Day 13 July 25 Last morning, last thoughts

With our flight leaving St John's a little after 1pm we had time for a last walk before boarding the bus for the short drive to the airport. It was hard to leave.

We had an amazing time.

Our trip around the island and over to mainland Labrador covered 2650 km. The scenery was spectacular. The historic sites were interesting, informative, well presented and staffed with knowledgeable and friendly people. The hotels where we stayed, the restaurants where we ate, the stores where we shopped gave us an introduction to some of the provinces 510,900 population and we never saw a scowling face or heard an unkind word. They shared their love of the land, the ocean and the music.

We were able to eat fish every day and we got to taste caribou. We saw an iceberg and whales, moose and puffins. We saw pine forests and wood piles and gardens along the roadside. We learned that there is a difference between a true story and a factual story. We learned the words to "I'se The Bye" and sang it many times. We learned the history. We saw the evidence of glaciers and ancient rock.

I loved the cool days. The lack of humidity and pollution. I even liked the fog and the heavy rain and sudden lightning storm as we left Western Brook Pond just added drama to the incredible scenery seen during the boat ride and 3 km walk.

Newfoundland and Labrador had enticed me for years with bright graphic tourism ads and now that I've been I will add my voice to theirs ........ if you get the chance it is truly a great place to visit.

Our trip with Senior Tours was well planned, well structured covering a good overview of the whole province and well managed by Margaret and our driver Barry. We had a wonderful holiday.

Day 11 & 12 July 23 - 24

Day 11

It seems our luck that fog settles when a nice clear view would be nice but undaunted we left St John's and drove to Witless Bay for our Puffin and whale watching tour. It was pretty with the fog but not good for taking photos.
Paul and I stayed topside the whole trip and rather enjoyed the pounding of the waves. We were told to use eyes, ears and nose while trying to spot whales. Noses because when whales spout there is a distinct smell.
We did see several humpback whales and one minke, not well, not like you do on TV nature shows but we SAW whales.

Puffin Island preserve

Researchers have a camp set up here to study the birds. I have no idea how they manage the noise and the smell. Murres and 'real' seagulls (variety that does NOT head inland to gather around garbage dumps ) can also be seen here. There were t'ousands and t'ousands of them.

Puffins

Gatherall's Tour

We had several people suffering from seasickness who missed a great lunch in the restaurant above the gift shop. Best cod au gratin on the whole trip.


We stopped at Petty Harbour, a 200 year old village and site of the first hydro generating station in Newfoundland. Travelled on to

Cape Spear
We didn't bother taking cameras with us when we walked up to the Cape Spear Lighthouse where we had a tour of the original recreated living quarters. The building has an equal number of windows on each side, although some are not real to help control the cold.
We were told that as ships came close enough to view the lighthouse they could identify it as British because of its shape.

Following the trail back to the parking lot took us past the new (1955) lighthouse, the fog alarm building, sound of it just about ruptured our ear drums, through the WWII coastal defence battery and out to the lookout - the most easterly point in North America. It was impressive even in the fog.

We were on our own for dinner tonight and I was determined to try a place I had read about in a guide book so Paul and I checked out the menu at Oliver's on our walk last night. It was as good as I had anticipated and in the company of 2 other couples it was a wonderful evening.

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Day 12 - Our last full day.

We had a local guide for our city tour that started with a stop at


Cabot Tower, Signal Hill. The hill has a long and interesting history and there is an information centre/museum that has good displays and a wonderful movie. Worth the visit. The views were long and clear. No fog today.

Boat coming into harbour from the Atlantic Ocean.

Looking across from Signal Hill, ocean side.

Looking down into St. John's natural harbour. There are 2 others in the world, Sydney Australia and Halifax Nova Scotia Canada. On the right side on the cliffs you can see the cannons. This spot has seen battles as the French and English vied for supremacy in the late 1600s - early 1700s.

City of St. John's

Close up of The Rooms, the provincial archives and art gallery and some of the city.

Part of our tour included a stop at Quidi Vidi Brewery in Quidi Vidi Harbour. The brewery is in an old fish plant that stood empty after the Cod Moratorium, which had a major impact in the province.
After a tasting we were invited to pick one bottle to take home. Paul chose the 1892 I picked the Eric's Red, a nice smooth cream ale. Wrapped in plastic bags and clothing they arrived home intact in our suitcases. Only available in Newfoundland. Too bad. I liked it.

Our tour ended at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist. Now it was our afternoon free to explore. The bus dropped people at different points of interest. Paul went to the The Railway Coastal Museum and I went shopping stopping first for lunch at Auntie Craes, sandwiches etc made on the spot and eaten in the adjoining Fishhook Room. It was on my list of places to visit since I had started researching this holiday.


Purity brand is local and I developed a taste for these candies on the bus .. in the mix of goodies handed out by Margaret every day.. so they were on my shopping list.
I found some pins to add to my collection as well as a small handmade bowl from Devon House/Craft Council , another place on my must visit list. I did not however find a tacky piggy bank to add to my collection.

During my time shopping I also took a walking tour of the very colourful streets. This door is a fine example of the love of colour you see through out the province.

The main shopping streets, Water and Duckworth, run flat and parallel to the water. side streets like this one however and the next examples

run down hill to the harbour.

A true test for the legs.

Our final dinner was held in a banquet hall. This is our table, see the happy people. We had live entertainment and after dinner we got to....

.....kiss the cod,
swear a solemn oath, eat a chunk of baloney, drink a swig of Screech

and get our certificates. I am proud to be an honourary Newfoundlander.

When we got on the bus for the our return to the hotel Margaret had us close our eyes and she recounted our days and all the places we had seen. When told to open our eyes we were on Signal Hill in time to view the sun set over the city.

