What do you do if weather conditions cancel your whale-watching adventure? We chose to drive to the top of the broad plateau that is the central landscape of Cape Breton Highlands National Park and take a walk in the rain. On the positive side, a sign warned of moose in the area and the trail led to a scenic, backcountry lake (photo). Though we did not encounter any of those large, northern herbivores, we did see their tracks!
We then crossed to the Atlantic side of Cape Breton, setting our sights on White Point, a peninsula of tundra-like landscape that offers spectacular seascapes (photo). There we encountered a bald eagle, cormorants, northern gannets, common eiders and white-winged scoters. Despite a prolonged vigil, we did not see the tell-tale spouting of whales.
We now begin our journey down the east coast of Nova Scotia. Reports will be filed over the next few days..
