in the POD - Fun-"day" 2

Dickson Falls

Fundy National Park, NB

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New day and no rain! 

Foggy and cloudy with temps in the low 40's for most of the day - but we forged on wanting to see as much as we could of this small, pristine park. We opted for a series of 5 short hikes - figuring that between each one we could warm up in the POD, rest, have lunch..... It worked out perfectly and over the 5 trails we were able to experience 3 very distinct environments. 

Peat Bogs

Fundy National Park, NB

We began our day with a short 1.5 mile trek around Caribou Plain, home of a large peat bog. Ringed by pine, birch, and fir trees this bog is home to a large community of beavers. The large "home" on the bog notwithstanding, we saw lots of evidence of the beavers' tree trimming veracity along the trail!

After leaving the bog area the trail winds thru dense forest - the greens were absolutely amazing - and no photo I have can actually show the diversity of color, the abundance of moss and lichen, the quiet, the smells and the beauty of it all thrown together. Where the canopy of firs opened to the sun there were these beautiful white flowering trees (?) called Bunch Berry. They looked like a cross between a creeping hydrangea and a dogwood. They lit up the forest!! 

 Caribou Plain

Fundy National Park, NB

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When we did finally relinquish and head back to the POD we headed to one of the park's many lakes so we could have a spot "with a view" to warm up in. Unfortunately, Lake Bennett was too pretty and we HAD to get out and explore. In good weather this lake offers kayaks and canoes for rent. Today, the little building that rents the equipment, while open, was sporting a solid fire in their pot belly stove! 

Our next stop was Dickson Falls. This was a short - maybe 1+ mile - loop DOWN and through pristine forests. Again, the number of GREENS were overwhelming and the staggering beauty of the moss and towering trees mixed with the choral sounds of the rushing stream and waterfall ....... be still my heart. At every turn we had to stop and enjoy both the perspective and the beauty. We must have walked over 300 feet down into the ravine before coming upon the stream, which as we began to climb back out, became the waterfall. Beautiful music and scenery! And again, no photo can show the textures or colors that were present in this Eden under the canopy. 

Stunning. 

Reverent.

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We drove on back to Herring Cove as high tide time was approaching. We wanted to see the beach (where yesterday we had scrambled atop so many boulders) fill with the 40 meters of water that had been proclaimed. A lunch of butternut squash soup, crackers and egg salad in the POD fortified us as we sat in the parking lot before heading back down the stairs to the beach below.

High tide at Herring Cove Beach

Fundy National Park, NB

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Whoa! At low tide yesterday, at the far point in this picture, there were huge boulders rising 20' above me. We had climbed their seaweed covered face and scampered over them to the other side of the point. 

They're gone now!! I'm a believer!

We headed to the south most portion of the park along the coast and stopped first at Matthews Head to follow that trail to its outermost point (which we had not completed on day 1). The approx 2 miles going down to the coast through lush forest was quite steep and marked with lots of tree roots- yet small plains broke the descent every so often and the flowering trees, staking out their rightful spot in the forest, was quite inspiring. 

Matthews Head stood high above the Bay of Fundy below and we could see to Nova Scotia and the Great Atlantic.

We ended our day at Point Wolfe. It was picture perfect. 

Covered bridge, ravines, finger inlets, and an old logging and lumber area that had been accessed by small craft - based solely on the tides. 

And, yeah, maybe a few bootleggers in the past as well.

By the time we completed the trails in this area it was once again low tide. We ambled down the 1/2 mile path to Point Wolf beach to explore the ocean floor again. 

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Covered bridge

Point Wolfe, NB

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 Point Wolfe 

Fundy National Park, NB

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Inlet from the Bay of Fundy 

leading to Point Wolfe River

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All in all we only walked around 7 miles of trail today....

and yet - we climbed 64 flights! 

(up.... as in flights of stairs!!!!!!!)

Beautiful day of exploration and we definitely deserved our night's sleep!