Day 9 & 10 - July 21 -22

Day 9

Leaving Gander we stopped to visit the Silent Witness Memorial. It marks the crash site of American Peacekeepers returning home from Egypt via Germany and Gander, the fuel stop.

More scenery as we travelled through Terra Nova Provincial Park and arrived at Trinity on the Bonavista Peninsula. Lunch first and then the rest of the afternoon free to wander. The town is blessed with wonderful old buildings ( used in many a film we were told ) and during the summer - Theatre in Trinity Newfoundland and Labrador's history takes to the streets for the New Founde Lande Trinity Pageant, a walking tour of the town led by actors portraying a few of the more outrageous characters from the not-too-distant past.

Just two examples of the pretty houses

View back as you start the walking trail Paul and I used

note the sandy beach.

From higher up the path

We had enough time to walk some of the streets in town

another view in town

We had a snack in the park before heading back to the bus. That's Paul with the umbrella. After an afternoon of walking around without his hat he had quite a sunburn.

Our tour group - 44 in all.

Lupins grow like weeds all along the roadways and seemed especially numerous as we drove out of town.

Back down the peninsula to Clarenville where it was lobster for dinner.

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Day 10

More towns, softer landscape now that we are on the east coast. Today we are on the Avalon Peninsula with our first stop Heart's Content, location of the North American end of the Transatlantic Cable. Cable Station Link .. do visit the link... it is really amazing what they accomplished. Heart's Content, on Trinity Bay, was chosen because of it's harbour.


Lunch in Carbonear across the spit of land on Conception Bay and then to Harbour Grace, the starting spot for many early transatlantic flights including the 1932 first female - Amelia Earhart.


DC3, served in Africa until the end of WWII and was later used transporting food and dairy products in Newfoundland.

Paul on the boardwalk in front of the SS. Kyle. She was built in 1913 as a coastal boat and served as a ferry, an icebreaker and a sealing vessel over the years. In 1967 a violent storm struck causing her to break from her moorings. She came to rest intact, "guided to its resting place at the head of the harbour by the seaman's ghost". In 1996 she was painted in original colours and has become a monument to a way of life now gone.

Around the bay and to the Atlantic coast arriving in St. John's, our home for the next 3 nights.

Day 7 & 8 - July 19 - 20

Day 7


A 9 am departure saw us continuing south on route 430, the only road. We stop to see a fish gate/counting area, the only stop I didn't write down and I can't remember the name. A walk along and down a wooded path, after making sure we were well soaked in bug spray, brought us

to a wide sandy beach. We went searching for sea shells on the sea shore - still the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Next stop was just down the road at Lobster Cove Head lighthouse, where the light has marked the marine approach to Rocky Harbour and the entrance of Bonne Bay since 1897. We are still within Gros Morne Park.

In the lighthouse keeper's house there is a small but well presented museum where I got to see and smell salt cod, the resource that brought so many to Newfoundland.
history of Newfoundland Cod Fishery

We had lots time to wander around and explore the rocks and cliffs before returning to the bus.

A surprise stop for a picnic lunch at Mill Brook park had us wandering the shore again. Margaret must have been up half the night making sandwiches and organizing the cookies and fruit that filled the coolers Barry pulled from the luggage compartment of the bus. Beer and wine was a nice treat.

Took lots of photos of the shells and seaweed.

Next leg took us to the junction of the Trans Canada Highway and during a rest stop outside Deer Lake, and before heading east, I introduced little fang to a moose.

Next stop Grand Falls-Windsor. Here we visited the Salmonid Interpretation Centre on the Exploits River. We got to watch the salmon heading upstream jumping up the man made water ladder and inside after a film and a guided tour I learned more than I will ever need to know about the fish and spawning. I know I like to eat salmon.

View from the window inside the centre.

Our hotel for the night was on the highway in Grand Falls where once again we were treated to cookies and punch in the lobby.


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Day 8

Next morning we headed north on route 340 Road To The Isles.
First stop was in Boyd's Cove to visit the Beothuk Interpretation Centre. The tribe is now extinct and there is an interesting story of the last survivors. link here
Once again a sudden rain so we passed on the trek through the woods to see the mounds and a statue and spent our time in the museum/centre.
You have to be Canadian and possible from Ontario to truly understand how happy some of the people on our tour were when they discovered a table covered with Tim Horton coffee and donuts. Withdrawal had started to set in on those who visit the coffee shop on a daily basis. The outlets are far and few between here.

As you travel north causeways connect the islands at the northern end of the highway. We were lucky enough to spot some pitcher plants, the provincial flower, growing in a bog and I managed to get a few shots from the side of the road.

Twillingate : is found at the mouth of the Exploits River where it flows into Notre Dame Bay. The islands provide an excellent sheltered harbour and easy access to the rich fishing grounds nearby. In recent years, a causeway was built, which connects it to the mainland via New World Island. The town is one of the oldest ports on the island. It was a historic fishing community, but because of the decline of the fishing industry, it now relies more on the tourism industry. If you go at the right time of year this is said to be the place for iceberg sightings.


The bus dropped us at the edge of town and we took a nice slow walk in before having lunch.

After lunch Paul and I went walking the hilly area around and behind the town. The area of white in the photo ( do click and enlarge ) is a cemetery. St. Peter's is the oldest wooden church in the province and I managed a peeked inside and we visited the museum that houses an excellent book store specializing in everything Newfoundland.

We continued driving til we reached the end of the road at the Long Point Lighthouse where there is a viewing platform and walking trails. Some of us went hiking with Margaret while others stayed and viewed the lighthouse.

That's us!

We retraced the route til branching on to route 330 and headed to Gander, just under 2 hours away, for our nights sleep.