Cape Breton

Morning in Cape Breton

We wake up at 7 am. We have a quick breakfast and take advantage of the fact that it's raining outside and we are in open sea to find a table, organize the brochures and ideas for the second half of the trip. Attention to detail can be crucial in these situations! Lunch at the ship's cafeteria. About an hour before arrival, the ferry stops in order to assist to a sailboat caught in the waves. A sail was torn and the occupants launched an SOS. After several attempts to recover them, the ferry crew finally manage to hook the survivors with a rope, which however soon came loose, accompanied by gasps from the passengers who had come to see the unexpected spectacle. Certainly, the unwitting actors did not have a pleasant time until a rescue boat arrived, which found it easier to grab the desperate people before the waves swallowed them up. We thus arrive at North Sidney with half an hour's delay, at 14:30. Although the rain does not stop, we continue to Cabot Trail on the extreme north of Cape Breton Island.

In the second part towards Cheticamp, the rain stops first, then the weather clears completely, creating a very green landscape. At Cheticamp, an Acadian village with charming wooden houses that stand out particularly under the sun and against the backdrop of the surrounding mountains. The road runs through the two rows of houses, which have a neat and well-maintained appearance. We stop in Mabou at the Clayton Farm B&B, which dates back to the 17th century. The room is wonderful., while the owner, Isaac Smith, a great-grandson of the founder, McKeen, is a very calm man who tells us the story of the farm and his family. It feels like being on a farm from the 1800s: the furniture and photos on the walls seem to tell the story of the pioneering era. The laid-back Isaac is certainly a good host; the farmer's profession seems more like a sentimental backdrop.