All aboard! Wed, August 4th, 2010

When Jimmy called Marine Atlantic on Sunday evening to check on our scheduled departure from Argentia NFL for the overnight trip to Sydney NS Tues evening 8/3, the lady on the phone said, "No, you're scheduled to leave from Port aux Basques Wed morning 8/4." Jimmy said, "Nope, uh, our reservation has us departing from Argentia." [near where we were camped]. She laughed and said, "Sorry, your departure has been changed and you're booked 8/4 from Port Aux Basques." Hmmm ...

Apparently due to breakdowns, the ferry service was "a mess." Our plans were abruptly changed for us. We had to drive approx 900 kilometers (hundreds of miles) from Witless Bay - the very East Coast - to Port aux Basques, the opposite West Coast. While the ferry trip was much shorter with the new schedule, and also free because of the snafu, we lost two days driving in fine weather. Poo!

 

 

 

The Joseph and Clara Smallwood ferry

coming into and docking at Channel-Port aux Basques.

We made it, tho, and boarded the Smallwood - a huge ferry! - and landed in Nova Scotia on Wed eve. Because of the lateness of our arrival and the fact that we hadn't been able to book a reservation anywhere, we spent the night camped in a Walmart parking lot, along with several fellow ferry RV'ers (our first time). It was all right and also free, of course.  Not something I'd want to repeat very often, but handy when you just need a spot to park.