Tide and Time Wait For No Woman
- 3womenwhowander
- Oct 16, 2020
- 12 min read
Women Who Wander NB
Adventure Nine
Panoramas, Parkways and Painless Parker
Setting out bright and early, the Women Who Wander NB pointed the Incredible Wander Wheels in the general direction of St. Martin’s, NB for a day full of panoramas, parkways and Painless Parker. Adventure nine was underway.
With Tim's on board, we picked up the usual route to St. Martin’s just outside of Saint John. It was Route 111 of course but, by now, you know that the unusual Women Who Wander NB are usually against all things usual!
As soon as we could, we left Route 111 and picked up Route 825 which is a 26 kilometer feast for the eyes featuring coastal vistas, covered bridges, charming churches, and captivating people. (Clearly YT loves alliteration!)
A couple of summers ago, YT and LT scooped up our dear friend and adopted Portuguese Momma, Adelaide Fernandes, from her home in the Loyalist City and had an awesome day exploring Route 825 together.
We were excited to return to the area and show our best pal BST some of that awesomeness! Once we explained to her that there would be mouth watering seafood to be had and shopping aplenty waiting for us at the end of this rainbow route, she had no problem agreeing to steer the Incredible Wander Wheels accordingly.
Our first adventure off the 825 was a left turn on to the Old Black River Road on the outskirts of St. John, NB.
One of the reasons for taking this turn was to see the historic St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
Unfortunately, since we were here last, this dear little Church, dating back to 1848, had been dismantled due to structural damage.
When we found all traces of the old Church gone, we (and by "we" I mean LT) knocked on the door across the road from the empty field where the church used to be. LT was tasked with finding out what happened to the Church!
That's when we learned that the church had been in a state of ruination and had met it's demise because of it. A bit of investigation later brought YT in contact with Ramona Dow, keeper of important information about St. Patrick's. Ramona was able to provide us with the photos that we are sharing with you.
St. Patrick's has such an interesting history. It was built over a three year period by local men who worked at the shipyard during the day and alternated their fee evenings to construct both St. Patrick's Catholic Church and the local Anglican Church.
Such a loss. The old St. Patrick's Catholic Church may be gone but it most certainly is not forgotten!
The second reason for venturing down the Old Black River Road was to, once again, visit the Old Black River Road Wharf. Truth be known, the Wharf isn't actually located on Old Black River Road. You have to take a turn on to Wharf Road to get there but if you drive to the very end of Wharf Road you will find the Old Black River Road Wharf!
This wharf is off the beaten path but there is no question about it - The Old Black River Road Wharf qualifies as a stellar Hidden Gem of New Brunswick.
A working fishing wharf, it is perfectly nestled in the craggy hills around the Black River. We are told the Black River (which empties into the Atlantic) got it’s name from the black appearance of the water.
A more peaceful and photogenic spot than this would be difficult to find. The Women Who Wander NB are somewhat envious of the folks lucky enough to live on the Old Black River Road with its amazing vistas of both land and sea. We were told that the area also offers amazing beaches!
We are very much in favour of vistas and beaches but we're not so much in favour of bathing suits and cold water, so we skipped right over the beaches and stuck to the vistas. Once we had drunk our fill of the scenery this road offered, BST turned the Incredible Wander Wheels back down the Wharf Road, on to the Black River Road toward the 825 and onward to St. Martin’s.
Of course, getting from Point A to Point B for the Women Who Wander NB is not about the time it takes to get there - it's all about taking our time to get there!
Even though our early morning refreshments were beginning to encourage us to seek out the nearest WC, we happily soldiered on for many a mile with many a stop - mostly because with LT on board, that meant a whole lot of “STOP HERE” requests and more than just a few photos!
Here’s just a small selection of her portfolio taken on our Wander from Old Black River Road to Tynemouth Creek.
We say it frequently in relation to a lot of the roads that we travel in New Brunswick but we have to say it again - the 825 really is captivatingly beautiful!
These 26 kilometers brought back memories of our trip from Alma to Hillsborough in Adventure 4, The Best Laid Plans of Mice & Women. We can turn a 25 minute drive into a two hour expedition with little or no effort and enjoy every minute of it! If you didn't yet get a chance to catch Adventure Four you can check it out on the Women Who Wander NB Blog at womenwhowander.wixsite.com/mysite-1
In addition to some pretty incredible beaches, Tynemouth Creek has it’s very own 91 year old, 94 foot long covered bridge!
You can find the bridge on the Tynemouth Creek Road near St. Martins, NB.
Bet you didn’t know that!
Tynemouth Creek isn't a very big place but it sure has a big story to tell!
Now hang on to your hats because what we are about to share with you really put Tynemouth Creek on the map and should put the story in the history books of New Brunswick in our opinion!
Sit back and let us tell you the tale of a fine gentleman by the name of Painless Parker, born March 22, 1872.
Like the Women Who Wander NB, you may have asked yourself where you heard that name before. Well, Painless Parker (born Edgar Randolph Parker) of Tynemouth Creek, New Brunswick was, at one time, known as the richest dentist in the United States.
