Weathering Bill

Saturday, August 22, 2009

This is a good news/bad news story. The good news is that insects will not be a problem tonight. The bad news is that this is the case because I'm parked in front of Wal-Mart in Yarmouth Nova Scotia, not at my Campground Host Site in Ellenwood Park. Alas, I will not be getting my swim today. The approach of 700-KM-wide Hurricane Bill off our shores panicked the Nova Scotia Parks Department to close down their parks system for two days. Never mind that the winds here at the coast will be 30 miles an hour higher than inland, there are no trees to fall on me in this asphalt jungle. At least I'm on a hill well away from the shore and parked beside the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission with it's walk in beer cooler if I get too warm. The park is closed until Monday at least when parks staff will assess the damage.

 

It's remarkable how different campgrounds in the same parks system can be despite the fact that they operate under the same voluminous set of regulations and statutes. The first surprise is that this campground has a non-descript beach monitored by two provincially sponsored lifeguards 8 hours a day 7 days a week even though they often guard single swimmers.  People in the know walk over to the smaller but kinder campers beach in the park. The campground host site is drive-through and strategically located at the entrance to the two campers loops with a steep walk up to the comfort station and a short walk from the beach. No racoons here to visit the garbage and aside from red squirrels and chipmunks not much wildlife. So far I've heard the resident barred owl at 4:00 AM, a mourning dove, a boreal chickadee and seen a female cardinal and a loon out on the lake at dawn.

 

Whereas the majority of campers in Cape Breton were from Quebec or out of province, here at Ellenwood most people are locals who return repeatedly over the course of the summer to their favourite sites.  Weekends are the most popular times to camp which makes the fact that the beaches were closed last weekend due to an error collecting samples by the resident lifeguards and now again this weekend due to Bill tough on park statistics. Parks staff here are welcoming and friendly making an unexpected addition to their compliment feel instantly at home. Save for the fact that the gate to the day-use area is locked at dusk no record is kept of visitors there. The campground is gated and the office open 24/7 and manned by a female staff. I have met the Kevlar-vested and armed conservation officers in their brand-new air conditioned SUV complete with onboard computer.

 

Just before notice came down that the park was closing I managed to drum up business for the nature walk this morning and rode over to join Matt and the two people who showed up to take it. When we got back learned the park was closed and finished packing up for the move to Wal-Mart in Yarmouth. On the way paused at the visitors centre to catch up online.

 

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Woke at 4:30 to the insistent sound of pounding surf at the coast. The wind picked up gradually and imperceptibly. The rain arrived at 6 AM just as if someone had turned a water sprinkler on high. By 1:30 the sun started coming out and the sky clearing but the wind, if anything is still picking up and gusting heavily. Across the province broken tree branches and tree falls are taking out the expected number of power lines and along the coastline police are finding it necessary to protect thrill-seekers from their own stupidity. The cynic in me says let them go and allow natural selection to improve the overall intelligence level of the gene pool. I'm waiting to hear if Mark got surfing in the 30 foot rollers. The workers in the park to which I'm attached the next two weeks have been told not to report to work today so I'm waiting for someone to tell me what the assessment is tomorrow morning. I'm not expecting much more than a few broken branches and blown leaves.

 

I just moved my RV in closer to the store so it can break the wind for me and turned my RV nose into it. I'm about to go visit my hosts who seem to be doing a bang up business. Weather, it would seem, does nothing to curb the urge to shop. The rain, however found all the building's leaks and the wind has done an excellent job of sweeping the parking lot.

 

Monday, August 24, 2009

After looking out and seeing the heavy morning fog pulled the covers back up and went back to sleep. Decided to patronize my hosts again and went in to pick up some new socks and undies. Drove down to the visitors centre to send my E-mail and got them to call my park and establish that yes, they are open. As of nearly 5 PM I'm the only camper in the park so visiting will not be a challenge as long as I manage to get along with myself. The life guards in the day use area were paid to stay home yesterday. Slowly but surely I'm getting my campsite back in shape. Before supper I'll go for a swim.