More on #26 - Kayaking the Bay of Fundy

My second day in the Banana car trip to New Brunswick brought me to the town of Alma on the north side of the Bay of Fundy Park.  I landed in town, and quickly found Fresh Air Adventure so I could ask about where to put in, and things to do in town.

At Fresh Air I met Daelan (Sp?) and Abby, who immediately were helpful and informed where to eat, and not to eat in town, and suggested it was good to put in right across the street in the Upper Salmon River when the tide was high.

If you stop at Fresh Air Adventure, Daelan is the guy with the tattoos, and Abby is the girl with the blond dreads.   They suggested a couple places to eat.  Being from Coastal New England I was not as enticed as other tourists by the proliferation of lobster and seafood places, but it was suggested that if I wanted that the best place in town was Tides which has both a Deck with take out, or a sit in fancy eating place in the hotel.

Instead I went to the Octopus Garden.  Any place named after a Ringo Starr song has got to be cool.  Octopus Garden is a combination blown glass art gallery, and cafe.  Rachel the owner is a drummer and she runs the cafe, and her husband is the glass blower.

I visited that first afternoon and met Vernon, who was extremely knowledgeable about places to paddle in the area.

Then next morning I returned.  I arrived a little earlier than the 7:30am opening, and decided to help, since Rachel was there and  had broken her big toe and was limping around.  So, I took down the chairs from the table tops, and set out the sandwich board sign.

Then I saw the guitar on the wall.  It said Play Me.  I obeyed.

This is my pick for the place to hang out in Alma.  Good food, great Panninis, a nice blend of loose leaf teas, and local stuff you can buy.  They even have a jam session night on Wednesdays.

I kayaked around the Upper Salmon River and bounced among the rocks going as far up it as I could.  Oh, the wonders of a plastic kayak!  You can hit hard things and just keep bouncing along without a dent.  The evening I stayed there I camped on the lawn at Fresh Air after spending time hanging with Daelan and Abby.  I like Alma.  I think I'd like to go back sometime.  I still have to paddle the coast of the Bay of Fundy Park.