On sands that Top beach experiences in Eastern PEI
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BY DARCY RHYNO
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arch bridge over The Run back up the hill to the park grounds. The view from here next to the cedar shingled buildings is of the beach and across the gentle waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence all the way to Cape Breton. Up here, there are changing rooms and showers, the Basin Head Fisheries Museum, the Pirates Basin takeout and restaurant, and a lovely set of gardens. A family in high spirits passes me, heading down to the beach with paddleboards from East Coast Paddle Adventures (ECPA) under their arms. The ways to have fun at Basin Head seem pretty much endless.
Exploring Points East Scuffing along the singing sands, swimming The Run and paddle-boarding with ECPA at Basin Head are among the dozens of activities, experiences and adventures to be
had on the 50 or more beaches along PEI’s Points East Coastal Drive. Home base for ECPA is just 14 kilometres southwest of here at Souris Beach Provincial Park along the causeway into the town of Souris. The protected waters on the landward side of the causeway make for great paddle-boarding and kayaking. But they aren’t the only attraction here. On the town side of the beach, a cluster of retail huts is home to a fun collection of mini shops for ice cream, lobster, fine art and even sea glass jewellery and art. Between Souris and Basin Head, birdwatchers will want to check out the Black Pond Migratory Bird Sanctuary. The coastal drive passes one side of the sanctuary, so it’s possible to spot lots of birdlife right from the road. There’s also access from Little Harbour Beach, the kilometre-long stretch of sand that separates the pond from the
TOURISM PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
hirp, chirp, chirp go my feet as I scuff along the beach at Basin Head Provincial Park on PEI’s eastern coast. It’s an infectious sound. I’m up on the dry sand away from the water where the magic of the singing sands works best. It’s a long beach, so I can scuff along, singing with my feet for hundreds of metres, enjoying the soundtrack to this gentle seaside scenery. Heading back, I splash along in the shallows of the warmest ocean waters north of the Carolinas. When I reach the outflow from Basin Head Harbour that divides the beach, I find the water too deep to wade across. This narrow stream of super warm seawater nicknamed The Run is a favourite swimming spot among locals. I jump in, joining a half dozen happy people already splashing about. After my swim, I cross the attractive little
Basin Head Provincial Park PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
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