Day Twenty Two

I had actually set my alarm for 7:30 am because I needed to be sure I had enough time to have breakfast, clean up, pack up and drive to the ferry terminal by 9:45 am. Fortunately it was a nice warm sunny day and my timing was perfect. The ferry terminal always seems to group all the bikes in one lane so it's great to be able to hang out and talk about bikes, island experiences etc with the other bikers. The loading process takes a couple of hours and an army of neon clad dock workers measure and count all the vehicles being loaded to ensure they will fit.

The bikes all need to be strapped down to the deck so they don't fall over in rough seas. They provide all the tie down straps and the deck has built in anchor points so it's a pretty process. We were finally underway at noon so I'm currently writing this post while seated in very comfortable reclining seat complete with USB power and free WiFi. I am at the stern (back) of the ship looking out at the rolling sea. There is a large window in front of me and I keep looking out hoping to see a whale or some giant squid (LOL).

We should arrive in North Sydney, Nova Scotia between six and seven this evening. For those of you reading this who may not be aware there is a half hour difference in time between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. Toronto, New York etc. are on Eastern Time, the Maritime Provinces (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) are on Atlantic Time but Newfoundland is only a half hour different from Atlantic Time.
When I land I need to pick up some ice for my cooler and perhaps some milk for breakfast but I'll head to Baddeck where I camped last week before leaving for the rock.