Blog # 6 Welcome back to Newfoundland Part 2

Pamela Sonier
Aug 21, 2024
32 min read

We finally did our first overnight camping at a Walmart parking lot in Clarenville, along the way to Bonavista Peninsula. The Walmart experience was much better than either of us expected. A little busy with cars going back and forth until the store closed then it got quiet, and since there were other RVs in the lot, we felt safe. More than likely we will do more Walmart overnighting along the way. After Clarenville, we spent a few days traveling the beautiful Bonavista Peninsula, another unique area of Newfoundland filled with beautiful landscapes and seascapes. Our first place to visit here was the Skerwink trail which is a 5.3 km hike and is rated as one of the top 35 hikes in North America and Europe, and with good reason. Along the hike, every stop, every turn, every view was breathtaking: cliffs, rocks, crashing waves, sea stacks, and birds galore. After this hike, we made a quick stop at Port Union. Port Union is the only union-built town in North America. We had a lovely chat - or listened - to the lady in the museum. She was a bit chatty, as Guy would say, but we did learn a lot about not only the museum and the history of Port Union town, but also about her daughters, her husband, father-in-law, grandparents, a few of her neighbours, the fisheries, and more. In between all that she did tell us about William Croaker and the Fisherman’s Protective Union, how he started the town and union in 1916 and stood by the fishermen here. Also a big achievement, Croaker was responsible for bringing electricity to the town in 1907.

First Walmart Overnight - Boondocking - Clarenville

Skerwink Trail views

Skerwink Trail views

Skerwink Trail views

Skerwink Trail views

Skerwink Trail views

Skerwink Trail views

Skerwink Trail (Engineering marvel)

Skerwink Trail views

Skerwink Trail views

Skerwink Trail - photo op time

Skerwink Trail views

Skerwink Trail almost the end

Skerwink Trail end of the trail

Port Union NL

Port Union Museum

The next day, another early morning hike along the Sea Arch Trail just outside Little Catalina. A bit muddy as it rained during the night. But still, well worth the hike. More breathtaking views….

Sea Arch Trail

Sea Arch

Sea Arch

Welcome to Elliston, famous for the Puffins and also considered the Root Cellar Capital of the world. Puffins, puffins, puffins galore. These unique beautiful little birds have the body shape of a small penguin, interesting colourful beaks, orange feet, stubby little wings, and are no bigger then a large crow. Puffins are not the most graceful of birds but they are certainly one of the most comical, friendly, and cute. A magical moment, a privilege really, to get so close to them. I read that the puffin as cute as they seem, are incredibly hardy little birds. From September to March these birds live on the open ocean, flying, swimming, feeding, or riding the waves. They will only touch land in the spring to breed. By mid August the baby puffins are about 6 weeks old; they will leave the nest and will not return to land for 3 years when they are mature enough to mate. Three years is a long time at sea.

Puffins - Elliston NL

Puffins - Elliston NL

Puffins - Elliston NL

Puffins - Elliston NL

Guy’s new friends - Elliston NL

And more Puffins - Elliston NL

Puffins - Elliston NL

Puffin Chair - Elliston NL

All aboard the Puffin Train! - Elliston NL

And of course, World’s Largest Puffin Chair - Elliston NL

Root Cellars are scattered throughout Elliston. They can be seen along the roads, or even walking along some streets. The Elliston area has over 100 Root Cellars that were refurbished and preserved; some are still in use today. The history of these date as far back as 1839. They were used to store mostly vegetables, potatoes, etc. The doors faced east as it was believed that the easterly winds would be frost-free. Children often found the root cellars to be dark and mysterious; folklore has it that the adults would tell the children that the root cellars were where babies came from and parents dug the babies out with silver shovels. Really???

