google.com, pub-1183232341631896, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 We Discover Canada And Beyond: October 2011
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30 October 2011

Cross Canada and Back, Part 27

Kouchibouguac National Park of Canada, New Brunswick


It's July 21st and day 67 of our Cross Canada Round Trip

We had a short drive from Shediac north up to Kouchibouguac National Park. Kouchibouguac National Park in the Province of New Brunswick is located on the north coast of this beautiful province. Kouchibouguac is an absolutely wonderful park and we recommend to stay here at least 3-4 days. 

Kouchibouguac National Park




View Kouchibouguac National Park of Canada in a larger map


Kouchibouguac is of Mi'kmaq origin and means the "river of the long tides". Kouchibouguac is an incredible fascinating mosaic of bogs, salt water marshes, tidal rivers, a sparkling freshwater systems, sheltered lagoons, abandoned fields and tall forests that characterizes the Maritime Plain Natural Region. You will even find plants that eat bugs, pretty cool!

Liz with two park employees showing off the bug eating plants.

Bug eating plants, munch,  munch....

The campground is one of the best, even though it only offers electric service. The camp-sites are very large and you can get a wooded area or open. The open areas are in my opinion the best. They are level and have a fire pit/place.

Anders enjoying the fire.

Liz

Kouchibouguac National Park was established in 1969. The park is 238 km² and offers year around activities. Kouchibouguac River goes right through the park into the Northumberland Strait. This slow moving river is great for canoeing / kayaking and you will more then likely see some wildlife on your venture. We did not see any large animals when we were there, however this is black bear country so be alert. Canoe rental are available in the park.

At the mouth of Kouchibouguac River flowing into Northumberland Strait

Boardwalks over the lagoons to the sand dunes.

If you prefer to stroll the incredible sandy beaches  with sand dunes they seems to go on for ever, you will need weeks to cover them all. The water in this part of the Northumberland Strait is very warm in the summer and here are some of the warmest waters north of Virginia. The Kouchibouguac sand dunes are my absolute favourite and as you can tell from our pictures. It does not matter if the rain is coming down..... If it's warm, let it rain.

Liz on the beach at Kouchibouguac National Park

Lunch on the beach at Kouchibouguac National Park

So beautiful

We have a storm coming in

The park also has over 60 km of biking and hiking trails that are very popular. In the winter cross country skiing, snowshoeing and tobogganing are popular activities.

It's raining

Two wet rags

Just loving it

Kouchibouguac is a birdwatcher's paradise with the second largest Tern colony in North America. The sand dunes are also home to the endangered Piping Plover. 

Tern in flight

Tern diving

Got the fish?

Piping Plover

For more information on the park, check out the Park Canada website.

We have many more pictures from the park in our on line Picasa Web Album. Click image below or go directly to slide show.
Kouchibouguac National Park NB


Cheers,

Liz and Anders

Here are some shortcuts to all the blogs from our Cross Canada Trip. Just hover over the number to see where it will take you

 1,    2,    3,     4,    5,    6,    7,    8,    9,   10

11,   12,  13,  14,  15,  16,  17,  18,  19,  20

21,   22,  23,  24,  25,  26,  27,  28,  29,  29b

30,   31,  32,  33,  34,  35,  36,  37,  38,  39,

40,   41,  42,  43,  44,  45,  46,  47,  48,  49,

50,   51,  52,  53,  54,  55,  56,  57,  58,  59,

60,   61,  62,  63,  64,  65.


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24 October 2011

White - Sided Dolphins

White - Sided Dolphins Visiting Cortes Island, BC

Not sure which book I'm thinking of maybe it's "The Richest Man In Babylon" where the fellow sells all his land and travel the world looking for diamonds. Finally broke, he returns to his home land to find that the person that bought his land found diamonds in the creek on the property he used to own.

Maybe this is a little bit like that. We traveled all across this wonderful country of ours and returned to this wonderful piece of paradise called British Columbia to find nature showing off at it's outmost.

Here they come
The other day our neighbour John came over and told us there were dolphins in the bay. Sure enough there they were, going like crazy. They swam back and forth a few times then they disappeared.

White-Sided Dolphins in Smelt Bay, Cortes Island, BC. Canada

Later when I was out fishing for sole (" I'm the sole man") they came to visit me. They came right for me.... not sure what to do, I started the motor and got up to a slow cruise.... They followed and came up on my side about 30 to 40 ft from me. Then they decided my little boat, "Bubbles" is something to play with. They swam all around me and splashed water in the boat. It was such a rush, words can not describe.

The part of the movie in the boat is a bit shaky, but I think you get the idea. It was out of this world, fantastic!!



The dolphins, I think are White - Sided Dolphins which have three colours. The chin, throat and belly are creamy white.

The beak (mouth), flippers, the back, and dorsal fin are of a dark gray colour. There are light gray patches on the sides of the body and a further light gray stripe running from above the eye to below the dorsal fin where it thickens along the tail. There is also a dark gray ring surrounding the eyes.

Incredible
Females weigh up to 150 kilograms (330 lb) and males 200 kilograms (440 lb). The males can reach 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) in length and females 2.3 meters (7.5 ft).

Females reach maturity at 7 years and a gestation period of one year. These wonderful individuals can live 40 years or more.


The Pacific White-sided Dolphin is extremely active and playful. It readily approaches boats and bow-rides.... no doubt about that one. Large groups are common averaging 90 individuals or so and super-groups of more than 300 can be found. 



They love fish and the main prey is mainly hake, anchovies, squid, herring, salmon and cod which they munch up with their 60 some teeth.


Hope you enjoy the movie.


Cheers,


Liz and Anders