The first picnic of the year was long overdue. My husband and I waited patiently for the temperature to rise to 10 degrees C, 50 F, without much wind and the day finally arrived. We packed lunch and a thermos of tea, switchel to be exact, black unsweetened tea and winter gear in case the wind was blowing at the Cape. We were off.
We hadn't been to North Cape last year, so it was a good place to begin our picnic-hiking season this year. North Cape is at the north western tip of Prince County, Prince Edward Island, where the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Northumberland Strait converge. In the distance, the coast of New Brunswick is the nearest point of land.
There is a wind farm at North Cape,
a research center and an interpretation center.
In season, a restaurant is an option but a picnic is always our first choice.
The cliff is five meters from our feet as we enjoy our lunch on a bench overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. As we sit there, the erosion of the past winter is evident.
Boulders, tipped over the bank in some areas, appear to have prevented more damage in those areas.
Looking along the edge of the cliff, the damage to the rest of the coastline is obvious!
Red sandstone, which looks like sand, is exposed during low tide.
Off shore, a rock/sand bar appears to be a nesting place for sea gulls. In the distance, ducks bob in the water.
The lighthouse stands behind the Interpretation Center, unmanned now for generations.
It was built in the 1860s and has been moved several times since, due to erosion of the coastline. It was last moved 400 feet in 1951, and now looks to be about 200 feet from the edge of the cliffs.
The air is clean and fresh. We are the only people in the area. Cars near the research center signal others unseen by us. It is peaceful but invigorating at the same time. No need for mitts and a hat but the winter coat is essential. We breathe deeply to take it all in and look forward to another great picnic-hiking season.