Compliments to ICBC and 1000 Islands RV Centre, ON
There are so many times in life when we are upset, and we voice ones opinion. I think that can be good to a certain extend. We also think that one should give credit when credit is deserved, this is many times overlooked.
If you have been following our blogs, you know we ended up in a windstorm on the coast of New Brunswick and received almost $6,000 worth of damage to our trailer. The trailer next to ours flipped over, several more trailers rolled, it was not a pretty picture.
ICBC
We contacted ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia) that same day the twister hit. We were told that an out of province insurance adjuster would contact us. Sure enough, soon we had a call from Kirsten with ICBC in Vancouver.
Windstorm damage to our trailer
Trailer next to ours that flipped (5 more units in the park flipped as well )
Kirsten was very professional and supportive. If you looked at the blog from when the twister hit, you know it was a mess. We had lots of pictures and a movie of the damages made to our trailer and the trailers around us to show Kirsten the extent of the damage.
Kirsten informed us that we could have the damage repaired where we choose. We might have to pay the dealer ourselves first depending on the dealer. Since we were almost ready to head in to Québec, and my French is pretty well non existent, we thought it would be better to pick a dealer in Ontario.
We have some friends that we would visit not too far from the 1000 Islands on the St Lawrence River, and we found a dealer there close by that is a "RV Care" dealer.
1000 Island RV Centre
Based on the research we did, we picked 1000 Islands RV Centre in Gananoque, Ontario to do the repair work. From the first contact, till the day we picked up the trailer all repaired it was a super experience.
To start with I talked with the service manager Carl. He did a fantastic job communicating with ICBC, getting the authorization and ordering in all the parts needed so that the day we arrived, they just could start with the repairs.
Matt, also in the service department, looked after everything to make sure things ran smoothly, and he contacted us with regular updates during the three days they had our trailer.
Both Carl and Matt did a super job, and we could not be more pleased. The work performed was also to the highest standard. Well done!
Conclusion
In conclusion: we learned that it is very important to have a good insurance company like ICBC, that will help you out when you are 8,000 km from home.
Life is good!
It also pays to do some research into who is going to repair your RV when you are on the road and have a mishap. RV Care dealers are a good place to start, and 1000 Island RV is just what we were looking for.
Thank you Kirsten at ICBC, and Carl and Matt at 1000 Island RV for jobs well done!
The Ovens Natural Park, Hirtle Beach and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
It's the 18th of July 2011, day 64 or our "Cross Canada and Back" trip. We are still in Tantallon NS visiting our good friends Maia and Peter. Today they will be our tour guides, what a treat.
After another wonderful breakfast, we are off to "The Ovens" or "The Ovens Natural Park". These caves were first natural caves, and were then excavated by mining activities in the 1861 gold rush that took place at the Ovens.
The Ovens
Peter, Maia and Liz
At the peak of the gold rush, the Ovens was surrounded by a town of over a thousand miners, including hotels, stores, and a bank. The buildings are long gone by now, but you can still find some remnants from the mining industry.
Walking down in to one of the caves
Liz definitely out of her comfort zone...
There is a great little hike you can do, and you can even walk down into some of the caves. Just wonderful vistas. There is also a quaint restaurant "The Ol' Miner Diner" if you want to sit down and have a meal.
Anders at the Ovens
Anders and Peter
Inside the cave
If gold-rush fever hits you and you feel lucky, you can pan for gold down on the beach. Equipment can be rented in the store/restaurant. Very interesting.
Hirtle Beach on Hartling Bay
Next we were off to Hirtle Beach. Hirtle Beach is a gem hidden away, few know about.
Anders and Liz at Hirtle Beach
Liz at Hirtle Beach
Here you will find an incredible beach that goes on forever and a wonderful surf that comes crashing in.
Peter and Maia
Anders on Hirtle Beach. He just has to get his feet wet....
We walked around the beach and enjoyed the wonderful scenery. And I had of course get my feet ( and pants ) wet.
Lunenburg
What a picturesque little town this is. In 1995 Lunenburg was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List and a plaque in its honor was erected. The character and history in this town is visible everywhere.
Lunenburg Harbour
Flowers everywhere
Lunenburg dates back to 1753 when mostly settlers from the Upper Rhine area (present-day Germany), the French and from the German speaking Swiss cantons and from the French speaking area of Montbeliard. More on the history of Lunenburg on the Lunenburg.com website.
The Mariner King Historic Inn in Lunenburg
Lunenburg
One of the main attractions is the sailing ship "Bluenose II". The first Bluenose who sank off Haiti hauling freight in 1946 was also nicknamed "The Queen of the North Atlantic". For 17 years this ship would win the International Fishermen's Race. The Bluenose II is a replica of the old one.
There is a Bluenose exhibit in the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic on the waterfront of Lunenburg, a worth while visit.
