All of the photos from our trip are now available at:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AaNmLhw0atWN2
Enjoy! -Kyle
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Home at Last
I got up early this morning and caught a cab to the airport, arriving around 6:30am. I paid for my fuel and then hurried outside to take a few photos as the sun was rising. There was a thin layer of fog covering the runways and it was eerie to see airliners taxing slowly by, only their tail-fin visible, sticking upoutof the mist.
The weather was great and the flight was uneventful. I am happy to be back home and reunited with Michele & the kids. I hope you enjoyed following along on our journey.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Newport News
After breakfast, we packed up a few last minute items and then headed to the airport around 10:15am. I can’t imagine why the Halifax Airport is 20 miles from downtown when there is so much empty land all over the place –it’s puzzling… The weather was cold and grey this morning and there was a lot of bad weather along the entire Northeast US & Canada. I hoped that our flights would go as planned.
We finally got to the airport and I dropped everyone off at the departures curb and headed to the FBO to load up our airplane. Michele & co. brought only carry-on bags onto the airline and I was to bring all the luggage home in our Caravan. When I started loading up the plane, I realized that there were probably over 50 separate items: suitcases, duffle bags, plastic bags full of dirty clothes, coats, souveniers, shoes, etc. I imagined myself trying to lug all the stuff into customs in Bangor and decided to invest some time getting organized before I took off. I spent about 30 minutes cramming all the loose stuff into the suitcases.
I took off around noon and climbed into the murky clouds. I had just lifted off when the sat-phone rang. It was Michele calling to let me know her flight was cancelled. I was so disappointed –all my careful planning was down the drain. Now, when would she & the kids get home? Today? Tomorrow? Another day of school missed? Well, I couldn’t focus on that, because I was busy with my departure, but I asked Michele to call me back when she got some news. About an hour later, she called and told me they were getting ready to leave, but she was unsure if they would make their connection in NYC.
Meanwhile, I was still slogging along in the clouds, which I don’t mind too much. However, it was starting to get pretty bumpy. I was glad that Michele & the rest of the family weren’t with me, because they might start to get airsick. I asked ATC for a lower altitude and was cleared down to 8,000 feet. Still, the turbulence persisted. After about 30 minutes, everything smoothed out. I took the opportunity to get the weather in Bangor. Rain, clouds, etc. I sure am glad I got my instrument rating!
After landing in Bangor, I waited dutifully by the aircraft for the customs agent. He arrived about 10 minutes later, collected my immigration / customs card, glanced at my passport, walked around the plane once, and went on his way. Whew! I was really not looking forward to dragging all the luggage around in the rain! I put a quart of oil in the plane and then grabbed a sandwich from the vending machine while they fueled it.
Soon, I was in the clouds again. I flew through rain & clouds for the first couple of hours –boring! When I got to New York, things started to clear up. By the time I got to Atlantic City, I had mostly clear skies and I enjoyed sightseeing down the Atlantic Coast. I cancelled my IFR and flew lower to get a good view of Ocean City, Maryland, where I went many times as a teenager.
Finally, about 4 ½ hours after I took off, I was on final approach into Newport News, VA. The sun was just setting as I touched down and it was gorgeous! Stuff like that makes you feel happy to be alive. I wished I had a couple more hands so I could take a photo.
When I turned on my cell phone, I was happy to see a text message from Michele saying they made their connection and were home in Tampa. That was a load off of my mind. I caught a cab for the short ride to a very nice Courtyard Marriott. I got a quick dinner in the hotel restaurant and I am looking forward to turning in. Tomorrow, I plan to leave around sunrise and should be back in Tampa by lunchtime.
We finally got to the airport and I dropped everyone off at the departures curb and headed to the FBO to load up our airplane. Michele & co. brought only carry-on bags onto the airline and I was to bring all the luggage home in our Caravan. When I started loading up the plane, I realized that there were probably over 50 separate items: suitcases, duffle bags, plastic bags full of dirty clothes, coats, souveniers, shoes, etc. I imagined myself trying to lug all the stuff into customs in Bangor and decided to invest some time getting organized before I took off. I spent about 30 minutes cramming all the loose stuff into the suitcases.
I took off around noon and climbed into the murky clouds. I had just lifted off when the sat-phone rang. It was Michele calling to let me know her flight was cancelled. I was so disappointed –all my careful planning was down the drain. Now, when would she & the kids get home? Today? Tomorrow? Another day of school missed? Well, I couldn’t focus on that, because I was busy with my departure, but I asked Michele to call me back when she got some news. About an hour later, she called and told me they were getting ready to leave, but she was unsure if they would make their connection in NYC.
