A lesson learned. Watch the road and don't rely too much on a free Sat Nav.
On leaving the B&B we head for the main road north following Flossie's instructions, only to become totally disoriented by the number of loops (3) we do to get onto route 11. As you can see from the screenshot, a simple right turn at the start of the junction would have put us straight on the right road.
After all that rigmarole we set off for a nature reserve at Kouchibouguac. Even the brochure says it is difficult to pronounce, it means 'river of long tides'.
Hoping to see some Moose, but just in case we don't see any we thought we'd include this one.
To use the National Park we need a Park Pass, so call into the visitor centre to make the purchase. On the advice of the warden we plan to visit the salt marsh, the bog, the river and finally the plage (beach). We can miss the beaver trail as apparently they have left that site. These all prove to be pretty good locations. First Eric decides to go and see some people he spotted at the picnic table outside the centre, but they don't speak to him and he thinks they are rather stiff. I believe it would be termed a tableau.
The saltmarsh trail was quite short, although we somehow managed to get a bit lost at the beginning.
Eric finds an information board to read.
Next stop was the bog. It's a domed bog and Eric says we have to spot where the bog is encroaching into the forest.
This was a slightly longer trail and involved a board walk with an observation tower in the middle section of the trail, from which the photo was taken.
We reach the centre point, or as they call it 'the top of the bog'
The boardwalk stretches beyond this to an area where allegedly there is a trail used by Moose, Coyote,, Wolves and Hares (bit of a difference in size there). We had met a young boy at the top of the observation tower who told us, in a very disappointed voice, that there were no Moose. We thought it would be worth the walk to the end of the boardwalk to look anyway, even though it's the wrong time of day.
Although we do not see the spectacular animals, we do see a small Vole or Lemming, and a Chipmunk (we think) as well as some carnivorous plants (Pitcher plants), orchids (leaves only) and a plant that we didn't know what it was so will have to ask someone.
The Unknown.
Then it's the river...
...and back along the trail to the beach Boardwalk. It protects the dunes and the Piping Plover, an endangered species, that live there.
From the board walk we can see seventeen Great Blue Heron on the marsh, there were even baby heron there. See if you can spot them.
This was between the marsh and the dunes.
A Tern with what looked like a doughnut , but was of course a fish or eel.
Up close and personal with a Ring-billed Gull
As you can see the weather was brilliantly sunny but with a pleasant cool breeze. A very good spot to visit.
We now have to make our way to Miramichi and northwards to Caraquet via Neguac. We decide to give the very long and windy Acadian Scenic Route a miss for part of this section and take the faster Route 11.
There are more of those clapboard churches to be seen along the way.
As well as some more dead porcupine and racoon. Plus an interesting insect hitches a ride on the car. A wasp of some description we assume.
We arrive in Miramichi to this water tower 'advert' for the town.
There is also a bridge over the river here that we need to cross.
We let Flossie guide us, but her second faux pas of the day occurs (getting into the language as we are in the French speaking part of Canada). Approaching this bridge she says to take a left onto the 11, but she seems to thinks that we can access the this bridge but the road is about 100 feet above us and to the left is only water. This 'lucky' diversion means we spot a supermarket where we can stock up on trail mix and water before carrying on. We eventually sort out the correct way to the bridge and look back down onto the road we were on earlier.
After our earlier hours exploration we now make our way to our next overnight stop, but as we pass through Neguac the sign for the Ile-aux-foins Parc looks promising, so we make a detour which proves to be opportune.
It has:
A lighthouse.
A boardwalk ( bit of a theme here).
We have to drag ourselves away to make sure we check in on time for tonight's sleep. Caraquet is not too far now. Booked in and fully informed about the attractions of the local area we set about finding some dinner. Down to the wharf, a quick stroll around the area
Eric soon realised it was a mistake to trust the builder with the lowest quote for a new kennel.
and enter the only restaurant we can find that is open. Luckily, it is the one our host recommended (although another guest at the B&B had said it wasn't very good). The menu is only in French so decide to go with the salad...
...and have a pudding
We ate with a view over the water / marina and, despite what the other guest had said, we thought it was very good.
The sun is going down when we emerge from the eatery
And the moon was coming up - when it was low in the sky it was huge and orange.
Although the later photos don't make it look so impressive
