Our recent Golfaround trip to PEI was bittersweet, the group had some wonderful experiences and also had cause for many anxious moments and fear of being caught in a scary situation.
The trip commenced on the Eastern part of the Island at the Rodd Brudenell Resort. We were accommodated in beautiful chalets right on the scenic Brudenell river. 
It was great to enjoy a coffee in the morning looking out at the river, sometimes watching the mist lift as the sun came up. While we were here we experienced the fabulous scenery of the Links of Crowbush while being challenged with undulating fairways and challenging greens. The Brudenell River course is the type of course that is appealing to a wide swath of golfers by offering solid conditioning, non-gimmicky holes, and pleasant scenery. The course features tree lined fairways, a handful of water hazards, several bunkers, and gentle contoured greens. 
The last course we played on this side was Dundarave, a favorite of many. The sand traps here are red which gives them a unique appearance and there are 110 of them, quite challenging. In addition to the bunkers another unique feature was the eighteen hole markers, each had a sandstone slab with the hole number and par designation on it, each one has a different artistic design incorporating driftwood, flowers and other materials making them a work of art. Our weather was very pleasant with no rain to contend with however the wind was a bit chilly on our last round at Dundarave. 
Fresh seafood was thoroughly enjoyed at The Wheelhouse for scallops on lobster risotto, a Beach House Platter at Clam Diggers and best of all Richards Fish shack on Covehead Warf where we had amazing lobster rolls, fish and chips and lobster burgers.
We moved to The Gables on the North shore after the first 5 days and enjoyed the two-bedroom, two-bathroom villas with outdoor entertaining areas with barbecues. A positive was that the property was right beside the Stanley Bridge Hall where they have Ceilidh’s every night. It was a great place to experience the flavor of the island listening to phenomenal fiddle playing, singing, island stories, in addition we were treated to amazing spoon playing and much foot stomping. The only disappointment in The Gables was that the villas were quite a distance apart, which made socializing a bit of a challenge. Our golf in this area included being challenged by the creek at Anderson Creek, dodging the water and sand at Eagles Glen and enjoying the panoramic view at Glasgow Hills. Some of the group played extra golf at Green Gables and Stanhope. 
The experiences enjoyed and the sights explored include but are not limited to Michael Smith’s Fireworks Feast; Teacup Rock; Dalvay by the Sea; Tell Tail Harbour with Alan Doyle; The Shellfish Festival; New Glassgow Lobster Supper and much, much more. 
An old favorite restaurant for many of us was the Blue Mussel Café in North Rustico Harbour, where we were enjoying the freshest halibut on the planet just days before Fiona landed and washed it out. Now comes the bitter part, news of the impending hurricane made us all start to get anxious about getting our flights back home. Some of the group had to return to Halifax for their flights and the ferry closure and the possibility of the Confederation Bridge closing due to high winds was worrisome and an early departure was required for some. Those of us who flew out of Charlottetown were on the last flight out, all other flights were cancelled until Sunday. Getting on the plane from the tarmac was very windy and wet just a taste of what was coming in just a few hours. Not only did Fiona deal her wrath on the Blue Mussel Café leaving it under water the Stanhope Club House burned to the ground, Teacup rock is gone and Charlottetown streets are covered with fallen trees and upheaved sidewalks. We felt very fortunate to escape Fiona’s wrath but also very much feel so sorry for the wonderful people who call PEI home and wish them God speed with their return to normal.