“You wouldn’t squeeze and strangle a kitten, would you?”
This question seems a bit of a non sequitur to me as I crouch, hip-deep in the red-hued sands of North Rustico Beach on Prince Edward Island. I’ve come to this quiet strip on the island’s northeast coast with my wife and two daughters to learn the secrets of sand castle building from an acknowledged master, Maurice Bernard. Yet for some reason, Maurice is asking me if I’m a sadomasochistic kitten killer.
“There are three rules to sand castle building,” he continues without taking his eyes off the tower he is gently coaxing into existence. “Wetter is better. Glide and slide. Pet the kitten.” Wet sand slips through his fingertips dripping miraculously into miniature trees and village people. A sense of Zen permeates our little corner of beach as he guides me into working the sand with the fragile respect of a Buddhist monk cradling a lotus flower.
Strange as these tips may be, I can’t argue with the results. Two-and-half-hours ago, I was staring at a heaping mound of red sand and now I’m putting the finishing touches of intricate ‘stone work’ on a medieval parapet. Passers-by stop to snap pictures of our masterpiece as my daughters painstakingly complete the sea shell ‘tiling’ of a bridge that spans a muddy moat into the grand entranceway of our castle.
Crossing the 12.9km of Confederation Bridge from New Brunswick into PEI, the change in both pace and topography is stark and immediate. Approaching the bridge on the New Brunswick side we pass through the last of the Province’s forested stretches—a mix of marshland and trees creating an ideal habitat for the massive moose that highway signs perpetually warn motorists about. Once in PEI, forests give way to an agricultural patchwork quilt; rolling squares of wheat, barley and the ubiquitous potato fields are dotted with farmhouses and the occasional town.
Arriving in Charlottetown, we check in to the modern luxury of the Holman Grand Hotel, which is just a short walk from the harbour where we commandeer a pair of double kayaks and set out on a brief choppy orientation paddle. Pushing back to shore into a stiff wind, I concede that a dessert treat is in order. We arrive at the COWS Creamery factory and, having heard the words “free sample,” promptly sign up for a factory tour. COWS boasts “the best ice cream in Canada” and, after gorging on half a dozen different flavors over our short time on the island, I’m not going to argue with their claim.
The idyllic magic of PEI’s gently rolling hills is no secret to the legions of readers who have fallen in love with Lucy Maud Montgomery and her most famous character, Anne of Green Gables. Though I don’t count myself an Anne fanatic, when travelling with a wife and two daughters, there was never any doubt we would be making a pilgrimage to Avonlea Village and the original green-roofed inspiration for Montgomery’s famous novels. After having our fill of square dances and buggy rides with Anne and the gang, we sidle down the road to Shining Waters Family Fun Park. The park is a bizarre combination of modern thrilling water park attractions and 60’s-era carnival curiosities. High-speed slides like Cannonbowl and Crossbow rub shoulders with fun-house mirrors and a spooky haunted shack that had my kids turning tail and running back to the pool.
As sunset approaches, I find myself on an empty stretch of beach in PEI National Park marvelling at the swirling pattern of sand dunes. Tufts of wispy green sprout from the sand. Were it not for the rust red colouration, I could easily mistake the shoreline for a stretch of Scottish fescue.
As the sun dips below the sand dune horizon, I grab a corner table overlooking the ocean while feasting on deliciously greasy haddock and chips at Richard’s Fresh Seafood. I dip each flaky morsel into the sundried tomato tartar sauce while trying to stifle a smile as none other than embattled PEI Senator, Mike Duffy, shuffles to a nearby table. Whether Senator Duffy indeed makes his home on this gentle island as his expense reports claimed, at least I can vouch for his taste in local cuisine.
Travel support and assistance provided by Tourism PEI.
Keep island-hopping with the Crime Traveller as Ed and his family sail from PEI to Cape Breton Island in the next installment of East of Eden.
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