The eagle has landed

After leaving the Highland Village Museum it had been my intention to travel the more minor road to the west side of Bras d'Or Lake, which strictly is an inland sea.  However, having spent more time there than intended I decided on the east coast route which takes in part of the Trans Canada Highway, if I was to turn left instead of right I could end up in Vancouver 4,000 miles away !  

Of course there's another hurdle to negotiate at Little Narrows cable ferry to get to the main road on this shorter route, but this is a busier one and runs 24 hours a day on demand.

If you want to see where I am on the map, it's here on Google maps, A is Iona, where I left the Highland Village Museum; B is Little Narrows Ferry; C is the St Ann's Motel, South Haven.

However, if you zoom in on the map to the ferry location, your may spot I'm in Aberdeen !
Although I'm now travelling north on the Trans Canada Highway, it's not busy, more just a normal two way road mainly with woodland to the sides and now and again  Bras d'Or Lake can be seen on my right. 

It takes me by Baddeck which is often called the centre of Cape Breton Island, with quite a tourist orientated small town.  Nearby is the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site of Canada which is for a visit in the future, but you can check it out on the link.

Another place I didn't manage to visit but went past is at Wagmatcook. With a population 700 people living in the small village of Wagmatcook First Nation, the community straddles the Bras D'or Lakes and is one of five Mi'kmaw First Nation communities of Unama'ki (Cape Breton Island)  You will find more information on the link about the original people who inhabited this part of Canada.  This is a quote I like from their website:

"Treat the earth well,

It was not given to you by your parents,

It was loaned to you by your children"

Onwards now to my stop for the night at St Ann's Motel, South Haven.  It's in a wonderful spot, but it's not the lake, but an inlet from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, with views from your window out to sea. Doug & Christine run it as a family business, they are a lovely couple who are dedicated to their job.  The rooms are beautifully appointed and presented. 

You can better appreciate the location from this aerial picture from the motel website.
The only other property in sight is the Lobster Galley Restaurant next door.

The view from my window later evening

Next morning St Ann's Motel owner Doug came to me as I was packing the vehicle to tell me the eagle was about and if I got my camera and waited by the window in my room I might spot him come to the area between the motel and the sea.  I few minutes later I saw him swoop in and settle just outside my window, now that's a first for room views !!!

So 'The Eagle has Landed', next stop for me is just a short distance away, but that's for next time, more soon ....  ....