Meanwhile, I was still slogging along in the clouds, which I don’t mind too much. However, it was starting to get pretty bumpy. I was glad that Michele & the rest of the family weren’t with me, because they might start to get airsick. I asked ATC for a lower altitude and was cleared down to 8,000 feet. Still, the turbulence persisted. After about 30 minutes, everything smoothed out. I took the opportunity to get the weather in Bangor. Rain, clouds, etc. I sure am glad I got my instrument rating!
After landing in Bangor, I waited dutifully by the aircraft for the customs agent. He arrived about 10 minutes later, collected my immigration / customs card, glanced at my passport, walked around the plane once, and went on his way. Whew! I was really not looking forward to dragging all the luggage around in the rain! I put a quart of oil in the plane and then grabbed a sandwich from the vending machine while they fueled it.
Soon, I was in the clouds again. I flew through rain & clouds for the first couple of hours –boring! When I got to New York, things started to clear up. By the time I got to Atlantic City, I had mostly clear skies and I enjoyed sightseeing down the Atlantic Coast. I cancelled my IFR and flew lower to get a good view of Ocean City, Maryland, where I went many times as a teenager.
Finally, about 4 ½ hours after I took off, I was on final approach into Newport News, VA. The sun was just setting as I touched down and it was gorgeous! Stuff like that makes you feel happy to be alive. I wished I had a couple more hands so I could take a photo.
When I turned on my cell phone, I was happy to see a text message from Michele saying they made their connection and were home in Tampa. That was a load off of my mind. I caught a cab for the short ride to a very nice Courtyard Marriott. I got a quick dinner in the hotel restaurant and I am looking forward to turning in. Tomorrow, I plan to leave around sunrise and should be back in Tampa by lunchtime.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Halifax, Day #2
Our last day in Canada was busy & fun! The weather was terrific with plenty of sunshine, clear skies and a high temp of around 60. I didn’t sleep very well last night and got up really early –around 5:30am. I decided to go out for a walk and take some photos of the sunrise. I knew it would be cold outside, so I wore two pairs of pants and three shirts under my coat, hat, & gloves. I brought my big D-SLR camera & zoom lens, got some coffee in the lobby, and headed out. I walked up to the top of the citadel area, which I visited briefly during my walk yesterday and I knew to have a good view of the city facing East. Man, was it cold out there! It was probably in the upper 30’s when I started out. The sun came up about 7:10 and I snapped off plenty of shots. Hopefully, I got a good one.
After breakfast this morning, we got in the rental car and drove to Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse about 45 minutes away. It was a beautiful drive, but there were lots of twists & turns, so we were all happy to get out of the car and get some fresh air when we arrived. The lighthouse is surrounded by a large area of rocks and the kids had a GREAT time climbing all around. I followed them around and took pictures. We let the kids play for a couple hours and then we grabbed lunch at the nearby seafood restaurant. We let the kids play a little longer after lunch, but Michele was getting really tired, so we headed back to the hotel.
We dropped off Roland, Sandy, & Michele at the hotel for a nap, while I took the boys out for a walk. We had a great time! I took them to a park / garden I had seen yesterday and they had fun playing hide & seek. I told them I wanted to walk over to the other side of the pond to look around and I’d be right back. Five minutes later, I was walking back and I saw a security guard speaking with Justin & Cameron. Oh, brother –what have they done, now? It turned out to be nothing. The security guard was just chatting with them (and probably wondering where I was). I took the opportunity to ask him if there was any playground equipment nearby and he pointed us toward The Commons a few blocks away.
The Commons was a lot of fun, too. There was a big skateboard / bicycle park there with bowls, ramps, half pipes, etc. and we all had fun watching the kids to tricks. There was one bowl that was not being used and some younger kids were running around inside. Soon, our three boys were sliding down into the middle of things. Afterward, they played on the swings for a while and then it was time to head back toward the hotel.
We got cleaned up and changed for dinner and walked a few blocks to the restaurant, where we enjoyed a delicious dinner. Afterwards, we put Michel e, Sandy, & the kids in a cab back to the hotel. Roland & I walked back.
It’s hard to believe our Canadian Maritimes Journey is over! We’ll be heading to the airport late tomorrow morning. Everyone but me is flying back via commercial airliner. After I drop them at the departures curb, I’ll head over to the FBO, load up our plane and head home. It will take me over 11 hours to get back to Tampa, so I plan to stay the night in Virginia tomorrow. Michele & the kids should arrive home around 5:30pm.
After breakfast this morning, we got in the rental car and drove to Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse about 45 minutes away. It was a beautiful drive, but there were lots of twists & turns, so we were all happy to get out of the car and get some fresh air when we arrived. The lighthouse is surrounded by a large area of rocks and the kids had a GREAT time climbing all around. I followed them around and took pictures. We let the kids play for a couple hours and then we grabbed lunch at the nearby seafood restaurant. We let the kids play a little longer after lunch, but Michele was getting really tired, so we headed back to the hotel.
