There’s something magical about waking up in the morning with no plans and just taking a drive to see where it leads us.  This day’s exploring took us to a local’s hidden gem, Thunder Cove Beach on the North Shore of Prince Edward Island.

A pink and orange haze spills over reflecting off every wave and onto the eroding red cliffs and sand dunes. Terry and I fill our lungs with the invigorating salty air. Then slide down a narrow footpath. Terry whispered to me, this is paradise and I couldn’t agree with him more. Since moving to this beautiful Island we both feel like pinching ourselves to make sure this isn’t a dream.

Six months ago Terry and I decided to leave the big city of Ottawa and embark on a true Maritime adventure. We bought our first home without a viewing – and on top of that – in the smallest province of Canada, which we never stepped foot on before.

Now, that we live on Prince Edward Island, we can sink our toes into the soft rusty-yellow sand. There’s a stress-free vibe settling over the water that separates this province from the mainland. The city chaos is far gone. Settling in here you instantly know… it’s a different world.

By mid-afternoon, the sun is high above the clouds as our two dogs run playfully free and splash in the ocean. We follow. The water nips our feet, and I’ll be honest I did gasp, it is very cold! Slowly we adjusted to the temperature, and then wade in and out of the waves.

Around us are a group of raucous seagulls looking for crabs. They contrast with the throatier sounds of geese flying low across the land. Thunder Cove is different to all the other beaches on PEI. The tides are constantly sculpting the landscape here. We look at the dramatic cliffs, sea stacks, and caves in the sandstone. Tomorrow it won’t be the same.

For the locals this beach is their treasure. And just like a real treasure, it is anything but easy to find. Terry and I stumbled on this hidden gem while taking a wrong turn and travelling down a dusty red dirt road. Taking that turn led us to one of the most beautiful sights.

By evening we stood alone and watched the beautiful sunset over the horizon. There’s a flickering of plane lights floating in and out of the pink clouds tinged with red. For a moment we felt lost in time. There is a peacefulness of this Island and sometimes I just can’t believe that this is where we live.