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!!00 - Map of Campobello Island
 
 
Just a few miles north of our campground,
we crossed the FDR International Bridge and stopped at Canadian Customs.
3b - Bridge to Campobello Island  4 - 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.5 - New Brunswick Visitor Center
 
 
From the porch of the visitor center,
we could see Lubec, Maine and the FDR International Bridge we just crossed.6 - View of bridge and Lubec
 
 
Next, we drove 10 miles north to the other end of the island to see Head Harbor Lighthouse.
 0a - Rt 774 across the island 1 - View Point
 
 
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!!2 - Rising Tide
 
These people are going to climb down the ladder and walk back before the tide rises higher.2b - Rising Tide  4 - Lighthouse and ladders4c - crossing the spit
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))3 - Better view of Lighthouse
5 - Closeup of Lighthouse
 
 
Our next stop was back across the island.
 
It is such a scenic ride and there is NO traffic!!
P1120469 P1120464
 
 
The tides here are extreme… anywhere from 20 to 28 feet.
P1120472 P1120499
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.”
 
 
 1a - Visitor Center and Flags 1b - Visitor Center - Closeup
The Visitor Center
1c - Visitor Center - Placque 1d - Visitor Center - Placque
 
 
Inside the visitor center there is lots of information on the Roosevelt's and the park.1e - Visitor Center - Portraits 1f - Visitor Center - Information
 
 
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.2a - Roosevelt Cottage - walk there
It’s hard for me to think of this beautiful MANSION as a cottage;o)
 
 
Closer view from the front.
2b - Roosevelt Cottage - closer view
 
 
View from the back yard.2c - Roosevelt Cottage - view from the back
 
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 2d - Roosevelt Cottage - dining room 2e - Roosevelt Cottage - school
They brought a tutor with them to “home school” the children;o)
 
 
Guest Bedroom                                                       Bathroom
2f - Roosevelt Cottage - guest bedroom2g - Roosevelt Cottage - bathroom
I would never leave if I were a guest;o))
 
 
Kitchen with an innovative Copper Hot Water Heater and delivery system.2h - Roosevelt Cottage - kitchen  2i - Roosevelt Cottage - copper hot water heater
The copper water heater would cost a pretty penny today!!!
 
 
 
Baker’s Pantry                                         Laundry Room
2j- Roosevelt Cottage - bakers pantry  2k- Roosevelt Cottage - laundry
 
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.3a - Hubbard Cottage3b - Hubbard Cottage3c - Hubbard Cottage3d - 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. 00 - Friar's Head Hike Map
The trailhead is just down the lane from their cottage.



01 - Friar's Head Hike - Sign
All the signs are in English and French!!
 
Through the woods and over the wetlands.
 01a - Friar's Head Hike -Through the Woods  01b - Friar's Head Hike - Low Land Forrest
 
 
Into the meadow with all the wildflowers :o)))
01c - Friar's Head Hike - Through the meadow
 
Creeping Dogwood                             Orange Hawkweed                       Maple-leaved ViburnumDwarf or Creeping DogwoodOrange HawkweedMaple-leaved viburnumMountain Wood SorrelButtercups
Mountain Wood Sorrel                                  Buttercups
 
 
Over the boardwalk and up the hill…
01d - Friar's Head Hike - Along the boardwalk 01e2 - Friar's Head Hike - Up to the Lookout
 
 
to the LOOKOUT!!!
01f - Friar's Head Hike -The Lookout01g - Views - Friar Head Description
 
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 Cottage01i - Views - Across Friar's Bay Roosevelt and Hubbard Cottages
 
Looking across Friar Roads toward Eastport, Maine   
01j - Views - Across Friar Roads to 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.01m - Picnic Shelter
 
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!!!
01n - See Saw
As a kid, I always loved the See-Saw:o))

9 comments:

  1. What a wonderful day you both had! Yep - we need to put that on the bucket list (and not the FB one!!) :-)

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  2. Bill did pretty good on that balance beam. Yes that see-saw does bring back memories. Simple things can be fun.
    Syl

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  3. Wow, if those are cottages, I'd can't imagine what a mansion would look like!

    I didn't know about FDR's visiting the area, a new place on the bucket list for us.

    Did you pardon the French on those trail signs? :cD

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  4. This has been on my list for a long time and I really want to go there after after Acadia so thanks for the great trip. I read a lot about this place in the book Eleanor and Franklin which I highly recommnend. Now I know just what to see. I really want to spend a month or so in Canada but the phone and internet thing is really concerning.

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  5. Thanks for taking us along on your awesome trip. I read Karen's account of the FDR summer retreat last month and put it on our bucket list. We will make it there eventually :)

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  6. Welcome to Canada! Looks like a great area to check out the next time we head east.

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  7. What a beautiful blog and great story. We really appreciate people who enjoy our area.
    Would you be so kind as to include our Campobello Tourism website at www.visitcampobello.com

    Just to let you know WIFI is available and free at Village Mart Foods community room and a new business that is about to open in Friars Bay. It will be a coffee and tea shop.
    WIFI is also available at our visitors center after you clear customs and drive up the hill. US Cell phones work at the Visitors center as well.Reception is pretty spotty from Machias Maine onward, but there are locations that it can be used.
    We encourage everyone to come and visit and share the beauty of Campobello Island you'll see why we say "Come for a visit but stay for awhile"
    Thank you again for your beautiful blog and kind words.
    Oceanstar (K Heurlin)
    www.visitcampobello.com

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  8. Also..dont forget the whales!

    www.bayoffundywhales.com

    www.finback.com

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  9. Gorgeous country! It's great you are enjoying life! The blog can be behind!!

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