Maritimes Madness | DAY 4: (Pt. 2) Rusty Anchor + Green Cove

Read Part 1 HERE !

Eventually, we pulled into the parking lot of Rusty Anchor.

​Time and time again, it was proven that restaurants could exist wherever tourists left their mark. Sustenance is in constant demand while on the road, and it appeared that many earned one's keep by partaking in the fulfillment of such a need, offering their own version of local specialties.

​Rusty Anchor was part gift shop and part eatery. The reception area was brimming with monogrammed apparel bearing the restaurant's name; behind it was a dining hall furnished with nautical decor and plastic tablecloths. Several windows situated about the interior provided illumination.

​Drinks were served in mason jars and diner-style gradient glasses. It was a nice touch, should you ask me, and possessed a cohesive vibe to its surroundings.

​The party took the Seafood Wrap and Lobster Roll, which came with sides of chips & salsa and spinach salad respectively.

​An all-round mediocre dish, the Seafood Wrap was filling but exceptionally fishy in stench. Little can be uttered in regards to the tortilla chips and salsa, for they were clearly storebought and easily replicable.

Lobster Rolls were on the small side, though stuffed to the brim with fleshy bits coated in clarified (?) butter. A tasty side salad and tiny container of coleslaw made up the remainder of the dish. Thin slices of Granny Smith apples, dried cranberries, and chopped walnuts were hearty add-ins to baby spinach. Placed beside the salad was a tangy, sweet dressing that was later discovered to complement the underseasoned roll far more effectively than its hardened coating.

Service was spotty (read: not particularly attentive nor amiable) during our stay, with the exception of the lady who did not grimace at hearing my toilet-clogging confession. Facilities were on the dusty side and flushing power was weak. In its defense, the stalls were accessible and embellished with interesting anchor elements.

​With satisfied stomachs, we retreated back to the car and prepared for the next driving segment.

Along the way was Green Cove - one amongst the hundreds (thousands?) of coves in the province - that had found its way onto my radar. We found its somewhat hidden entrance and pulled into the asphalt lot. A handful of other sightseers did the same.

​Even from afar, turbulent waters crashing against coppery red rocks was an amazing display in itself. The area had been rednered tourist-ready: a wooden boardwalk/staircase led up to the top of the largest boulder, from where we were able to grasp an unobstructed view of the cove.

​A part of me was resentful for hiding the tripod away so soon. Time was scarce, so while I had the chance to run back to the car for my filters, there wasn't an opportunity to engage in long exposure attempts. That said, any images featuring slightly fuzzy streams are outcomes of handheld efforts.

​The true beauty of Green Cove should not be undermined; the scene was much grander (and windier) in reality.

Continuing northwest, we completed the trip to Ingonish with only one breather stop.​

Keltic Lodge was our place of stay for the night, and similar to Glenora, it was isolated from nearby residences and eateries.

​​By this point, I was exhausted from the ride; instead of trekking back out for dinner at Purple Thistle, I opted to stay in and catch up on comeback content instead. It was my first proper encounter with a stable network connection since departing home.

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