a hiccough...

more like influenza...
it seems that what i was looking for has scuttled my plans. remoteness has done me in.
i was writing the itinerary of the outing yesterday so as to give some idea of where i would be - more or less - on the way to the rock. i was plotting my journey up the north shore of the st. lawrence had made my way through to happy valley goose bay when i needed to look up ferry departures.

there were two a week leaving happy valley goose bay for cartright. my arrival would fall between them for although the going would be slow it would be steady. not sure - however - if i am reading the schedule correctly, i ring provincial ferries and not only am i reading it correctly but the ferries are booked until 7 august.

am stunned, there was this balance between the ferry being a life line to the big land but me forgetting how few people there are on the mainland. in not being able to plan far enough in advance, my outing to labrador ended.

no matter i would still head up the north shore but now go past baie comeau to the end of the pavement to clarke city and beyond as there is a ferry that crosses the st. lawrence at baie comeau to matane. i would simply spend more time in the villages there and while i wouldn’t make the english outports - thought about that by taking the ferry that hits them and ends up in blanc sablon - the $250 didn’t phase me it was the fact that it was also booked.

i find the time table for the two ferries that cross the river, ending up in matane, ring the number for a reservation as there is no internet site and find that they also are booked until next week.

i try to calm myself, i stare at the map thinking that i could go up to baie comeau travel about and then head back to québec to cross by bridge. i stare and stare but no matter the it would be more than a day up and back and i wasn’t sure if i was up for such an outing yet as while i was trying to get to the rock slowly i was trying to get there.

found it fitting that here i am once again trying to slow down, not be so manic had actually willed myself to be able to take twelve hours to drive a mere 350 km and now i won’t be able to do it.

when i did finally calm down i talked myself into a journey along the southern tip of river to the gaspé, adding another stretch of the transcanada to my journey. while the villages wouldn’t be as remote they would be knew to me and i could now stand on the opposite shore of the gulf of st lawrence and stare out. i could now follow the coast down into new brunswick before hitting once again the now well travelled route to the port-aux-basques. it would all be new, i don’t have to speed but it won’t be that vast emptiness and my curiosity of those who choose to live there.

tried to reach marine atlantic to see if i have to make a reservation before i get to north sydney but the line was engaged.