Darrell's visit - Part Deux

 
I'm still processing all the things Darrell and I did last week.

We crammed so much into a short period of time, I look at the images and wonder, "Was that taken in Digby or Liverpool?",  "Which beach is that?"  or "Where was that lovely historical house?".

However, there is no mixing up one scenic spot we visited -- Kejimkujik Seaside Park.  Within the park, there is a 2-3 km. hike on a fairly level, gravel trail to reach the sea shore.  Realizing we'd have to walk the same distance back, we hoped it would be worth the hike.  In places, we had to negotiate soggy sections, not always successfully.  And then there was this...

It's a BIG pile of scat, or poop as you may call it.  It's a bit messed up, as I'd poked at it with my hiking stick to see what it was made of.  As you can see, it's mostly berries.  A knowledgeable hiker informed us that it had been recently deposited there by a bear, and then cheerily added, "There's lots of them here.".

Darrell and I continued walking, only now our heads swiveled back and forth as we relentlessly scanned our surroundings for charging bears !

Now, added to our curiosity about whether the long walk would be worth it, was whether risking our lives was.

Click the image to get a better sense of the grandeur of this place.

The answer was a resounding  "Yes!".

Note the fearsome hiking stick which I'm sure would have kept us
both safe from marauding bears.  ;-)

The majestic beach stretched into the distance in a long, pale curve.  Due to strong winds, the surf was high, but the day sunny, and very warm for mid-October.

The aerial shot on the sign below, gives you an idea of the length of the beach.  There is a salt marsh, behind it, where endangered Piping Plovers nest from May to August.  Happily, since it was October, we were free to walk wherever we wished.

Using a spy glass set up just for that purpose, I was able to see five seals basking in the sun on an off-shore rock.  During less windy times, apparently they are often found on the beaches or on rocks closer to shore.

If you can't remember the name "Kejimkujik" (kej-i-mu-ku-jik), just call it "Keji" as many locals do.

Regardless of what you call it, just make sure to add it to your "must see" list, when you visit Nova Scotia.