We dropped off Roland, Sandy, & Michele at the hotel for a nap, while I took the boys out for a walk. We had a great time! I took them to a park / garden I had seen yesterday and they had fun playing hide & seek. I told them I wanted to walk over to the other side of the pond to look around and I’d be right back. Five minutes later, I was walking back and I saw a security guard speaking with Justin & Cameron. Oh, brother –what have they done, now? It turned out to be nothing. The security guard was just chatting with them (and probably wondering where I was). I took the opportunity to ask him if there was any playground equipment nearby and he pointed us toward The Commons a few blocks away.
The Commons was a lot of fun, too. There was a big skateboard / bicycle park there with bowls, ramps, half pipes, etc. and we all had fun watching the kids to tricks. There was one bowl that was not being used and some younger kids were running around inside. Soon, our three boys were sliding down into the middle of things. Afterward, they played on the swings for a while and then it was time to head back toward the hotel.
We got cleaned up and changed for dinner and walked a few blocks to the restaurant, where we enjoyed a delicious dinner. Afterwards, we put Michel e, Sandy, & the kids in a cab back to the hotel. Roland & I walked back.
It’s hard to believe our Canadian Maritimes Journey is over! We’ll be heading to the airport late tomorrow morning. Everyone but me is flying back via commercial airliner. After I drop them at the departures curb, I’ll head over to the FBO, load up our plane and head home. It will take me over 11 hours to get back to Tampa, so I plan to stay the night in Virginia tomorrow. Michele & the kids should arrive home around 5:30pm.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Halifax, Day #1
I woke up a few minutes early this morning, so I got dressed and went out for a walk. Good news: It wasn’t raining. The bad news: BRRR! It was in the 40’s and breezy this morning. I put on my hat & gloves and strolled a few blocks down the road to a lighthouse I had seen during our driving tour yesterday. Soon, it was time to get back to the room and meet up with everyone for breakfast.
After breakfast, we packed up a few last minute items and then our guides came to pick us up at 10am. I borrowed his cell phone on the way over to call Canadian Customs and file my IFR flight plan. Things went very smoothly at the airport. We put our luggage on a couple of carts and pushed them all the way out to the plane. Soon we had everything loaded and were taxiing out for departure a few minutes before 11am.
We climbed into the clouds shortly after takeoff and were soon cleared direct to Halifax. We popped out of the top of the clouds around 5,000 feet and enjoyed smooth air & sunshine for most of the 2 hour flight. As we approached Halifax, the clouds thickened and we began to pick up traces of ice. We descended below the freezing level and got a free airplane wash (rain) during our instrument approach.
The weather was roughly the same as St. Pierre: Cold, windy, cloudy, and rainy. However, I knew it was forecast to improve later in the day. We got a rental car (mini-van) this time, loaded the bags, and drove about 20 minutes to the Prince George Hotel.
We dropped our bags, got some lunch, and then headed to the Atlantic museum to see the Titanic exhibit, which we found very interesting. Luckily, they had a tugboat exhibit with interactive games that occupied the boys for much of our visit.
Later, everyone went back to the hotel to relax while I took a walk around town. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant and it was terrific! Tomorrow, we are planning to drive to Peggy’s cove for sightseeing & lunch. Maybe later, I will take the boys to a nice park I discovered during my walk this afternoon.
After breakfast, we packed up a few last minute items and then our guides came to pick us up at 10am. I borrowed his cell phone on the way over to call Canadian Customs and file my IFR flight plan. Things went very smoothly at the airport. We put our luggage on a couple of carts and pushed them all the way out to the plane. Soon we had everything loaded and were taxiing out for departure a few minutes before 11am.
We climbed into the clouds shortly after takeoff and were soon cleared direct to Halifax. We popped out of the top of the clouds around 5,000 feet and enjoyed smooth air & sunshine for most of the 2 hour flight. As we approached Halifax, the clouds thickened and we began to pick up traces of ice. We descended below the freezing level and got a free airplane wash (rain) during our instrument approach.
The weather was roughly the same as St. Pierre: Cold, windy, cloudy, and rainy. However, I knew it was forecast to improve later in the day. We got a rental car (mini-van) this time, loaded the bags, and drove about 20 minutes to the Prince George Hotel.
We dropped our bags, got some lunch, and then headed to the Atlantic museum to see the Titanic exhibit, which we found very interesting. Luckily, they had a tugboat exhibit with interactive games that occupied the boys for much of our visit.
