After the Nor’easter

It was a bad storm late last week, possibly the worst this year. The usual culprits, tons of snow, high northeasterly winds and drifting were joined by thunder and lightning, our first experience of that phenomenon during a snow storm. It was a good time to stay inside.

My husband and I hadn’t been past the harbour since Wednesday. Three days later, we were surprised to see open water there. 

The high winds, coupled with high tides, moved the ice off shore. The day before this latest Nor’easter, the sea was ice covered along the southwest coast. 

The Summerside Harbour on March 21/18

March 24/18

Linkletter Park on March 21/18

March 24/18

Evangeline on March 21/18

March 24/18

Meanwhile the shoreline has pans of ice, 

while off-shore some pans are grounded on sand bars.

The 24th was bitterly cold with the Northeast wind making it difficult to steady the camera. I would not have been able to set up a tripod. My hands were near frost bitten. 

On the brighter side, at least the ice is gone! 

Sights along the coast

On the first full day of spring, the bright sun drew us out of the house. The bonus was the lack of wind on this glorious spring day. My husband and I decided to drive along the western shore in the Evangeline region, just west of Summerside. 

There was much to see this day. We stopped at Linkletter Park again and walked along the shoreline. The ice hadn’t changed from the previous day but it was pleasant to walk there without the bitterly cold wind. It will be a few months before anyone is on these monkey bars.

A pair of huge ravens inspected their domain, as the two invading humans paused to observe them.

They spoke back and forth with their characteristic, “Cawwww.” 

They surmised we were no threat to anything in the park.

As we drove along the coast, we stopped periodically to take photographs. This unusual man and pig ornament sat atop a gate to the driveway at the side of a property. It is an unusual piece of folk art in this area.

All along the road, you are never too far from the sea. The cottages, houses and sheds or barns, stood out against the backdrop of the ice covered sea. In this photo, behind the shed, a wee bit of open water is visible.

It gives us hope.

The gazebo overlooks an area where people dig for clams in season. 

There is a sand bar exposed at low tide, making it easy to see the clam holes. You would never know this from the look of the area now.

One fenced yard next to a house had numerous old wheels and pieces of farm equipment on display. 

There is open water in the background here as well.

We returned home energized and enthusiastic for the days ahead. We could have taken a picnic this day and sat by the ocean with a mug of tea. It was pleasant enough and would have been invigorating after the long winter. If only the Nor‘easters were finished for this year!

Spring ice

For the spring equinox yesterday, my husband and I went to the beach at Linkletter Park just west of Summerside. The harbour at Summerside is frozen still from temperatures cold enough to sustain the ice. From a distance, it looked like there was open water at this park, an unusual sight thus far in 2018. We were disappointed.

What looked like open water was clear ice over part of Miscouche Cove. 

Beyond this area, the ice and snow covers which are characteristic of the winter coastline, look to be broken into chunks and frozen underneath.

 With the bitter wind, it felt more like late January.

The coastline is snow covered, 

the playground equipment 

and picnic tables frozen into the earth.

They provide the foreground for the more famous Confederation Bridge and the Indian Head Lighthouse in the distance. 

Snowmobile trails skirt the shoreline

We hear birds in the distance though they are unseen, probably fluffed up and sitting in the evergreens. They are the only indication of spring. However, the return of longer days and strengthening sun will soon melt the ice, won’t it?