Along the north shore

White caps. We had never seen the water so rough. When it’s stormy in Prince Edward Island, my husband and I are never by the sea. On this beautiful late August day, the wind is high and the water on the north shore is churning. 

You can hear the waves crashing into the shore rather than the gentle lap of waves along the beach which is so familiar.

We can smell the sea too, that salty, seaweed smell which is a welcome reminder of our youth in Newfoundland. That is a first for us on this island too. We let it seep into our beings as we stand on the cape along the north shore in the National Park.

The cliffs of the north shore are in sharp contrast to the depth of blue and the white caps rushing towards them. The cliffs are high too, among the highest on the island, known for its sand dunes and rolling hills. Standing along the edge of the cliffs one is impressed with the power of wind and water. 

At the lookout at MacKenzies Brook, you can see how the wave action has eroded a cave in the cliffs and the end of the cave is open now too, forming a tunnel. How long will it be before the surface above collapses?

From Orby Head, one can see the far east of the island through the haze. 

To the west, the lighthouse at Cape Tryon is visible 

and beyond it, a hint of the western tip of the island.

Below these cliffs, cormorants have their nests but all are empty today. 

They forgot to post the ‘Gone fishing’ signs.

Further along the coast, at Cape Turner, a tree defies gravity and clings to life at the top of the cliff. 

The trees along the shoreline here provide shelter from the wind. All across this area, hundreds of butterflies, mainly the Clouded sulphur species, flit across the tall weeds lining the paths.

The sounds of the sea and the movement of the butterflies are magical.

We continue our drive along the coast and have our picnic lunch at Rustico. But that’s another story.