Later, everyone went back to the hotel to relax while I took a walk around town. We had dinner at the hotel restaurant and it was terrific! Tomorrow, we are planning to drive to Peggy’s cove for sightseeing & lunch. Maybe later, I will take the boys to a nice park I discovered during my walk this afternoon.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
St. Pierre, Day #2
Well, the weather was pretty poor today, as forecast. When we woke up, it was chilly, windy, and misting rain. We walked next door to the hotel restaurant for our continental breakfast (coffee & croissants) and then our guide came to pick us up at 9:30am.
Our first stop was the old post office in town, where we bought some souvenier stamps and mailed a few postcards. Next, we had a private tour of a nearby museum that followed the life of two nuns that arrived long ago. After that, we went to another, much larger museum that focused on St. Pierre during the peak of cod fishing at the turn of the century. The museum had paper & crayons, so the boys were quite content to color in the lobby while we took a quick tour. Afterwards, we had a delicious lunch and retired to the hotel for a little siesta.
Around 3pm, Michele, Brandon, Cameron & I went back out for a driving tour of St. Pierre. Roland stayed at the hotel to take a nap while Sandy & Justin worked on homework. The weather had gone from bad to worse and it was now raining steadily. We wound our way through the city and out to the countryside. The rained subsided for a few moments when we reached the West coast and I got out to snap a panoramic photo. Then, we made our way back toward the city.
We stopped in a little candy / coffee shop to get a snack and met up with our guide’s daughter and 3-month old grandson, Alex. Cameron was fascinated with the little boy and couldn’t take his eyes off of him. I can’t wait to see how he gets along with his new baby sister!
After our coffee break, we picked up a few supplies at the store and came back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. The food was great (I had scallops), the service was quicker, and they also had a little play table for the kids to color. It was a very enjoyable meal.
Tomorrow, we will depart St. Pierre for Halifax. I was encouraged this evening to see the rain stopped and the clouds were beginning to break up. Hopefully, we will have better weather for our departure tomorrow morning. Loading the bags in the rain is no fun!
Our first stop was the old post office in town, where we bought some souvenier stamps and mailed a few postcards. Next, we had a private tour of a nearby museum that followed the life of two nuns that arrived long ago. After that, we went to another, much larger museum that focused on St. Pierre during the peak of cod fishing at the turn of the century. The museum had paper & crayons, so the boys were quite content to color in the lobby while we took a quick tour. Afterwards, we had a delicious lunch and retired to the hotel for a little siesta.
Around 3pm, Michele, Brandon, Cameron & I went back out for a driving tour of St. Pierre. Roland stayed at the hotel to take a nap while Sandy & Justin worked on homework. The weather had gone from bad to worse and it was now raining steadily. We wound our way through the city and out to the countryside. The rained subsided for a few moments when we reached the West coast and I got out to snap a panoramic photo. Then, we made our way back toward the city.
We stopped in a little candy / coffee shop to get a snack and met up with our guide’s daughter and 3-month old grandson, Alex. Cameron was fascinated with the little boy and couldn’t take his eyes off of him. I can’t wait to see how he gets along with his new baby sister!
After our coffee break, we picked up a few supplies at the store and came back to the hotel to freshen up for dinner. The food was great (I had scallops), the service was quicker, and they also had a little play table for the kids to color. It was a very enjoyable meal.
Tomorrow, we will depart St. Pierre for Halifax. I was encouraged this evening to see the rain stopped and the clouds were beginning to break up. Hopefully, we will have better weather for our departure tomorrow morning. Loading the bags in the rain is no fun!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
St. Pierre, Day #1
Well, our streak of great weather finally ran out today. We awoke this morning to cloudy skies, gusty winds, and cooler temperatures. I called Canadian Flight Service and learned that a cold front is moving into the region today. The bad news was reduced visibility and low clouds all along our route. The good news, it was a thin layer and we should be able to climb on top quickly with very little chance of icing. The current conditions at St. Pierre were 800 feet broken with 10 mile visibility. Not the best, but certainly doable with the ILS approach.
At 10am, our van picked us up and took us to the airport. We loaded the bags, bought fuel, and taxied out for departure within 5 minutes of our proposed time off –we’re getting pretty good at this! We took off and almost immediately climbed into the clouds. Around 3,000 feet we emerged from the clouds into bright sunshine and clear skies above.
We took off a few minutes behind schedule, but we were enjoying a 25 kt tailwind. Our flight time was just under 2 hours, which would put us in St. Pierre at 1pm. I used the sat phone to give them our revised ETA and then settled in for the short flight. When we flew over Sydney, Canada I double checked all the engine gauges to make sure all was well –our next 160 miles would be over frigid water!
As we approached St. Pierre, the weather began to deteriorate. First they told us 600 feet & 10 km vis, then it was 300 feet and 5 km vis. We were cleared for the approach and I asked Michele to come sit up front and give me an extra pair of eyes. As we started down the glideslope, I kept my eyes on the instruments and Michele searched out the windshield for the runway. 500 feet, 400 feet, 300 feet…still nothing. I would have to execute a missed approach if we didn’t see it soon. Finally Michele said she had the runway in sight and I brought it in for landing.
