Summer camping part 1

I'm a bit of a reluctant camper (which is probably directly related to spending a night in a tent in a horrendous thunder and lightening storm...or maybe the time we were camping and a coyote chased a skunk into our campsite and the skunk began to scratch and bite on the outside walls of our tent trying to get inside to escape the coyote.....he didn't get in but he did spray the tent/all our gear) anyway my husband is a very keen camper so we compromised and purchased a little camper thing that fits on the back of our truck.  It is quite basic but keeps us dry if it rains and is too high for skunks to attack (thankfully).  

Anyway this summer we have managed to go on two trips with it, one to Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and last week to nearby Grand Manan Island, an amazing place with whales, seabirds and an active fishing community where they harvest lobster, scallops, herring and dulse (dried seaweed which is eaten as a snack food...mmm just call it nature's kale chips).

To get there you take a 1.5 hour ferry....where we saw whales and porpoise from the outdoor deck.

We stayed at an amazing campground where the sites where high on a cliff overlooking the ocean.

I spent a lot of time watching the ferry coming and going.

This gives you an idea of the little camper-thingy that is on the back of our truck...the top part is canvas and it rolls up for use then folds flat while you are driving.

The scenery was so beautiful

Lobster traps

This lighthouse is still in use...it was not far from our campsite and if the fog rolled in..the foghorn sounded automatically every 20 seconds to warn ships of the rocky shoal below it...I was in bed in the camper when it started and I thought it would keep me awake all night...but it was oddly comforting...and I slept all night.

Strangely there is a French bakery on the island...which we visited 4 times in 3 days...

I did a little bit of campsite knitting too.

I think breakfast is the best part of camping....

We hiked a trail which led to the "Hole in the Wall" rock formation...and I had to take advantage of the typical tacky tourist photo op by standing on top.

All in all I'm starting to enjoy this camping thing...in spite of myself.