continent. Their rig is a little different than ours on the inside but the two rigs look like twins on the outside. We shared stories and plans, swapped contact and blog information and then went our separate ways. They had decided to wait for the better weather predicted for the weekend while we decided to make PEI before nightfall.

Thayer tried to catch this bigger one!

Driving over the massive, 17 km long, Confederation bridge was pretty exciting especially when being lashed with wind and rain. We stopped at the visitor center for maps, watched the movie about the construction of the bridge, and caught up on email. By this time my stomach was not feeling so good, that kind of dull ache that indicates too much rich food...ugh. We continued to Summerside, just a short distance up the pike and found parking in a Nazarene Church parking lot. I went for a walk to try to settle my stomach then we went to bed. Woke up feeling fine and ready for a new day. Takes more than a lobster to get me down. Now, if we can just start seeing the better weather predicted for tomorrow!

Big bridge to PEI

Charlie and Gina

Just don't stand there! Help me!