BRRR! It was cold, windy, and misting rain when I jumped out of the plane. The tower controller had instructed me to park on the West ramp. We began unloading the bags while I secured the plane. After a few moments, a police car arrived and seemed irritated that we had not yet made our way into customs. Despite the language barrier (they speak French here in St. Pierre), Michele made them understand that we have a lot of bags and we could use a lift. A few minutes later, another vehicle arrived to take our bags.
Customs & Immigration went smoothly and soon we met our guide John Claude at the curb outside the airport. He gave us a lift to the Hotel Robert, which is not quite up to par with the accommodations to which we have become accustomed. It’s more like an aging motel. I shouldn’t complain because it has a nice hot shower and the beds seems clean. Let’s just say I’m glad it’s only 2 nights!
We dropped our bags and then jumped back into the van for an afternoon tour. John Claude said the weather is forecast to be worse tomorrow, so he recommended we visit another nearby island today. Soon, we were all wearing lifejackets and speeding across the harbor in a Zodiac RIB boat! I’m glad we brought our heavy coats, because it’s was COLD out there!
It was a short ride to the island where we met the curator of the island’s historic museum. Many years ago, this was a fishing village with 600 year round residents. Now, there are only a handful and they only live there during the summer. The museum had many interesting antiques and artifacts and we enjoyed the private tour –especially Roland. The kids had fun playing outside and we were happy to let them burn off energy.
After a couple hours, we got back in the boat and headed back to town. We had a little while to freshen up in the rooms and then we went out for dinner. Like their brethren in Europe, the people of St. Pierre eat late. We had the whole restaurant to ourselves at 7:30pm, but it began to get busy after 8. We enjoyed a nice meal with our guide and then came back to the room.
Tomorrow, the weather is supposed to be pretty bad, so we have plans to visit a couple museums and shops.
At 10am, our van picked us up and took us to the airport. We loaded the bags, bought fuel, and taxied out for departure within 5 minutes of our proposed time off –we’re getting pretty good at this! We took off and almost immediately climbed into the clouds. Around 3,000 feet we emerged from the clouds into bright sunshine and clear skies above.
We took off a few minutes behind schedule, but we were enjoying a 25 kt tailwind. Our flight time was just under 2 hours, which would put us in St. Pierre at 1pm. I used the sat phone to give them our revised ETA and then settled in for the short flight. When we flew over Sydney, Canada I double checked all the engine gauges to make sure all was well –our next 160 miles would be over frigid water!
As we approached St. Pierre, the weather began to deteriorate. First they told us 600 feet & 10 km vis, then it was 300 feet and 5 km vis. We were cleared for the approach and I asked Michele to come sit up front and give me an extra pair of eyes. As we started down the glideslope, I kept my eyes on the instruments and Michele searched out the windshield for the runway. 500 feet, 400 feet, 300 feet…still nothing. I would have to execute a missed approach if we didn’t see it soon. Finally Michele said she had the runway in sight and I brought it in for landing.
BRRR! It was cold, windy, and misting rain when I jumped out of the plane. The tower controller had instructed me to park on the West ramp. We began unloading the bags while I secured the plane. After a few moments, a police car arrived and seemed irritated that we had not yet made our way into customs. Despite the language barrier (they speak French here in St. Pierre), Michele made them understand that we have a lot of bags and we could use a lift. A few minutes later, another vehicle arrived to take our bags.
Customs & Immigration went smoothly and soon we met our guide John Claude at the curb outside the airport. He gave us a lift to the Hotel Robert, which is not quite up to par with the accommodations to which we have become accustomed. It’s more like an aging motel. I shouldn’t complain because it has a nice hot shower and the beds seems clean. Let’s just say I’m glad it’s only 2 nights!
We dropped our bags and then jumped back into the van for an afternoon tour. John Claude said the weather is forecast to be worse tomorrow, so he recommended we visit another nearby island today. Soon, we were all wearing lifejackets and speeding across the harbor in a Zodiac RIB boat! I’m glad we brought our heavy coats, because it’s was COLD out there!
It was a short ride to the island where we met the curator of the island’s historic museum. Many years ago, this was a fishing village with 600 year round residents. Now, there are only a handful and they only live there during the summer. The museum had many interesting antiques and artifacts and we enjoyed the private tour –especially Roland. The kids had fun playing outside and we were happy to let them burn off energy.
After a couple hours, we got back in the boat and headed back to town. We had a little while to freshen up in the rooms and then we went out for dinner. Like their brethren in Europe, the people of St. Pierre eat late. We had the whole restaurant to ourselves at 7:30pm, but it began to get busy after 8. We enjoyed a nice meal with our guide and then came back to the room.