In December of 1949, Ian Schlanders wrote an article for MacLean’s Magazine entitled "Painless Parker, The Outlaw Dentist". In the article Schlanders wrote that Painless "made more money at dentistry than anybody else in history, has pulled molars from the mouths of lions and tigers while crowds cheered and news cameras clicked..…..".
Sclanders continued that "His flamboyant publicity stunts have attracted millions of patients to his chain of dental offices, which is the largest in the world. But they have scandalized sedate members of his profession.”
No dull "Edgar" for him, Edgar Randolph Parker had his name legally changed to Painless Parker and that was the name on his passport, how he signed cheques, and the name he used to entered into legal contracts!
The saga of Painless Parker's life is incredibly fascinating and it started out in Tynemouth Creek, New Brunswick!!!
Fulfilling his Mother's wish, he was sent off to theology school at Acadia University in Nova Scotia and was promptly expelled. He tried his hand as a hardware store clerk in Saint John, NB but that employment only lasted a day.
He immediately applied for a job on the Saint John wharf and was rewarded with a position as a cook on a schooner. Unfortunately he didn't last as cook because he didn't know you had to use yeast when making bread so the Captain busted him down to ordinary seaman!
When he returned home from the sea, his Mother still had dreams for her Edgar to become a religious leader so he was persuaded to begin training at the Baptist Seminary in St. Martins. The poor Baptists didn't know what hit them and it wasn't long before they strongly encouraged Painless to try his hand at , well, anything else!
From contracting dengue fever in the Caribbean, to attending dental school in Brooklyn, New York, from setting up a dental practice in St. Martins, NB, to finally getting on the road to riches, Painless Parker's journey through life is like no other.
Besides their cutaway coats and top hats, what do P.T. Barnum and a New Brunswick born dentist have in common?
Our recommended reading to find out is the 1949 MacLean's Magazine article by Ian Schlanders which you can find at:
Painless Parker's story makes Tynemouth Creek a shoo-in to be a Women Who Wander NB Hidden Gem!
Note:
We think Painless Parker's family home is still there in Tynemouth Creek somewhere but we aren’t certain. If you happen to find yourself in the area, check that out for us! Be sure to let us know. what you discover!
Finishing up in Tynemouth Creek, we made one more stop before reaching St. Martins.
Veering off the beaten track once again, we paused at Moore's Specialties located at 1254 Route 825, Gardner Creek, NB!
This pretty property is a hat trick being a bed and breakfast, an antique shop and a craft store!
The porch beckons you to just sit for a minute but the view from the charming farmhouse will take your breath away and the temptation to rest in one of the inviting red Adirondacks positioned to take advantage of that view would be quite overwhelming.
Although the antique shop / Inn was not open (our fault as we neglected to check the hours), we have it on good authority from our friend, Carol Dixon, that this antique and gift shop is well worth the visit. Definitely on our list of places for a return visit!
Check out their website at www.stayatmoores.com
Finally, St. Martins! By now, breakfast was but a fleeting memory. Lunch and dinner were about to become one. Exit the Incredible Wander Wheels; enter The Caves Restaurant!
The (famous) Caves Restaurant is located at 82 Big Salmon River Road, St. Martins, NB. Even though we didn't have their world famous chowder, we completely believe their claim to fame!
Safely socially distancing, we cued-up to place our orders, found our freshly disinfected patio table and chairs, settled in on the deck at the edge of the ocean, with a cold ice tea in hand we waited for our order number to be called.
Before we knew it, we were staring down some extremely inviting plates of seafood! Fish and Chips for some, Lobster Rolls for others!
We knew if this food only tasted half as good as it looked, it would still have been delicious!
The staring didn’t last long, but, for once, it was long enough for LT to snap a quick photo.
As it turned out, the food tasted even better than it looked and resulted in the awarding of a scrumptious Women Who Wander NB Three Cheers Award for The Caves Restaurant!!!
Find them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/The-Caves-Restaurant-175431485850309/
More than fully sated, we headed back into downtown St. Martins somewhat conscious of the fact that we had yet to make our way across the stunning Fundy Trail Parkway and back home again before nightfall. But when has that ever stopped us?
St. Martins "downtown” is a tiny little paradise for photographers and shoppers alike.
Determined to move quickly, we scooted down the road from The Caves Restaurant to the charming little shopping area by the wharf. LT was off like a shot, in her element taking pictures and generally enjoying her Wander.
YT and BST followed the scent of the homemade waffle cones across the parking lot and in spite of our recent fully sated status, our first stop was at the Octopus Ice Cream shop which also happens to be a really cute gift shop and gallery!
You can find Octopus Ice Cream located at 404 Main Street, St. Martins, NB, across the street from the lighthouse and next to the covered bridge.
You can also find them at: www.octopusicecream.com
Just guess who else we found at the ice cream shop? You know her well.
