Words can do little to describe the overwhelming feeling of excitement, courage, craziness, and passion at 7 a.m. on Saturday morning at North Cape.  The wind is blowing (it always blows in North Cape) and one after one the cyclists arrive.  Some are friends; some will be friends after this day you spend together.

Aerial View

North Cape Legends

Many legends and tales are associated with the North Cape Lighthouse. One tale is about a light keeper that was not so nice. This particular light keeper is noted to have cared more for property than for lives. Mariners sometimes told of no light being lit on this northern point and of how ships had to struggle past the long dangerous reef. As for the ships that didn't make it over the reef, the keeper salvaged their possessions for himself and no one knew till years later. However, the keeper's time also came to an end and the light shone again on the northern point.

Tales of buried treasure of North Cape also exist. It was believed that when ships were wrecked on the reef that the sailors of that ship would come ashore to bury their treasures. As we all know, when a treasure is buried, something is usually put on top of the treasure to mark the spot so when the crew returns, they will know where to dig. A Hawbush, the only one on the Island, was planted long ago close to the northern tip and is said to mark the spot where pirate gold is buried. Many holes were dug in search of this treasure. The Hawbush went over the bank some years ago due to eroding cliffs and the treasure has never been found.

Another interesting tale is about a steel chest filled with gold that was dropped in four or five fathoms of water from a French frigate that was wrecked off the cape as it made its way to the garrison in Quebec to pay them. Many fishermen have reported seeing the chest over the years but after turning around to get a better look haven't been able to locate the chest. One fisherman is reported to have brought the chest to the surface when it became entangled in the back lines. The chest, however, slipped away before the fisherman could move the chest aboard.

May 7, 1943, is the date that many westerners (of PEI) state that they witnessed the sinking of a German U-Boat during WWII. The story is certainly a legend and had at least one german looking for the remains of this battle as late as 2009, newspaper articles about alternative theories, but the legend continues.

 THE START TIME LINES

Registration
5:30 a.m. to 6:30 a.m.
To pick up for registration package, submit your pledge sheets, sign-in to the event

Riders' Meeting & Group Photo
6:45 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Start of Event
7:00 a.m.

 OTHER START LOCATIONS

Obviously, if you are participating as part of a relay team or designed your own custom course or cycling one leg, your start location may be different if you are not starting at North Cape.

The relay, custom, partial course riders start their event at the following refueling stations at these approximate times (we say approximate as it is difficult to know exactly when the lead support vehicle will arrive as headwind and rain tend to slow the riders during the day):

• Portage (845 am)
  Sharbell's Store

• Summerside(1015 am)
  Green's Shore
  
  
• Charlottetown (115 pm)
  Founder's Hall
  
  
• St.Peters (3:30 pm)
  St. Peters Tourist Information Centre