Tomorrow, the weather is supposed to be pretty bad, so we have plans to visit a couple museums and shops.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Charlottetown, Day #2
We had a very unusual breakfast buffet in the hotel this morning. Instead of eating at tables, we carried out plates to lounge chairs in the lobby and the staff set up TV trays for us! Despite the strange seating, we all managed to get something to eat and soon our van arrived to take us on our North Shore sightseeing tour.
Our driver wound us through Charlottetown and pointed out the major sites. Next, we left the city and drove about 40 minutes to PEI National Park, home of Cavendish and Anne of Green Gables. Roland & I took the kids on a hike around the nature trails while Michele & Sandy toured the Green Gables exhibits. The weather was fantastic again today and we had a nice time strolling around.
Next, we got back in the van and drove to the nearby village of North Rustico. The boys had a great time skipping stones in the ocean and running around the dunes. On the way back to town, we stopped in at PEI preserves (jelly & jam store), but it was swamped with tourists from the cruise ship, so we didn’t stay long.
Soon, it was time to head back to town. After lunch, everybody went back to the hotel to relax, but I was restless. I grabbed my camera and headed out for a walk around town. I ended up walking all around Victoria Park and back, which took about 2 hours.
Tonight, we went to the Anne of Green Gables musical. We had dinner nearby and then walked next door to the theater. I think we all enjoyed the show.
Tomorrow, we leave Charlottetown for the French Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. I have been warned that the island is small and the hotel is rustic. Hopefully, I’ll be able to update the blog. If not, the next update will be from Halifax on Friday 9/25.
Our driver wound us through Charlottetown and pointed out the major sites. Next, we left the city and drove about 40 minutes to PEI National Park, home of Cavendish and Anne of Green Gables. Roland & I took the kids on a hike around the nature trails while Michele & Sandy toured the Green Gables exhibits. The weather was fantastic again today and we had a nice time strolling around.
Next, we got back in the van and drove to the nearby village of North Rustico. The boys had a great time skipping stones in the ocean and running around the dunes. On the way back to town, we stopped in at PEI preserves (jelly & jam store), but it was swamped with tourists from the cruise ship, so we didn’t stay long.
Soon, it was time to head back to town. After lunch, everybody went back to the hotel to relax, but I was restless. I grabbed my camera and headed out for a walk around town. I ended up walking all around Victoria Park and back, which took about 2 hours.
Tonight, we went to the Anne of Green Gables musical. We had dinner nearby and then walked next door to the theater. I think we all enjoyed the show.
Tomorrow, we leave Charlottetown for the French Islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon. I have been warned that the island is small and the hotel is rustic. Hopefully, I’ll be able to update the blog. If not, the next update will be from Halifax on Friday 9/25.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Charlottetown, Day #1
After breakfast this morning, we checked out and caught our ride to the airport at 10am. The airport is about 20 minutes away and I used some of the time to call Canadian flight service to get a weather update and file our flight plane. Good news: Sunshine, clear blue skies, and light winds throughout the region. Once at the airport, we took a few minutes to clean up the cabin and reconfigure our luggage for the next stop in Charlottetown. I also had to do my least favorite airplane duty: Clean out the potty –yuck!
We got everybody and everything loaded up and took off just about 11:15am. Flight time was about an hour and 15 minutes. It was a very pleasant flight and I really enjoyed checking out the scenery along the way. We touched down around 12:30pm and there was a van waiting to take us to The Great George Hotel.
Charlottetown is the largest town on Prince Edward Island and it certainly has a different feel than the more rural St. Stephens. Our hotel is a very nice, yet small building that reminds me of a historic home. After dropping our bags in the rooms, the first order of business: Lunch! We took our driver’s recommendation and visited the Water Prince Corner Shop. It was busy with locals eating lunch –a good sign. A couple left as we arrived and we had just enough rooms to put some tables together. I had seafood chowder and a lobster roll and it was fantastic!
After lunch, we wandered down toward the water and discovered a green area for the kids to play and run. We followed the boardwalk around to a tourist shopping area where Michele & Sandy did some shopping. Everyone was starting to fade, so we headed back to the rooms for a quick siesta.
Back in the room, I caught up on some e-mail and then took a quick nap while Brandon & Justin watched cartoons. Around 6:00, it was time to head out again for dinner. Brandon and I left the room a bit early and took a walk around the hotel looking for photo op’s. We met up with the rest of the famil and walked to the Pilot House restaurant, which was very loud, but the food was excellent.
Tomorrow, we have a tour scheduled in the morning and then a show in the evening (Ann of Green Gables).