Lunenburg
Lunenburg
The architecture in town is very interesting, and we found ourselves just walking around looking at all the buildings. The rebuilt replica of the St. Johns Anglican Church is a wonderful piece of craftsmanship.
St. John's Anglican Church
Liz in front of St John's Anglican Church in Lunenburg
Inside St John's Anglican Church in Lunenburg
After a fantastic day of discovering these wonderful places it was our turn to treat and say thank you to Maia and Peter for their hospitality. We went to the Gingergrass Thai and Vietnamese Restaurant in Halifax. The food is exceptional and the service is the best. A must eatery in Halifax.
For more pictures from this part of our trip, click on the image below or go directly to the slide show here.
Kejimkujik National Park of Canada, Mahone Bay and Peggy's Cove
16th of July 2011, Day 62 of our Cross Canada (and back) Trip. As we woke up at Peter and Maia's place the smell lingering into our bedroom from the kitchen was simply irresistible. A breakfast for royalties.... Baked apple pancakes with maple syrup, orange juice and freshly brewed coffee... Wow! So good.
Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site of Canada
The plan for the day was to back track a bit and go to Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site of Canada. This park is different from the Kejimkujik Seaside National Park. See our previous blog.
Kejimkujik National Park
After about an hours drive we arrived at Kejimkujik. The in-land park is 381 square kilometers compared to the 22 square kilometers Seaside park. The parks are both equally impressive in their own way. See our website for all 42 National Parks of Canada.
Mi'kmaw dancer in traditional costume
Mi'kmaw dancer in traditional costume
The inland park is old Mi'kmaq territory. It has a lot of history dating back thousands of years. There are even some petroglyphs in the park. These areas are restricted, and can only be viewed with a Mi'kmaq guide. We were lucky enough to be able to have a quick look at these.
Liz at the Mi'kmaq monument
Kejimkujik National Park lies right in the centre of the old traditional canoe and portage routes between the Bay of Fundy and the Atlantic Coast. The earliest known inhabitants of Kejimkujik National Park were the Maritime Archaic Indians. They were here from about 4,500 years ago.
The Woodland Indians, a nomadic tribe, were next to inhabit the Kejimkujik. They had seasonal campsites along rivers and the lake shores, which they used during fishing and hunting excursions. The Mi'kmaq people are descendants of the Woodland Indians. They have called this area home for the last 2,000 years or so. The petroglyphs in the park are one remaining trace of the Mi'kmaq peoples life in the Park, very interesting.
A wonderful place for canoeing and kayaking
Restricted area
The park is great for hiking, biking, canoeing, camping and more. There are places where you can rent canoes etc. When we were at Kejimkujik there was a big celebration going on: "The Centenial Celebration" (Parks Canada being 100 years old), and also to celebrate the release of 100 Blanding Turtles.
Petroglyphs
Petroglyphs
Petroglyphs
The park is home to 3 species of turtles, The Blanding Turtle, The Easter Painted Turtle and The Snapping Turtle. Wildlife is plentiful in the park.
Liz at the river
Anders memorizing.
We were fortunate to be able to go with a guide and see some of the petroglyphs. Very interesting and informative. We of course had to go for a hike along one of the rivers. A river really is full of life and energy. Very soothing for the soul.
Mahone Bay
After the park, our next stop was Mahone Bay. The picturesqueness of this small historic town can not be described in words (but we will try) and should really be experienced.
Mahone Bay dates back to 1754. It was first settled by people from Lunenburg of German, Swiss and Montbéliardais (some small Kingdom in France) decedents. The main focus here was to get some Protestant religion into a mainly Catholic area.
The bay is well protected and offers great boating amongst the 365 islands in the area. Mahone Bay is a pro-active little community, a lot of artists call this area home. Further it is home to some of the most photographed churches in the world.
We stopped here for supper at a wonderful restaurant called "The inlet cafe". The inlet cafe is great: amazing food, great service, and a wonderful setting. The place to eat in Mahone Bay.
Meanwhile back in Tantallon Peter and Maia were busy with a film crew shooting a TV show in their house. Once we got the call that the coast was clear to come back and all the filming was done, we headed back. Flamed bananas in brown sugar, butter and rum was served as we walked in.... Life is good (two more hikes needed to work this off)!
Peggys Cove
Next day, Day 63 of our trip, the 17th of July 2011, we spent the morning doing a bit of business, banking, email etc. Later we hopped in the truck and headed for Peggys Cove also known as Peggy's Cove.
Peggys Cove is an awe-inspiring little fishing village, it is one of the busiest tourist attractions in Nova Scotia. The story about Peggys Cove according to Wikipedia is as follows:
The first recorded name of the cove was Eastern Point Harbour or Peggs Harbour in 1766. The village may have been named after the wife of an early settler or taken its name from St. Margaret's Bay as it marks the eastern beginning of the Bay and Peggy is a nickname for Margaret. Two versions of the popular legend claim that the name came from the sole survivor of a shipwreck at Halibut Rock near the cove.
