Day 5—More Lighthouses, Greenwich, and a Train Station

Adella and I planned to make today a water day, but when I saw the high for the day would be 60, we changed our plans. We had finished visiting the Anne Shirley sites, so we set out to see P.E.I.’s other attractions.

We had a favorite front desk lady. I couldn’t possibly get the spelling correct, but her name is Christie. Adella loved her and even gave her a fashion show of the Diana Barry outfit and her new Anne Shirley outfit (because of the hat and wig Christie gave her). At any rate Christie suggested the boardwalk in Greenwich. Adella and I decided to go for it (and see some lighthouses along the way).

Covehead Lighthouse

We took the scenic route to Greenwich. This let us drive along the shore. I discovered the water we had been seeing was the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Today, the waters reacted more forcefully to the shore. Waves seemed to crash harder against the rocks too.

Covehead Lighthouse had about six parking spots. Adella and I found one and began to get out of the car. The wind certainly had something to say, and it brought the sand with it. A man descending the sand dune suggested we keep going past the lighthouse because the sandstorm subsided there. I gave Adella my sunglasses to protect her eyes and we made it to the beach.

On our return, I took a video of the wind as it had been the strongest today.

Greenwich Interpretation Centre

Eventually we arrived in Greenwich. Adella and I had enjoyed the warmth of the car, so we took advantage of the warmth of the Greenwich Interpretation Centre.

This place amazed me. Its attention to detail and high quality displays helped us understand and enjoy the history of the area. In one room, multiple teepees stood. The outside of each one contained information regarding different topics. The inside had chairs and a button that provided audio of the Native peoples explaining the history.

Animals from the region (taxidermy animals) had been displayed, so we could witness the varieties. Mink, beaver, Canada Geese, hares, and many more animals gave us a great idea about the animals living on the land. Of course, Adella panicked we would encounter a coyote, but I assured her the likelihood of us seeing any coyotes would be slim.

Further into the Centre we found a handmade canoe and a variety of quizzes. These all had interactive qualities, and Adella loved trying to guess the answers. We answered questions about birds, plants, and the landscape. Foxes live inside the dunes, so we hoped (I hoped) we’d catch a sighting. That did not happen.

Greenwich Boardwalk

It was time to get in our steps. Adella did not want to leave the warmth of the car, but I insisted. I knew that as we spent more time hiking around, our bodies would acclimate. We took the Sanderson Lane path as it had the boardwalk.

If you’ve been following along with us, you know Adella has a specific idea in her head regarding boardwalks. She imagines the definition of a boardwalk looks most like Atlantic City—stores and wooden boards along the shore. Nothing else can be a boardwalk. This was no exception. She called it a bridge of boards. When we walked on the water, the boardwalk had a plastic coating, so we called it a plasticwalk instead.

The wind still made its presence known, but we battled through it. None of the birds seemed to notice the weather. They just merrily ate and scavenged for food.

Once we traveled across the plasticwalk, we stood at the bottom of the dune. The loose sand made it hard to ascend then descend the dune, but we knew the shore would be worth it. Since we had hiking shoes on, we had to pour out sand to continue a comfortable walk. The return route was the same, but somehow it felt much warmer. However, we were starving.

Naufrage Lighthouse

Just prior to lunch, we happened upon another lighthouse in Naufrage. It stood away from public access, but there was a boardwalk that took us a little closer. This boardwalk made me laugh because it was a small path of boards laying on the ground. Adella had to take a photo to share her disdain!

East Point Lighthouse

Eventually we made it to East Point Lighthouse. This lighthouse allowed us to climb it. We also learned its history. After a shipwreck occurred, it was determined the lighthouse has been built too far from the shore, so it had been moved. After more years transpired, coastal erosion started to edge up to the lighthouse, and it was moved again. Each time the lighthouse stayed intact. I’d have loved to watch the process.

Another great feature included their very own mannequin. He was much creepier than my school mannequin (named Hugh Mann—find him on Facebook), and I can’t wait to share these photos to those who find my adorable Hugh creepy.

Back to East Point…it still operates continuously. The light is now automated and runs on a five second cycle. It lights up for two seconds and is off for three. You can watch it below.

Kensington Train Station

Once we finished, we had to book it. A different front desk person told us the train station used in Megan Follow’s version of Anne of Green Gables had been converted to a restaurant. We wanted to try it out, so we drove nearly two hours to find it. We arrived with fifteen minutes to spare. Adella and I enjoyed looking around and eating delicious burgers.

The area had quite the charm. Signs still stood as if the station still operated. At the end of the lane, we encountered a train engine. Overall, we enjoyed our day despite the long driving times. Ten out of ten for sure!