Two Sore Backs

Tho Old Shipyard Campground was a convenient stop after the Joggins Fossil tour. It’s a private campground located close to Spencer’s Island and Cape D’Or, and because of the location, scenery, and the folks who run it, we thought it warranted a quick post.

The location was once a busy yard where several ships were constructed, beginning in the 1860’s.

Here is a shot of the Spencer’s Island lighthouse, with the island in the background.

The first ship built on the site was the Amazon, which was later renamed the Mary Celeste by a new owner. Interesting story: it was on route from New York to Genoa when it was found adrift near the Azores, fully provisioned, with cargo of alcohol and personal items undisturbed, and lifeboat missing. None of the crew or passengers were ever heard from again.

We were reminded of a Newfoundland saying: “Never change the name of your boat.”

The campground is on a gravel spit.

At low tide, water’s edge is hundreds of metres from the site.

At a new moon high tide, the bog behind the site fills with water, and campfires will hiss.

The property adjacent has some interesting cabins.

Essentially framed tents, but notice they are built on rails – at season end, they get skidded up the beach so they can survive the winter storms.

In between the properties is this privately owned building which used to be a diner. The window shutters are built like a roof, raised and lowered by block and tackle. And in the off season, the small deck is flipped up and pinned to the building by those same shutters which are then braced. Winters are harsh around here.

The campground is extremely well run by owners who recently bought the property as part of their (semi) retirement plan. They plan to operate it in the summer, and travel in the off season. Being a curious accountant, I asked what the payback would be. Answer: 4 years. Nice!

We were tempted to spend an extra day just relaxing, but we decided to move on. On the advice of the owner, we doubled back to nearby Cape D’Or. That was a good call.

Then it was on to Bridgetown where we had arranged an Airbnb. Weather was changing and we decided Old Shipyard would be the last time we use the tent.