LT was caught devouring a hot fudge/hot butterscotch brownie sundae and chatting with the shop owner, Mary Kennedy!
In our so-called "sated states", we have no idea how we managed to get through so much deliciousness in one store but we did it! Now, we happily accept a sweet Women Who Wander NB Three Cheers for ourselves for actually leaving when we did and, an even sweeter Women Who Wander NB Three Cheers Award for the Octopus Ice Cream Shop for tempting us to stay in the first place!
Woman Who Wander Note:
When you're finished here, head over to "Friends We Meet" on our webpage to find out a little more about our new friend Mary Kennedy! You can easily get there at
We also met some lovely crafty ladies at the Handy Hands gift shop located just a couple of doors down from Octopus Ice Cream.
Handy Hands is, a cooperative of sorts where the ladies make and sell their quality hand made goods under one roof!
One of those ladies, Marjorie, was the creator of a charming necklace that YT just couldn’t resist!
Across the street from the Wharf Shops, is Sandpipers gift shop located at 419 Main Street, St. Martins.
The outside of this charming building is as photo worthy as any building we've come across.
Sandpieprs owner, Margot King, has used the building itself along with found objects as backdrops for her many flowering displays.
Bright yellow chairs perch randomly on the side of the building and hold flower pots flowing over with colourful annuals.
An antique bedframe on the lawn is home to a miniature flower garden lending a whole new meaning to "flower bed"!
Inside the shop, we found antique treasures along with local books, jewellery, children’s toys and so much more. An inspiring Women Who Wander NB Three Cheers Award to Sandpipers for their creativity!
Find them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/Sandpipers-181883935200570/
After all that shopping and dining, it was way past time to head out on the highway, or should we say, Parkway.
One of the first faces we saw was a warm and welcoming, Gwen, who was on duty at the entrance to the Fundy Trail Parkway. We would like to give a great big shoutout to Gwen, for being very patient with the Women Who Wander NB and even laughed at our jokes! (We think we are hilarious but we acknowledge that not everyone does).
If Gwen could have slipped out of work, we would have gladly taken her with us!
Women Who Wander NB Note:
Meet gorgeous Gwen in the "Friends We Meet" section on our webpage! You'll want to know what she looks like so you can say Hello to her the next time you're at the entry booth for The Fundy Trail Parkway! Find her at https://3womenwhowander.wixsite.com/mysite-1
The Fundy Trail Parkway is excruciatingly beautiful! Need we say more? Probably we should.
The Parkway is a 30 kilometer drive featuring stunning views of the Bay of Fundy going through the Fundy Trail Park,.
The Park highlights the world renowned, and not for the faint of heart, Fundy Footpath, along with many other paths, interpretation centers, beaches, rivers, gorges and so much more.
How lucky we are to have this beautiful treasure in our back yard!
You can drive the Parkway, you can hike the Park, or you can do both! No matter what you choose, you are going to experience a feast for the eyes!
You are going to wear out your camera; you are going to run out of descriptive words and you are going to resort to simple oohs and aahs. You are going to pull your car over at every lookout; you are going to say this is the most spectacular lookout until you go around a corner and it isn’t anymore.
Helen Keller understood that "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart". That's just how it is when you're trying to take in the most beautiful scenery in the world. You must drive slowly to see it and feel it with your heart.
This Park and Parkway are going to make you sooooooo proud of New Brunswick!
Our one indulgence before exiting the Parkway was a stop at the Salmon River Interpretive Centre located at 3 Fundy Trail Parkway, Salmon River, NB.
There used to be a life sized Moose on display at the front of the Interpretive Centre. Although we were sorry that the moose is no longer there to call us in, we did get a very warm welcome from the ladies working in the Centre.
The Interpretive Centre has lots and lots of information to offer on hiking trails and things of interest on the hiking trails and, of course, the ladies in the Centre are well informed, very knowledgeable and are happy to direct you if you need assistance.
They also have a great gift shop where they carry cute animal hats and other fun gifts and souvenirs.
We gave fair and careful consideration to all of the hats on the shelf and decided that the most attractive was the furry moose hat!
We knew you would want to see that hat and we surely wanted to show you but we had to slightly modify the model to protect her identity ...... or maybe to protect the person posting the photo from the model.
Either way, it's a dandy hat and a really cute model!
Like Gwen at the gate at the Park, the ladies in the Center laughed along with us and made our time there fun and informative!
You may have been under the impression that the Fundy Parkway only went half way through the Park and required folks to return via St. Martins. You would have been right until recently.
The good news is that The Parkway now goes all the way through the Park enabling you to continue on to Sussex Corner, into Sussex and beyond.
For three tired Women Who Wander that was very good news, indeed! However, we were alert enough to note that the drive from the end of the Parkway into Sussex was awfully pretty in normal times but truly stunning during the full force Fall colours.
Please be aware that the Fundy Trail Parkway closes for the season on October 18th, 2020. Rest assured it will be waiting for you next year in all it's natural glory!
Just adventure!
Women Who Wander NB
Lynne, Barb & Gail
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