August 2, 2025 Crossing over to PEI (Prince Edward Island)

 Friday   August 2, 2025   Bouctouche, NB  to Summerside, PEI   47 miles and 5 hours

Made it to the Bouctouche farmers market and we were pretty impressed.  Large indoor building as well as some outdoor booths.   Big variety of vendors selling ready to eat foods of every nationality imaginable.  Usual crafts people and some good vegetable and bakery vendors.   Got some wild blueberries (you can always tell by the very small size, but packed with flavor), heirloom tomatoes and fresh lettuce.  Couldn't control ourselves at the bakery.  Loaded up with cinnamon knots, blueberry crumb muffins and a loaf of raisin bread.   Then back to the boat. 

Farmers Market building at Bouctouche

Tide was going out and making me nervous as it looked to me like water was lower than when we arrived.   Made it across the shallow bar without issue other than my nerves being shot listening to the low water alarm going off every 20 seconds.   After that it was a beautiful day out on the open water.  Very light winds, temperatures hitting 70 and just a minimal chop had us running from the flybridge.  Just delightful. Got me thinking during our 4 plus hour crossing of the Northumberland Strait... It's lonely out here - we did not see any other boats all day. Just so odd for us to not see a waterway packed with boaters on such a beautiful day.   Other thing we've noticed is the absolute lack of air traffic overhead.  No contrails ever.  

Glorious but lonely day out on the water

Indian Head Lighthouse guarding the entrance to Summerside

The entrance into Summerside Harbor was pretty straight forward but we incorrectly thought we understood our slip assignment.   Blind corner as we enter only to see a coast guard boat at what we thought was our slip.     He quickly pulls away but the spot he's going to has a boat there who now moves over to where the CG boat was.  Learned it was the fuel dock and not our spot.  We had to pull into a spot in the corner perpendicular to the fuel dock and in front of another boat.  Tight quarters but with no real wind or current we made it look easy.    Welcome to Prince Edward Island!  We'll be here a few days.  Big time winds building all day Sunday (20 sustained and gusting to 35) and then gradually dying off Monday afternoon.  

Sunset over the marina

Journey for August 2, 2025

Sunday we strolled around the waterfront.  Took in the shops at Spinnakers Landing (think miniature Boardwalk at the Beach). Walked over to JMK Seafood for "the best lobster roll on the island".  Went searching for Bishops Machine Shop Museum only to learn it had been dismantled and was being rebuilt in a new location.  Then over to the stage at Spinnakers Landing to listen to a live band for a while.  

JMK Seafood's famous Lobster Roll

The band "30 Russell" playing to small but appreciative audience

Returned to the boat only to discover that a fitting had broken on the water line to the ice maker.  Water had been running long enough to empty the water tank of about 100 gallons into the salon.  The water gets sucked into the carpet and underlayment and then seeps down into the lazarette and bilges.  Spent a few hours trying to suck up as much water as we could with a shop vac.  Heat is on full blast trying to dry things out. Been through this before when a fitting to the dishwasher failed.  Just not as much water.  Overall, an inconvenience but no lasting damage.  Thankfully we actually have a rare 50 AMP power hookup here so have been able to run the big boat heaters along with a spot heater and fans.

Monday we played tourists some more.   Started at the Interpretive Center and Fox museum.  Earliest history on PEI goes back to Mi'kmaq First Nations settlements.    Then largely Scottish and Irish settlers arrived in mid 1700's getting by on subsistence farming.  Over half the population of the island still claims that heritage.  Hence the heavy Celtic arts, crafts and history here.   Fox museum was pretty fascinating and for a short time generated amazing wealth for the island.  A few enterprising men back in 1910 developed a method for raising and breeding foxes in captivity. Then further developed the silver and black fox mutations.  These six men held a secret monopoly on this for several years. Fur from a single mutated fox was capable of selling for over $30,000 back then.  After a few years the monopoly fell apart, and fox farms were developed all over the island changing many poor farmers into millionaires.  Most of the most fashionable homes in the historic district were built with earnings from just a few hides.  By WWII fashion and economic times rendered the fox trade obsolete.  Foxes were let loose and still roam wild on the island.   With that museum done it was time for a snack, so we headed to Holman's Ice Cream Parlor.  Located in the historic Holman House.  Been hearing about their homemade ice creams since arriving.  Opted to split a sampler bowl with five small scoops consisted of Mango Sorbet, Mint Brownie, Salted Caramel, Butter Pecan and Toffee crunch. 

Yum!!   Ice Cream

Then on to the Lefurgey Cultural Center and The Wyatt Historic House.  The Lefurgey family had a shipyard and built many large sailing ships in the late 1700's until the late 1800's.  Very prosperous family as evident by their large house. The Wyatt house was bought by Mr. Lefurgey as a wedding gift for his daughter.  She had two daughters who continued to live in the house.  Neither ever married.  Wanda Wyatt lived there until her death in 1998 at age 102. At that time the house and all its belongings were given to the town as a museum. 

The Lefurgey House and Cultural Center

Mural in town of the three masted ship Charles Lefurgey.
Built in 1880 it was the last wooden ship built by Lefurgey Shipyards. 
Named in honor of his son who died at age 21 from a brain aneurism.  

 A late lunch was next on the agenda so opted to try Evermoore Brewery.    Split a flight of beers and a local specialty - the Donair pizza.   Martha headed back to the boat to do some laundry (can't beat the free washer and dryer here) while I hoofed it to the hardware store to get some new fittings for the ice maker water line.  It's back together but not sure I trust it until I can locate some new reinforced water line of the right size. 

Tuesday shaped up as a chill out day. The carpet and underlayment is finally dry after a few days of running heaters and fans non-stop. Got to put everything back in place and the salon back shipshape.  One of the unusual things about PEI is that is has a very distinct red soil.  You notice it as you approach the island from the water.  The dirt, the sand, the dust is all red.   With an almost constant wind the red dust noticeably colors portions of building facing into the wind. 

The red sand beach at low tide

Clever tourist souvenirs at a Spinnaker Landing shop
We thought it might be a good business opportunity using NE Georgia red clay

A red dust covers this unique sandstone archway on the old Post Office building

Our original plan was to depart today but we wanted to attend a performance of "Highland Storm" at the Piping College and learned that was on Tuesday night.   The Piping College was formed back in the 60's for the purpose of preserving Celtic heritage.  Bagpiping, drums. Celtic dancing, songs, etc.  Shows highlight the skills of the local instructors and students and we were told by past loopers it shouldn't be missed.   Show started out great.  Pipers, drummers, dancers, storytelling.   Got to the end of the first act and lights went out due to a power failure covering the entire western end of the island.   Unable to continue with the actual performance but while waiting they continued to entertain us with some more music, songs, dancing, fiddling using just the available emergency lighting.   After an hour it became obvious the power was not returning anytime soon and the show was cancelled.  Things happen.  Time to move on.  

Start of the show - dancing upon arrival on the new land. They have some strong legs!

Bagpipers and drummers right before the lights went out.