Leaving from the cottages, I had the wind behind me as I paddled through Rexton and on to the Richibucto wharf. I waved at a Micmac family on the wharf and looked around in case anyone from the churches might have been watching for me. I continued eastward through the harbor toward the Indian Island Micmac reserve instead of going through the gully out to the gulf. Just before reaching Indian Island, I decided to go check out a picnic area that was shown on the map. I did find something there, but it was pretty weird. They had plastic palm trees, a pirate flag, and a setup that looked like a Polynesian “Survivor” show. I couldn’t find anyone around to give me an explanation. A hammer and empty beer bottle on one table were the only clue I could find that someone had been around recently.
As I came to Indian Island, I saw some Micmac men on the beach sorting oysters. I figured that was as good a place as any for my lunch break. So I talked with them a while (especially Jeremiah), learned some about aquaculture, and told them what I was doing. Jeremiah took a couple of New Testaments for him and a friend, and suggested that I go look at their Catholic church. I wish that I would have taken him up on the offer, but I guess I was itching to get going again.
My plan was to go as far northeast as I could in the bay and then look for an easy place to portage over the dune to the gulf beach. When I got to the end, it was clear that it would be a much longer drag than the portage that I made into Tabusintac Bay. It wasn’t really too bad though, and made for a neat picture when I dropped off the dune onto the beach. Thankfully, the gulf was calm. As I took a break and surveyed the horizon, I noticed windmills far off in the distance across the water. I quickly confirmed that it could only be Prince Edward Island. Yeehaw!
The offshore breeze generally made for good paddling. It started getting populated again once I reached the lighthouse at Cap-Lumiere, and a few people were out on the beach. The water was amazingly clear, definitely the clearest since the Bay of Chaleurs. But there were also lots and lots of big brown jellyfish in some areas. I had trouble paddling if I allowed myself to look down into the water because I didn’t want to touch the jellyfish! After Gros Cap the wind came into my face for a painful couple of miles. Otherwise it wasn’t too bad, even though I felt thoroughly worn out when I finally got past the St.-Edouard-de-Kent wharf to look for the campground. Not seeing an obvious place to land for the campground, I had to call Kevin to come out to the beach. It turned out that I was looking at the wrong campground and that ours was next to a vineyard across the road from the beach.
We are just a stone’s throw away from the Irving Eco-Centre at Dune de Bouctouche, which is a major tourist draw to the area. Another notable thing about today is that it marks approximately the halfway point of the PrayerPaddle, in terms of days. Wow. Amazed that we’ve come so far, and still scared about what’s yet to be done.
Partner church: Victory Baptist Church
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