We got everybody and everything loaded up and took off just about 11:15am. Flight time was about an hour and 15 minutes. It was a very pleasant flight and I really enjoyed checking out the scenery along the way. We touched down around 12:30pm and there was a van waiting to take us to The Great George Hotel.
Charlottetown is the largest town on Prince Edward Island and it certainly has a different feel than the more rural St. Stephens. Our hotel is a very nice, yet small building that reminds me of a historic home. After dropping our bags in the rooms, the first order of business: Lunch! We took our driver’s recommendation and visited the Water Prince Corner Shop. It was busy with locals eating lunch –a good sign. A couple left as we arrived and we had just enough rooms to put some tables together. I had seafood chowder and a lobster roll and it was fantastic!
After lunch, we wandered down toward the water and discovered a green area for the kids to play and run. We followed the boardwalk around to a tourist shopping area where Michele & Sandy did some shopping. Everyone was starting to fade, so we headed back to the rooms for a quick siesta.
Back in the room, I caught up on some e-mail and then took a quick nap while Brandon & Justin watched cartoons. Around 6:00, it was time to head out again for dinner. Brandon and I left the room a bit early and took a walk around the hotel looking for photo op’s. We met up with the rest of the famil and walked to the Pilot House restaurant, which was very loud, but the food was excellent.
Tomorrow, we have a tour scheduled in the morning and then a show in the evening (Ann of Green Gables).
Sunday, September 20, 2009
St. Stephens, Day #2
We slept in a little this morning and, by the time we finished breakfast and were ready to go, it was after 10am. It was a beautiful day today –sunny and in the low 60’s, so we decided to walk from our hotel to the main street in town for some shopping & sightseeing before our whale watching tour at 2pm. We walked a few blocks and then stumbled upon a big playground. Sandy & I let the kids play for about 20 minutes while Michele & Roland walked on to town.
We finally pried the kids away from the playground and continued on toward town. We were very impressed with the neighborhoods we walked through. Each house appeared well maintained and most had a wide array of beautiful flowers and gardens. We met up with Roland & Sandy a short time later. First, we checked out our whale tour to confirm our reservations and then we walked around town a bit. St. Stephens is a quaint little town and it didn’t take very long for us to walk from one end to the other and back.
We grabbed a quick lunch around 1pm and then headed toward the docks to board our whale watching boat. There were about 50 people on board and the boat seemed a bit crowded at first. After we got underway, many people went to the top deck to get a better view and we had a bit more elbow room.
During our 3 hour tour, we saw fin whales, porpoises, sea lions, and even a bald eagle! I was a little disappointed with the whales because they were very fast. They would surface, take one breath, and then dive down again for another 5 minutes. It was difficult to catch them with the camera and you could really see very much when I did managed to shoot one.
We all took Dramamine (except Michele & Roland) before the cruise, so we were all a bit sleepy & mellow on the ride back to the docks. We had dinner reservations at the Europa restaurant and it was FANTASTIC! After dinner, we called the hotel and the sent a van to pick us up. I decided to walk because I wanted to walk back down to the dock and get a few sunset photos.
Tomorrow, we are going to leave St. Stephens and fly to Charlottetown.
We finally pried the kids away from the playground and continued on toward town. We were very impressed with the neighborhoods we walked through. Each house appeared well maintained and most had a wide array of beautiful flowers and gardens. We met up with Roland & Sandy a short time later. First, we checked out our whale tour to confirm our reservations and then we walked around town a bit. St. Stephens is a quaint little town and it didn’t take very long for us to walk from one end to the other and back.
We grabbed a quick lunch around 1pm and then headed toward the docks to board our whale watching boat. There were about 50 people on board and the boat seemed a bit crowded at first. After we got underway, many people went to the top deck to get a better view and we had a bit more elbow room.
During our 3 hour tour, we saw fin whales, porpoises, sea lions, and even a bald eagle! I was a little disappointed with the whales because they were very fast. They would surface, take one breath, and then dive down again for another 5 minutes. It was difficult to catch them with the camera and you could really see very much when I did managed to shoot one.
We all took Dramamine (except Michele & Roland) before the cruise, so we were all a bit sleepy & mellow on the ride back to the docks. We had dinner reservations at the Europa restaurant and it was FANTASTIC! After dinner, we called the hotel and the sent a van to pick us up. I decided to walk because I wanted to walk back down to the dock and get a few sunset photos.
Tomorrow, we are going to leave St. Stephens and fly to Charlottetown.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
St. Stephens, Day #1
We took off this morning around 10am and enjoyed beautiful weather for our 2 hour flight to St. Stephens. The only problem is that we were battling a fierce headwind all the way (over 50 knots at times). The ride was smooth until we approached our destination and descended for landing. Then, we began to feel like we were riding a bronco!