Artist and resident William deGarthe said she was a young woman while others claim she was a little girl too young to remember her name and the family who adopted her called her Peggy. In both versions, the young shipwreck survivor married a resident of the cove and became known as "Peggy of the Cove" attracting visitors from around the bay who eventually named the village, Peggy's Cove, after her nickname.
We made a visit to Peggys Point Lighthouse which marks the entrance to Margaret's Bay. The rocks are just wonderful to jump around on, but it can be dangerous. Every year, someone will fall or get swiped in to the ocean. Be careful please.
Swiss Air Flight 111
Most of you probably remember the tragic event of Swiss Air Flight 111. On the 2nd of September 1998 Flight 111 crashed in the Atlantic ocean just 8 km off the coast of Peggys Cove, with no survivors.
A memorial is now on the shores of Peggys Cove. We went there to pay our respects. There were at least 30-40 people at the memorial when we got there. We could tell without a doubt, that some of these people had family or friends on the doomed flight. Their body language, expressions and them comforting of each other spoke loudly. Life is unpredictable.
We stopped for lunch at a roadside Kiosk in West Dover called the Fisherman's Corner. Awesome lobster rolls and scrumptious fish and chips, don't miss it. "Mama" does the cooking.
We went back mid afternoon to Tantallon to do some more email and blogging. Maia and Peter graciously hosted a dinner party that evening. We made some new friends, we were introduced to Anna-Lisa and René, two warm and wonderful people.
Anna-Lisa is from Sweden and René is from Switzerland, just the opposite from Liz and myself. A most enjoyable evening with terrific company and gourmet food.
For more pictures of this part of our trip click on the Picasa Web album below or go direct to the slide show here.
Evangeline Trail to Yarmouth, to Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada, to Tantallon
It's the 15th of July 2011, day 61 of our Cross Canada and Back trip. After a good night's sleep at the Cape View Motel outside Mavilette, we joined the rest of the motel guests for continental breakfast in the lobby. It was great talking with the owners and all the other people.
After breakfast we went down for a hike on the beach at Mavillette Beach Provincial Park. It is a gorgeous beach and the sand feels good on the feet.
Mavillette Beach Provincial Park
Mavillette Beach Provincial Park
View from the Cape View Motel over Mavillette Beach Provincial Park
Eventually we got on the road again, the "Evangeline Trail" in direction of Yarmouth. A nice little town, but apparently there is little going on now, because the ferry to Maine in the USA does not run anymore.
Liz at Yarmouth Light House
Liz and Anders at the Yarmouth Light House
Anders in the big chair
We visited the light house, and it sure can get windy around there. After a bit of shopping we drove up the coast line to Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada.
Kejimkujik Seaside National Park is different from the in-land Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic site of Canada which we will cover in another blog. The Seaside park is 22 square kilometers in size. What a jewel in the rough this is. We have all the National Parks of Canada on our website. Check out Kejimkujik.
Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
One of the hikes you can take is a 4.5 km round trip hike down to the beach, if the weather is good this is a must hike. The fog comes and goes here, so be aware, 25 degrees C can turn into 12C very quickly. The hike is easy and goes through forest, meadows, over boardwalks, over rocks and on to the beach... which it is incredible, like from the south sea. I will let the pictures and the movie do the talking.... Say no more!
Liz hiking Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Anders hiking Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Anders hiking Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Liz and Anders at Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Arriving at the Beach at Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
It's a man thing...... what can I say! No, Liz made me do it, yes that's it.
On the Beach at Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Liz on the Beach Trail at Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Liz and Anders on the Beach at Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Liz on the Beach at Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Liz on the Beach at Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Anders on the Beach at Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
Kejimkujik Seaside National Park of Canada
After being totally mesmerized by this enchanting beach, spending more time then planned, we realized that our friends Peter and Maia are waiting for us in Tantallon. We got our buns in gear and headed back to the truck. Tired and hungry we arrived in Tantallon. Maia and Peter welcomed us with open arms..... such gracious hosts.
Liz, Peter and Maia
Peter and Maia have lived and worked all over the world, owned restaurants, cooked and managed homes for many celebrities including house manager for Bob Hope for many years.
What a presentation.... Wow!
Peter and Maia were running a very successful B and B in Tantallon "The Butlers Den" for several years and have now decided to finally retire. With one daughter in the USA and one in Italy, there is no doubt our friends will be busy traveling.
After a gourmet meal, great conversations catching up on good old times ( it had been over 20 years since we last met) and a little wine, we crawled into bed, getting ready for a new day. Life is good!
For more pictures, check out our picasa web album below or go direct to the slide show.