Red Point Provincial Park, Souris Lighthouse and Beach, Sally’s Beach and Hike, Basin Head Provincial Park

This is my wonderful camping spot at Red Point Provincial Park on the east coast of Prince Edward Island!

I’ve seen seals in the water near to shore, and off shore a small group of gannets (one of my very favourite birds) dive at speed into the sea for their breakfast. This is my breakfast today – pancakes inspired by some Haskap berrries that I picked at a U-pick yesterday.

Yesterday, I also decided to visit Les Isles-de-la-Madeleine, a wind-swept archipelago of twelve islands formed of low red cliffs, dunes, and long spits of sand. It is located some 134 km north of PEI, and I will be on the 1:30 p.m. ferry today for the five hour journey. I have always wanted to visit there, and considered it when planning my drive across Canada, but I had decided that it would just be too much to add to this already very long trip. But, yesterday I was in the town of Souris, just south of here, to visit the lighthouse and beach,

and from the beach I saw the ferry from the isles coming into the harbour.

Hmmm. Maybe I should go? I continued south to the lovely, small, tucked away Sally’s Beach Provincial Park to have my picnic lunch and to walk a trail there. It was a red sand beach,

and the trail to the far point led first on a boardwalk, then along a mowed path, and then through a pleasing forest,

with peek-a-boo views of a large bay on one side, the rocky reef at the end of the point,

and then views back towards Sally’s beach.

By the time I had returned to Souris (after the fun U-pick in the warm afternoon sun), I had decided to go to Les Isles if I could arrange it. I used the town’s library to access the internet to organize sailings and my first few nights of camping, and to cancel my few Nova Scotia bookings. I was going! Then, gas, and groceries in town, and back to my lovely campground to struggle with WordPress and try to write a new PEI blog post (I didn’t get very far because of frustratingly poor wifi!). I absolutely love Prince Edward Island (I knew I would), and I am thinking of spending more time on the island when I return from Les Isles. It is rare for me to be impulsive during travel (I am usually 100 % organized), and it is a little disorienting, but also exciting!

Now, here are some photos from my visit yesterday morning to the wonderful Basin Head Provincial Park, located just a five minute drive from my Red Point campground. It is a very popular park and has both red and white sand beaches, red cliffs, a fisheries museum, gift shop, cafe, and ice cream shop. It is also known for its “singing sands”, and teenagers love to jump from the piers into the river outflow (or inflow depending on the tide).

I was the first person to arrive in the parking lot, and I loved the deserted feel of the place before the workers and families arrive. This is the beach and headland to the south of the piers,

and this is the spectacular beach to the north. I headed out in that direction,

with views back as I passed the empty lifeguard chairs.

I had the entire beautiful beach to myself, and I was just thrilled to be there with the sea and the sky, the wind, the waves, the sand, and the dunes.

I walked for almost two kilometres until I neared some shore birds ahead,

and then turned back as I didn’t want to disturb them. The walk back was just as beautiful and inspiring as the walk out had been!

And though I was mostly held rapt by the big open expanses, I also noticed lovely bits of art on the sand, created by nature. Sticks and seaweed, with shadows, and a feather…

The wind was wonderful, strong and warm,

and there was a good amount of surf that increased as I neared the end of my walk.

A few families had now arrived, and the life guards were setting up their stations – the yellow flag means strong swimmers only.

What an exceptional place, and I hope to return for a swim! I have loved every part of PEI that I visited, and I am anxious to share them with you, but that will have to wait until I return from Les Isles-de-la-Madeleine. So, goodbye from beautiful PEI, and bonjour Quebec et les isles!

Addendum: I am actually on the isles now! (Three days after starting this post, first with bad wifi, then with no access to wifi at all). It’s pouring rain out today, and I finally have good wifi here at my new campground! Tout le monde parle en français autour de moi, et Les Isles sont incroyable, merveilleux, formidable! A bientôt!)