We got into St. Stephens around 1:15pm and the car took us to our hotel, the Fairmont Algonquin. The hotel is beautiful –it’s got a big lawn and a playground for the kids. After check-in, we stopped in the restaurant for a quick snack and then Roland & I took the boys out to the playground while Michele & Sandy went back to their rooms for a nap.
I enjoyed strolling around the grounds shooting pictures of the many flowers and different angles of the hotel. It was cool and very windy, but we were comfortable as long as we were in the sunlight.
We brought the boys in around 5:30 to get cleaned up and then enjoyed a nice dinner at the hotel. Afterwards, the boys went back out on the lawn to play “manhunt”, which seems very much like hide & seek, while I hung around the fire pit to keep warm.
Tomorrow, we have the morning free to explore the town of St. Stephens and we are scheduled to go whale watching in the afternoon.
We got into St. Stephens around 1:15pm and the car took us to our hotel, the Fairmont Algonquin. The hotel is beautiful –it’s got a big lawn and a playground for the kids. After check-in, we stopped in the restaurant for a quick snack and then Roland & I took the boys out to the playground while Michele & Sandy went back to their rooms for a nap.
I enjoyed strolling around the grounds shooting pictures of the many flowers and different angles of the hotel. It was cool and very windy, but we were comfortable as long as we were in the sunlight.
We brought the boys in around 5:30 to get cleaned up and then enjoyed a nice dinner at the hotel. Afterwards, the boys went back out on the lawn to play “manhunt”, which seems very much like hide & seek, while I hung around the fire pit to keep warm.
Tomorrow, we have the morning free to explore the town of St. Stephens and we are scheduled to go whale watching in the afternoon.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Swansea, Mass
We rolled out of bed this morning at 5am to get an early start on the flight to Massachussetts. Michele & Roland flew up with USAirways on Wednesday to visit with Great-Grandma Cardin. Today, Sandy & I are flying up with the boys to meet up with them. Then, we’ll continue on for a tour of the Canadian Maritimes.
Amazingly, we managed to take off by 6am and were soon climbing out into dark skies. We enjoyed a spectacular sunrise as we continued North toward our planned fuel stop in New Bern, North Carolina. The weather was nice and we even had a bit of a tailwind.
We landed in New Bern around 9:30am. When the boys got out of the plane, I noticed that Brandon & Justin were still wearing their bedroom slippers –they forgot to bring shoes! Other than the footwear situation, the fuel stop went smoothly and we took off again around 10am.
After we leveled off, we had lunch in the plane (PB&J). The second flight went just as well as the first. I could hardly believe it when I was cleared through Washington and New York airspace without any modifications to my route. Usually, they change it two or three times and it is quite a pain. We also continued to enjoy a strong tail wind.
We landed in New Bedford around 1:15pm and Michele & Roland were waiting for us as we taxied in to the ramp. We made a quick stop at the Dartmouth Mall to buy the boys some new sneakers, then we went to visit Great-Grandma Cardin.
It was a beautiful fall afternoon with temps in the mid-60’s. We all sat outback and enjoyed the cool weather while the boys played football in the yard. Later, Michele’s cousin Andrew came by to visit and we all had dinner together.
After dinner, I called Canadian Customs and did a little flight planning for the next day. Afterwards, I sat in the living room to visit, but I could barely keep my eyes open. It had been a long day! Soon, we went back to the hotel room and I fell asleep about 9:30.
Amazingly, we managed to take off by 6am and were soon climbing out into dark skies. We enjoyed a spectacular sunrise as we continued North toward our planned fuel stop in New Bern, North Carolina. The weather was nice and we even had a bit of a tailwind.
We landed in New Bern around 9:30am. When the boys got out of the plane, I noticed that Brandon & Justin were still wearing their bedroom slippers –they forgot to bring shoes! Other than the footwear situation, the fuel stop went smoothly and we took off again around 10am.
After we leveled off, we had lunch in the plane (PB&J). The second flight went just as well as the first. I could hardly believe it when I was cleared through Washington and New York airspace without any modifications to my route. Usually, they change it two or three times and it is quite a pain. We also continued to enjoy a strong tail wind.
We landed in New Bedford around 1:15pm and Michele & Roland were waiting for us as we taxied in to the ramp. We made a quick stop at the Dartmouth Mall to buy the boys some new sneakers, then we went to visit Great-Grandma Cardin.
It was a beautiful fall afternoon with temps in the mid-60’s. We all sat outback and enjoyed the cool weather while the boys played football in the yard. Later, Michele’s cousin Andrew came by to visit and we all had dinner together.
After dinner, I called Canadian Customs and did a little flight planning for the next day. Afterwards, I sat in the living room to visit, but I could barely keep my eyes open. It had been a long day! Soon, we went back to the hotel room and I fell asleep about 9:30.
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