Day 4: Out-and-back to North Point

We got woken up in the middle of the night with the wind blowing and rain, with our tent fly flapping around like crazy. Out we jumped into the cold, wet night and battened down the tent, putting in all the guy lines and pulling everything tight. 10 minutes later, we had everything down and we’re once again warming up our sleeping bags. The night’s activities were a good bit of foreshadowing for the day that was to come.

By the time we woke up, it was chilly and grey, but luckily the rain had stopped. Chris and I had been looking forward to this day, since we’d get to leave the majority of our gear at camp, and ride relatively unencumbered for the day. The plan was to ride about 27km (19mi) out to the North Point lighthouse, and back for a total of 54km (38mi). We’d also have a stop mid-way in each direction in the town of Tignish. It had all the makings of a great day of cycling. You can find our Komoot tour tracking here:

Jacques Cartier Provincial Park to North Cape and back
https://www.komoot.com/tour/t75658625?ref=atd

The Gulf Coast of PEI on the way to North Point

Our way out of the park took us North along the Gulf coast. It was nice, easy riding in the cool, damp morning. A quick turn away from the coast, and before we knew it, we were in the little town of Tignish and having a coffee at Shirley’s café.

When we got back on the road, we turned back out onto the coast and it started drizzling. Once we saw the wind turbines, we knew we were in the right place. A few more kilometers and we made it to North Point!

Christopher is cross in Christopher Cross, PEI
What the heck is a Seacow?

We entered the building and visited the gift shop, and while chatting with the lady, found out that PEI tourism had started awarding a certificate to travellers who journey from “tip-to-tip” across the island from North Point to East Point. What’s that you ask? Those directions aren’t opposite to each other! What kind of crazy island are you on? You’d be right! North and East aren’t opposites, but with PEI being in the shape of a smirk, they’re the two farthest points from each other, by land.

This had us pretty excited to have an official certificate on the line to mark our journey. With the formalities out of the way, we went upstairs to the restaurant for some lunch.

The views from the restaurant was great, with the Gulf of St. Lawrence stretching 3/4 of the way around, we had a great view as the weather got rainier and rainier. With the restaurant having all new staff for the season, and a big retirement party in the house, lunch took nearly two hours to come. When it finally arrived, Chris and I were starving and gobbled it down.

The North Point lighthouse! That’s 2/4 lighthouses!

Despite the time waiting for lunch, the rain was relentless. We decided we’d waited long enough and set out into the weather regardless. After 5 minutes, my shorts were soaked, after 10 my jacked was soaked through, and after 15, it felt like I had fishbowls for shoes. This was not good… By the time we made it back to Tignish, Chris and I were a pair of sad, wet cyclists, and we went back into Shirley’s café for some warm drinks and to dry out.

Re-entering Tignish from North Point soaking wet

After nearly an hour, we went over to the grocery store for supplies had the slowest shopping experience anyone’s ever had to try to wait out the rain.

Still soaking wet, we set back out toward camp with our supplies and no idea how we’d dry out once we arrived there. Most of the way back was relatively dry, but just 5 minutes from camp, the skies opened up again just for good measure.

By the time we arrived at camp, Chris had devised a get-dry plan. The camp had a laundry and restroom in the same building just next to our campsite.

So we each took a shift in the shower, and threw all our wet clothes, and even our shoes, into the dryer to change back into them. Meanwhile, we hung out in the warm, dry bathroom… All the while I was telling myself, this is an adventure, this is an adventure, not misery… Yikes.

When all the clothes were done, we grabbed all our cooking gear and high-tailed it to the camp cooking shelter to make a pasta dinner in the bomb-shelter-like building.

Dinner Chez Jacques Cartier cooking shelter

The next day’s ride was due to be a long one, all the way 90km (55mi) back to Summerside, and the forecast called for rain all day. Knowing this, we went to bed dreading what was to come.