The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the temperature was a couple of degrees above freezing. A good day as any to jump in the car and go!
I wasn't sure I'd ever get on the road. It was a last minute decision to go, and I discovered when I got in the car that I needed gas. And coffee. Also, a new battery for my camera remote. Three stops later and off I went, cranky at how long it took me to get going and almost convinced that I should just turn around and go home. I still had a twenty minute drive ahead of me, and a twenty minute drive back. I had to get my adventure into a small window of time, because I had to get Snicklefritz off the bus later in the afternoon. Instead, of heading home, I turned up the music and hoped the coffee would take care of the cranky pants I seemed to be wearing.
I knew where I wanted to go. So off I went, headed towards Arisaig, hoping to get a photo or two.
When I came upon this scene, I was instantly glad I hadn't gone home. The contrast of the huge expanse of white and the beautiful blue sky was amazing. The ocean looked endless, and I thought maybe I'd see a seal or two, but if there were any, they were well hidden. Probably a good thing I didn't come across any; seals can be vicious!
Of course, I had to get a few pictures of the infamous lighthouse.
It's a beauty of a spot, a great place to wander around with a camera. I remembered halfway to my destination that I'd left a very important piece of my tripod on the kitchen counter, which I needed to get myself into the photos (remember my discovery of this past winter?). There was a voice in my head at that point that said, "See? You should've stayed home." Sometimes I forget that I didn't always have a tripod. I made do with the nooks and crannies in the rocks for the shots that I jumped into, along with my gloves for a little extra protection.
On to the park a little further down the road, which I only remembered was gated when I drove up to it. I was running low on time, and couldn't remember how far of a walk it was to the waterfall. I figured if I didn't find it, perhaps I'd find a few snaps along the way to make the trip worthwhile. As much as I like being out on my own, adventuring, I like to make sure I get something out of it for my time (exercise, fresh air, time alone anyone? I'm greedy, I need more!).
Though I didn't get to spend as much time out there as I would have liked, I enjoyed it nonetheless. I did worry about bears, and in my head I wondered if the grips on my boots were any better than the grips of a bear's feet, because the trail was icy in spots. At first I thought, hey, this ice will probably keep a bear from being able to run. Then I thought....wait....
The one thing I took out of today's adventure was quiet. Down on the shore, away from the falls, it was so quiet you could've heard a pin drop. Standing there under that blue sky with the icy ocean in front of me, all I could hear was the slight breeze and nothing else.
Note to parents: if you're looking for a place to get some peace and quiet when you have the opportunity to go in search of it, you'll find it in Arisaig. Out there on your own, no one asks you for juice or needs a snack after barely touching dinner. No one calls you into another part of the house to show you the boogie they dug out of their nose, or calls you into the bathroom so that you can take care of number two while in the middle of making supper. I would've sat there awhile and enjoyed it if it wasn't for the cold and my lack of time. I look forward to going back when the ice is gone so that I can enjoy the sounds of the ocean when it's not so quiet.
I managed to get to the falls after all, and after finding a place to get down to the bottom, I spent some time getting a few snaps and then started back.
All in all, it was a great afternoon to get out. I was almost attacked by a crazy squirrel that scared the bejesus out of me (one day I'll tell the story of how that particular squirrel wasn't the first to make a run at me; what is it with me and squirrels?), but aside from that, it was a nice little adventure!
