Island Hopping in the Gulf

We finished our last breakfast at the Cable Head Bnb filling up on the fresh scones and preserves before packing up and saying goodbye to our hosts, Doug and Elizabeth. Doug has probably the biggest and most interesting collection of cycling jerseys since he was wearing a new colourful one each morning when we came out for breakfast.

We had 30 kilometers to ride to get to Souris in order to catch the ferry to the Magdalens. It was already quite warm by the time we got on the road (no flat tire to greet us when we went to load the bikes!) just before 10 but the riding was smooth down to St. Peter's Bay where we picked up the Confederation Trail and headed east.

The plan was to ride a few kilometers along the trail until it crossed Route 2 and then we would jump on the road to take us straight to Souris, which would cut off 7 kilometers compared to using the trail all the way. The plan worked perfectly although it was hotter pedaling on the paved shoulder and we rolled into Souris with plenty of time to spare.

We stopped at the Information Centre to see if there was anything going on since this was Canada Day but we had to choose between lunch and waving the flag, and lunch won out.

We continued on towards the ferry wharf as we had been told there was a good restaurant right beside it. We crossed the spur line for the Confederation Trail on the main street and decided to follow it to the end as an appropriate way to finish our riding on the Island. It was.

The restaurant, the Sheltered Harbour, was right at the turn down to the ferry. We parked our bikes on the terrace and headed in for our first priority, a cold beer, the thirsting for which had been haunting us for the last two, hot days.

The local brew was much appreciated after the short but hot ride to our destination and it also went very well with the delicious piece of pan-fried Hake I ordered accompanied with some perfect PEI mashed potatoes and carrots. This was the meal I was hoping to have the whole time I was on the island and only found it in the last hour before leaving. 

Lunch wrapped up just as the ferry was rounding the point so we headed to the wharf to wait for it to dock.

While waiting to board the ferry, we chatted with friends who had driven from Montreal and were on the way to their cottage on the Magdalens. The ferry discharged its passengers and vehicles quickly and then we were onboard and waiting to depart my island for another one. I probably won't be back for awhile but it was great to visit with at least one of my sons and great to share it with Sarah as well as explore parts of it I had never seen.

The trip across the gulf for the next five hours was smooth and before we knew it we were passing île d'Entrée and heading for the harbour at Cap aux Meules. 

And so begins our final week of the trip with new roads on new islands to explore.