Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada – Tuesday – June 25, 2013

Well, so much for trying to stay current with the blog ;o(((

 

We have already left Lubec, Maine and headed south to Trenton, Maine outside of Acadia National Park!! That means, I just get further and further behind as everyday, we find another hike or another bike or another car ride or another place to visit and enjoy:o))  So bear with me and I will catch up eventually… Yeah Right;o))

 

 

Now, back to Lubec, Maine…

 

Today, we plan to check out Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada!!

 

 

Just a few miles north of our campground,

we crossed the FDR International Bridge and stopped at Canadian Customs.

   

This is the such an easy place to cross the border… not another car around!!

 

You do need a passport but otherwise… no problem.

 

However, as you near the Canadian border, you do have to consider your phone and internet  connections!! When we got to our campground in Lubec, near the Canadian border, Verizon contacted us to advise that both our phone and internet connection would be charged roaming charges:o(( Fortunately, we have free WIFI at the campground.  However, we turned our phone off, but still carry it with us because we can still use it if we have an emergency.  If we were going to spend extended time in or near Canada, we would buy a special plan to cover that.  But for one day or even the week we are here, we will just pay the roaming for the few calls we make or receive.

 

 

Our first stop was the New Brunswick visitor center.

 

 

From the porch of the visitor center,

we could see Lubec, Maine and the FDR International Bridge we just crossed.

 

 

Next, we drove 10 miles north to the other end of the island to see Head Harbor Lighthouse.

  

 

 

Head Harbor Lighthouse is on a small island just off Campobello Island.

 

You can only cross for a couple hours twice a day at LOW tide!!

 

These people are going to climb down the ladder and walk back before the tide rises higher. 

At high tide, the water would be well over their heads!!

 

 

We arrived too late to go across to visit up close,

but still got a pretty view of Head Harbor Lighthouse from a distance:o))

 

 

Our next stop was back across the island.

 

It is such a scenic ride and there is NO traffic!!

 

 

 

The tides here are extreme… anywhere from 20 to 28 feet.

 

It’s quite common to see boats on dry land at low tide!!

 

Our next stop was Roosevelt Campobello International Park.

 

“Roosevelt Campobello International Park preserves the house and surrounding landscape of the Roosevelt family summer retreat. It was here in August 1921, future president Franklin D. Roosevelt was stricken with poliomyelitis at the age of 39. Franklin rarely returned but Eleanor Roosevelt loved the cool summer weather and visited many times with her small children and later she came alone in the summer. After her death the family deeded the property to the governments of the U.S. and Canada and in 1964 they created the 2,800 acre International Park. The park occupies most of the southern end of Campobello Island, New Brunswick, just offshore of Lubec, Maine.”

 

 

  

The Visitor Center

 

 

 

Inside the visitor center there is lots of information on the Roosevelt's and the park. 

 

 

After we finished exploring the displays,

we watched a 15 minute introductory film

 about the Roosevelt's time on the island and their cottage.

 

 

Following the film we were guided to the Cottage which sits along Friar Bay.

It’s hard for me to think of this beautiful MANSION as a cottage;o)

 

 

Closer view from the front.

 

 

View from the back yard.

 

There are guides,

both American and Canadian citizens,

 stationed throughout the house

to answer any questions and explain what you are seeing.

 

 

Family Dining Room                                                         Children's Classroom  

They brought a tutor with them to “home school” the children;o)

 

 

Guest Bedroom                                                       Bathroom

I would never leave if I were a guest;o))

 

 

Kitchen with an innovative Copper Hot Water Heater and delivery system. 

The copper water heater would cost a pretty penny today!!!

 

 

 

Baker’s Pantry                                         Laundry Room

 

 

It is a beautiful place and extremely well maintained with all original furnishings.

 

If you sign up far enough in advance, you can attend a “Tea with the Roosevelt's.”

 

It is a free, Ranger led program and you really do have TEA and cookies also:o))

 

 

 

There are several other cottages which neighbor the Roosevelt's.

 

The only one that is open to the public is The Hubbard Cottage.

I could sit here all day and gaze out over Friar Bay!!

 

 

The weather forecast for the next couple days is dry,

so we are trying to cover as much as possible before the nasty rains return:-(( 

 

 

Since it was still not lunchtime,

we decided to take a hike that the Roosevelt’s would have taken up to Friar Head.

The trailhead is just down the lane from their cottage.

All the signs are in English and French!!

 

Through the woods and over the wetlands.

  

 

 

Into the meadow with all the wildflowers :o)))

 

Creeping Dogwood                             Orange Hawkweed                       Maple-leaved Viburnum

Mountain Wood Sorrel                                  Buttercups

 

 

Over the boardwalk and up the hill…

 

 

 

to the LOOKOUT!!!

 

The extreme tides control everything around here.

Unfortunately, we were not there at low tide, so we could not see the Friar;o((

 

 

Regardless, the views were spectacular!!

 

                              Salmon Aqua-farm

 

Looking over Friar Bay toward the Roosevelt Cottage

 

Looking across Friar Roads toward Eastport, Maine   

 

 

 

It was almost noon, by the time we got back and the temperature was getting really hot!!!

 

Fortunately, there was a shaded picnic area where we enjoyed our lunch.

 

After lunch, we had hope to do some more hiking at

Herring Cove Provincial Park on the other side of the island.

 

We didn’t hike,

but we did have a great afternoon exploring the park.

I'll need to start another post to cover everything;o))

 

 

 

Doesn’t this take you back a few years!!!

As a kid, I always loved the See-Saw:o))