...and so much more
sleep and a gourmet breakfast, we set off up the NB-11 highway to Miramichi, stopping at Kouchibouguac Park on the way. We followed our guide, Philip, by car through the forest roads, then cycled on fat bikes which are available to hire. Fat bikes have thick tyres which make cycling effortless, even for a novice like me. The park has seven different habitats for wildlife of all shapes and sizes. They’ve recently added new areas to camp, park your Winnebago or hire an OTENTIK, which is a cross between a tent and a log cabin.
Among the many things Philip told us was the fact that bears eat different fruits throughout the seasons. When they’ve had blueberries their poop is blue, and when they’ve had other berries it’s red! Kids love info like that – guess I’m a big kid.
It was raining when we arrived at Rodd Miramichi River Hotel, which is a shame as we didn’t see it in its full splendour.
It’s set right on the banks of the Miramichi river, with lovely patios
Rodd Hotel on the banks of the river in Miramichi, New Brunswick. outside most rooms. After a late lunch at a nearby Irish pub, we set off to find Little Big Bear Safari. We weren’t sure what to expect when we were driven into the woods and asked to do as we were told.
On arrival there were a couple of bears there already which our guide Richard expertly shooed off so we could disembark and go straight up to the viewing platform.
In all we saw 13 bears including four cubs.
Richard stayed with the bears, leaving food hidden in and under several logs, and stuck high up trees to encourage the bears to stand. They seemed happy enough with Richard around and only a couple of teenage males showed any aggression towards one another. We were enthralled by their antics, particularly the cubs, for a couple of hours until the bears headed back into the woods. Back at the hotel we had a late dinner at their restaurant, 1809, sitting by the window watching darkness fall over the river. Gorgeous. Next morning it was up bright and early to head to Beaubears Island Big Canoe Adventure. Beaubears Island sits at the point where Northwest and Southwest Miramichi Rivers meet on their journey to the Atlantic.
After being kitted up with life jackets and paddles, we set off in a 26-foot voyager canoe with our guide, Tim, and four young helpers. We paddled across to explore the island, which was famous for shipbuilding in the late 18th and early 19th Centuries.
It’s hard to imagine the island as it was back then, inhabited by hundreds of people building ships, as today it’s a peaceful, government-owned nature reserve. We were shown many different species of trees and how work is ongoing to create and maintain trails for visitors to enjoy all areas on the island.
If I had just one little moan, it would be the mosquitos. Repellent spray didn’t seem to deter them. However, on a happier note, we had, after just two days in the country, fallen in love with Canada.