Maritimes Road Trip - Day 13

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Day 13: Another day trip day. We started out at about 9:20 headed for Baddeck, NS. After a quick stop at the visitor information centre, we went to the Alexander Graham Bell Museum. REALLY interesting. Never knew that he was into aviation (Silver Dart made first powered flight in Canada in 1903), Hydrofoil equipped boats (HD4 managed over 74 mph in 1919), and a bunch of other stuff. After the museum, we saw a pram regatta in full swing out near a light house at the entrance to the Baddeck harbor. Onto CA 105 headed to Glace Bay to see the miner's museum and the Marconi museum. I had no idea that Cape Breton Island was a center of coal mining for Canada and as a result also a steel manufacturing area. Both the coal and the steel production are gone, but it was interesting none the less. We left the Miner's Museum and grabbed some lunch in an A&W While at the ordering counter, Charlie asked how to get to the Marconi Museum. The first lady had no clue, the second one gave very long and detailed instructions and asked if Charlie could remember them all - - Charlie said no, but we'd try anyway. As she went to our table, a Gentleman tapped her on the shoulder and said: "See that road right over there?" she said: "yes". and he said: "go down that road and it will take you right to the museum." He was right. At the Marcone museum, they had a model of Marconi's broadcast setup (pictured). Jim was a volunteer there and he was the most enthusiastic Volunteer I've ever seen anywhere. Marconi's transmitter is long gone, but the foundations are still there and Jim came outside and pointed them all out to us. We got back to the campground about 4:30 and relaxed for a while and then Gena, Charlie and Kerry made an incredible supper. We are splitting up tomorrow as we have to get on our way to Bar Harbor (actually, we are going to camp in Elsworth, ME just north of there). We're leaving pretty early in the AM so we said our goodbye's tonight. For those of you that know them, Charlie & Kerry send their love.

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Photos

HD4
Bell's hydrofoil boat that set a world record speed of over 74 mph on Bras D'Or Nova Scotia in 1919

Silver Dart
Bell's airplane that made the first powered flight in Canada in 1903

Pram Regatta
at the mouth of Baddeck Harbor

Gravel Spit
Separating Saint Ann Harbor from Saint Ann Bay & the Atlantic Ocean.

Bras D'Or
The narrow channel connecting Bras D'Or to the Atlantic

Light House
On the east bank of Bras D'or just south of the Bras D'Or Bridge

Marconi's Transmitter
A Model of Marconi's transmitter in the museum on the location of the original transmitter.

Jim (Volunteer)
Pointing out the foundations of the transmitter. REALLY enthusiastic guy!

Red Squirrel
Gena & Bob saw this squirrel along the nature trail at the campground near Baddeck, NS