This was an exciting day! We left North Sydney NL early in the morning to drive about 3 hours to the ferry terminal in Pictou, NS. Turns out the ferry company doesn’t take reservations unless you are returning on the it, which we were not. So we got to the terminal early with all the other 30-40 RV’s and probably 300-400 cars total. First come-First served!
We missed getting on the first ferry by ONE RV! Oh so close! We were first in line for the next ferry. Now we had another hour and a half to wait for the next one. No problem, you know me I can have fun in a box! There was a cute souvenir shop so I ran in. I ended up talking to the owner and a customer for the next hour and a half about our Adventure Trek trip-time flew by!
When the ferry docked and opened up, car after car after car after car came out! This ferry was considered to be the “one level” or “single layer” ferry. So not as many vehicles can go on. Boy were we wrong! They opened the underbelly with a ramp. I bet between 200 and 300 cars unloaded and the the big rigs came off – not as many! A tour bus and a few RV’s then even more cars!
Time for our side to load. They took the cars first. Again, 200-300 cars got on, it seemed. I could see a ramp lifted up and those cars kept going underneath. I know these people that work here are great a tetras! Then they closed the ramp and took some more cars going UP a ramp to a second floor. They filled up one whole side and then it was our turn. They took Wally a tour bus and a few more RV’s.
I forgot all the motorcycles! This ferry called in groups of motorcycles at a time . As I was peering at the dock through the back bathroom window, the dock worker stopped the line of motorcycles, a group of about 10, one of them got off his bike and threw his helmet down and stomped to the ferry worker. I could tell by his body language he wasn’t asking him out for a beer. What I never understand is how people take this personally. Where would he like the guy to put him? I hope the ferry workers have a code sentence they use over their hand helds in situations that escalate since he is all by himself. If he needed help I hope someone would be there for him. I feel sorry for the guys on the front lines of jobs like that. People, the ferries are only so big. It’s not like they can take a straw and blow air in threw a blow hole and automatically make the ferry any bigger. If you really wanted on this ferry -come earlier. We were all informed how the system worked. From my perch inside Wally’s bathroom, I could see who we were leaving behind. It is so sad to see your friends still on the land. They had to wait another 3 hours,2 ferries, before they could get all the RV’s on a ferry and across to P.E.I.
Something we learned in all this. It is FREE to ride the ferry over to P.E.I. Coming back over either to New Brunswick or back to Newfoundland costs! That is were they get you!
Once on the ferry ,we headed up to the top to take pictures! They actually leave the dock with the ramp still open. It’s pretty cool. Plus, the ferry is ambidextrous. We loaded in one end and disembarked out the other end. So, both ends open up! This ferry had a snack bar, an ice cream shop, a lounge with live music and seating both inside and outside. We were with Randy and made the decision that our tummies needed ice cream! We headed to Cows Ice Cream. So glad we did!
As we reached P.E.I., the boat captain had to maneuver the ferry between a narrow passage. Wow! He did fantastic! We docked and it was time to off load and head to the campground!
Offloading at P.E.I. First thing you notice is the red dirt!!
As we got off the ferry we were reminded several times to take the first right – stick to the right. Well we were at the intersection, low and behold across from us was a butter yellow Miata. Zoom Zoom couldn’t close his mouth! He’d never seen a butter yellow Miata, and it was an older style. Next thing we know the light turns green and you already know what’s going to happen…Zoom Zoom goes…STRAIGHT! Carly, the GPS, immediately started yelling at him to correct his mistake! That’s not the really funny part…the really funny part was that Randy was following us! We didn’t have radios between us either. Zoom Zoom just continued straight. Eventually we met up with the road to the campground. I kept telling him he was fine and to keep on the road – I was really reading a paper map! Ha! Ha! I was correct though. I still don’t know my rights from my lefts but I do know how to read a map when I’m forced into it!
Welcome to Prince Edward Island! It reminds us of Pennsylvania! It has been amazing to see all the different topography of the different islands! Each one has been so beautiful in their own way. Now off on an adventure!