Day 3 (August 17, 2020): A Loop Around Kings County

We woke to a day that was more grey than the Weather Network had promised.  As we drove to breakfast in nearby Mount Stewart (restaurant choices near the resort are sparse, and the main restaurant at the resort is closed this summer), intermittent rain drops started hitting the windshield.  So we decided to do a bit more of a road trip today than we had originally planned.  And we are so glad we did!  The rain never really amounted to much, but the 162km we covered provided all the highlights of Kings County -- perhaps the least visited of PEI's three counties (Prince, Queens and Kings).

Our loop took us to Souris (best known for the ferry to Isles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec), East Point (PEI's most easterly point), and on to Greenwich Beach, with a couple of minor additional stops along the north shore.  We felt we had the entire north shore to ourselves:  we passed eight vehicles during the 53km stretch from East Point to St. Peters!  Greenwich provided an opportunity for a dip in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which was followed by another upon arrival back at the resort.

Food-wise, nothing gets Pam excited quite like lobster.  She has been expressing lots of "mmmm! mmmm!" over the thought of the New Glasgow Lobster Supper for more than a week.  So at 6PM we set off for New Glasgow, where we had a thoroughly wonderful dinner -- despite a couple of mishaps!  (Refer to the caption in the last photo set below.)

All in all, a wonderful last full day on PEI.  We have fallen in love with this place all over again.  On to New Brunswick in the morning.

We had breakfast in nearby Mount Stewart at the hole-in-the-wall "In the Mix Bakery & Cafe".  The cafe shares the same space with the tiny library, so we literally ate our bacon and eggs a meter from the library entrance!


The Hillsborough River runs through Mount Stewart and is PEI's largest estuary.  It is fed by groundwater springs in the heart of the island and empties into the Northumberland Strait on the outskirts of Charlottetown.

After breakfast in Mount Stewart, we set out on a six-hour loop though much of Kings County.  From the resort, we headed to Souris, on to East Point, and then headed to Greenwich Beach via the north shore coastal route. It was a wonderful 162km loop. 

Clover field bordering on St. Peter's Bay.

Sorry, just couldn't resist another potato field!  This one, in Midgell, St. Peter's Bay.

Mussel farming in St. Peter's Bay.  Each black dot marks a mussel column.  Blue mussels are the predominant aquaculture species on PEI. The Island mussel culture industry represents 80% of Canadian mussel production.

The Souris Lighthouse, built in 1880.


This fascinating map in the Souris Lighthouse shows the myriad of lighthouses and shipwrecks around PEI.

Looking out from the top of the Souris Lighthouse.  Only a couple of lighthouses on the island permit visitors to get an outside access at the very top.



View of the Souris Harbour, including the docks and the Isles-de-la-Madeleine (Quebec) ferry terminal.

Flowering potatoes in Chepstow.


The East Point Lighthouse, on the extreme eastern point of the Island, was built in 1867.


While the original light could be viewed up to 35 miles away, this one is operated by -- can you believe it -- a 70-watt bulb and can be seen up to 5 miles away only.

It doesn't look like much, but this is the extreme eastern point of PEI!

The eastern part of the Island is ideal for wind farms.  Wind turbines dot the area.  The abandoned farmhouse in the foreground is juxtaposed against the modern technology of a wind farm.

Blue herons on North Lake.

North Lake Harbour is a bustling fishing port on the northeast shore. When Pam got out of the car, her first comment was, “This place smells like fish!”

Shipwreck Point in Naufrage.  Ahh... that red topography.  Erosion at its finest!

The Prince Edward Island National Park has an adjunct at the mouth of St. Peter's Bay: Greenwich Beach.

Parks Canada has solidified its presence in the Greenwich Beach adjunct via the construction of this large interpretation centre.


These mounted animals at Parks Canada’s Greenwich interpretation centre show most of the animals that call PEI home.  No deer, moose or bears on PEI, by the way. Which makes for stress-free nighttime driving.

The new change houses, washrooms and cookhouse facilities at Greenwich Beach show the 21st century Parks Canada version of these essential facilities.  Very impressive!

The boardwalk out to Greenwich Beach.  The yellow line is a COVID addition.

Greenwich Beach is stunning, and its dunes are wild.  The lifeguards told us that Brackley and Cavendish Beaches can see up to 6000 visitors on a typical summer's day, while Greenwich sees perhaps 500.  This year, however, Greenwich is seeing between 50-75.  We literally had the entire beach to ourselves.

   

We take no credit for this!


Our favourite photo of the day.  Greenwich Beach.

Proof that a swim in the Gulf of St. Lawrence was had! 

Pam has been fascinated by PEI's "jelly rolls"!

Our veranda at the Rodd Crowbush Resort provided a sunny refuge at the end of the afternoon.

 

The last activity of the day was a 45-minute drive to New Glasgow to attend the famous New Glasgow Lobster Supper.  They normally put 750 people through the facility each night, but due to COVID, the nightly max is set at 150.


After spilling my pot of hot butter down my shirt and shorts, the pose with our lobster plates resulted in another calamity - note the lobster water pouring out of my plate in the top photo!  My pride may be busted, but we have been laughing about it all night!