Adventures in Acadia

We did not sail to the other side of the island next day.

As we left our last sugar pie spot, we were met by our friends Diane and Richard, and due to their engine issue they had met a few people who had helped them further- which just meant that now we were all invited for drinks on a refurbished fishing boat.

Drinks ended up with a dinner invite for the next evening and the use of a car, to tour around the islands.

Off we went next day, with our friends driving around these beautiful islands;
the Madeline islands are shaped like an elongated fish hook, held together by white sand dunes. Steep, red sandstone cliffs along the shore with 300 kilometres of white sand beaches that ring the islands. Gabled houses painted every colour of the rainbow. We were prepared to find the best lobster, the best crab, and fabulous maritime music with an Acadian beat.

Millerand - stormy day

Our hosts (refurbished fishing boat) were Marcel, Elfie, Francine and Michel. Michel and Francine are their friends, who were neighbours in Montreal and when retired, followed Marcel and Elfie to the Madeline islands. Marcel was born on the islands, but left early in life to pursue a varied life; as a radio operator to being a pilot with Air Transat - Elfie is from Germany and is the most wonderful, warm and inviting person anyone could ever meet.

Our dinner, an authentic Acadian meal, of ham, sausage and sauerkraut (just kidding) was prepared by Elfie - Francine, because of Branko's love and quest for the best sugar pie, made a homemade, you guessed it, sugar pie Now this time it was the best sugar pie anyone of us had ever tried – Merci Francine and Elfie! 
 Wonderful meal and great conversation!

Marcel, Michel, Francine,Diane, Richard, Elfie & Maggie

Next morning we left Millerand and motored to Havre-Aubert.  Although the day before was windy and stormy even the fishing boats did not leave the harbour, this day was windless and calm – hence the motoring. 
Harve-Aubert is a historic fishing village, that has been well kept due to tourism- a lovely place to visit. 


 After a walkabout and dinner we retired to bed. Sometime in the late evening I awoke to find a man in our pilot house – quietly putting the weather boards back in place and preparing to sleep on our settee. Yikes! At first I thought it was Branko, and then gave myself a shake and yelled out “Hey who are you?Branko there is a man in our pilot house!” I am not sure who was more surprised me or this 'guest'. He quickly realized he was in the wrong boat and calmly began removing the weather boards (our boat door.) Branko arrived, buck naked, with all things swinging wildly and said ' here let me help you...' -
 Ei yi yi our guest took one look at Branko and became frantic, eventually he left and off we went back to bed, laughing all the way.

Village of Harve-Aubert

Next morning we again walked to the village, and along the way we saw a man atop a wooden structure perched up on a hill. Curious, we went to see what the structure was and what the man was doing. Unbelievably, it was a homemade trebuchet aimed out into the bay, along side was a huge cross bow and across the street a few catapults – all made by this man, who happened to be a cousin of Marcels (you will notice a trend here.)


 Branko loves this kind of stuff and was totally enthralled. The cousin asked if we wanted a demonstration -oh yes please! He demonstrated all of them for us– wow!

That evening we found ourselves enjoying a few drinks on Marcel and Elfie's boat with Diane and Richard. Eventually, the group became too large to house us all, so another of Marcel's cousin (Yvon and his wife Carmen) invited us to their summer home (which was one of the converted fishing houses in the old village) conveniently right behind the boat :-)

Yvon and Carmen live in Montreal. Yvon is originally from Madeline islands and spends the summers here. He told us that most of the tourists are either cousins and/or friends/relatives of his cousins/brothers/sisters - they all keep tourism alive – with a spattering of us non-related persons for variety.

So this converted home is a square building not very large with two stories. The top story which you get to via an outside staircase – is one room, complete with enclosed bedroom (curtains around the bed), washroom, dinning room and kitchen (a loft.) The main floor opens to the street with two large doors that seem to always be open. Inside is a plethora of memorabilia from their lives and the lives of the islands so welcoming and comfortable. As we sat talking and laughing, people kept coming in and out these doors.

Side note: Just about everyone from the islands sing and/or play instruments – and have instruments at the ready for anyone arriving without their ow instruments – it is normal for people to get together and just start playing, singing and dancing

Yvon & Carmen's home

Well, didn't this just happen to us! In walks another cousin who plays guitar followed by a very famous singer from a band called 1755 – and don't they just happen to start playing and singing and well we just started to dance, FUN.


As we walked back to the boat we met another sailor,  who had already heard the tale of Branko and guest from the night before -  the sailor,  looking at Branko said he understood why the 'guest' was frantic to leave our boat :-)

Next morning we left , bleary eyed and sad to leave, the islands en route to Cape Breton. Diane and Richard waved goodbye to us with promises of meeting us in the Bahamas and us promising to learn more French :-)