Root Cellar - Elliston NL

Root Cellars - Elliston NL

Root Cellar - Elliston NL

Elliston NL

Boondocking Elliston NL

Elliston NL

In Elliston, Home from the Sea - John C. Crosbie Sealers Interpretation Centre is another of those interesting museums. This museum depicts the history of the sealing industry in Newfoundland from the 1700’s until today. Many interesting facts and artifacts. One of the many reasons to visit was to learn a bit more about the two sealing disasters here in Newfoundland on March 31st of 1914. The SS Newfoundland lost seventy-seven men who were left stranded on the ice. One hundred and sixty-six men had left the SS Newfoundland to hunt seals and were headed on foot across the ice - jumping from one ice floe to another - towards another ship the SS Stephano which was about 7 miles away. The weather was getting worse, thirty-four men decided to turn back but the other one hundred and thirty-two chose to continue. Those who continued became stranded on the ice for the next 48 hours in the storm and sadly, the captains on each ship thought the men were safely with the other ship. With no way of communicating between ships at the time, there was no way for either captain to know the whereabout and conditions of their men. Of those one hundred and sixty-six, seventy-seven died. The second disaster in the same storm was the SS Southern Cross which vanished with one hundred and seventy-five men on board. They were returning from the Gulf of St Lawrence and perished in the storm. In that one storm, a total of two hundred and fifty-two men died. After this tragedy, due to public outcry, legislative changes were made to improve safety and working conditions for sealers. Example of the changes made was ships had to have wireless equipment and flares. There is a Sealers Memorial plaque listing the names of all the men who died in these two disasters along with the names of the survivors. There is also a statue of Ruben and Albert Crewe, father and son who froze to death in the SS Newfoundland disaster. Ruben the father is cradling Albert in his arms as he dies - very powerful.

Sealers leaving the SS Newfoundland - Elliston NL

Ruben and Albert Crew Memorial Statue - Elliston NL

SS Southern Cross Memorial - Elliston NL

SS Newfoundland Memorial - Elliston NL

Spillars Cove and a hike to see The Chimney - wow! Another unbelievable day of views. I know we keep saying this but, man, Newfoundland is amazing. We keep taking pictures and more pictures in the hope that we can capture the feelings we feel standing in awe in front of these majestic sceneries. Unfortunately, the smells in the air, the sounds of the waves, the wind, the birds, the surroundings, the way we feel, is impossible to describe with words, and much less with a few still life pictures, but still, we keep trying. The Chimney is a narrow sea stack and the remains of an igneous intrusion (a body of igneous rock that has crystallized from molten magma). It stands tall, slim and proud disconnected from other rock formations. On its top, grass grows and two seagulls had taken advantage of this for nesting. We continued walking the coastline of Spillars Cove and were more awed by this magnificent rugged coastline. At every turn the view changed even more powerful, majestic, breath-taking. We even saw puffin colonies along the way and whales in the distance. This is one walk we will never forget.

Spillars Cove - The Chimney

Spillars Cove - The Chimney

Spillars Cove - The Chimney

Spillars Cove views

Spillars Cove views

Spillars Cove views

Off to the Dungeon Provincial Park to see The Dungeon. The Dungeon is a collapsed sea cave known as a “gloup” which used to be a sea carved underground cavern with two separate openings to the sea. Over thousands of years of erosion, the openings have gotten bigger and now stand as two arches. The arches will eventually collapse and a sea stack will be created. The site is quite interesting to visit but what we found to be almost more interesting is there is literally no protection from falls around this huge 50 feet deep hole in the ground. People walk around the opening, looking down over the edges with no protection whatsoever.

The Dungeon

The Dungeon

Bonavista is another of Newfoundlands very picturesque and colourful areas. We did visit the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse where there is yet another puffin colony, and more whales to be observed in the distance. We did some walking around the town. One stop was at Long Beach. Today the beach looks just like a rocky beach but back on November 1, 1755 things were very different. Lisbon Portugal on this day was struck by what would be the biggest earthquake in European history. This quake generated a very large tsunami that travelled across the Atlantic Ocean to Bonavista - over 3500 km. Rev. Philip Tocqueville wrote in his book from 1846 “The sea retired and left the bed of the harbour dry for the space of ten minutes, when it again flowed in and rose to an unusual height, overflowing several meadows for about the same space of time”.

Cape Bonivista Lighthouse

Long Beach - Bonavista NL

Bonavista NL

Cod drying flake - Bonavista NL

Bonavista NL

Bonavista NL

Bonavista NL

Bonavista NL

At Bonavista, our original plan was to stay one night near the lighthouse but instead we decided to move on down the road to a little town called King Cove. At King Cove we went back and forth in circles and up and down the roads for a place to spend the night. We ended up staying in a Catholic Church parking lot, beautiful spot on the edge of a cliff. While driving back and forth on the road, we started to climb a long hill, and there, at the top of the hill, two of the ever elusive Newfoundland moose crossing the road, a mother and her calf. Guy sped up to get a closer look but they slowly walked on, looked once in our direction, and disappeared into the woods. The Newfoundland moose quest is still ongoing, but finally after 5 weeks on all sorts of Newfoundland roads, we have seen two of the 150,000 moose that walk this land. Unfortunately no photographic evidence this time, but we hope there will be a next time.

Our last bit of time spent on the Bonavista Penisula did not disappoint as both Devil’s Footprints and Tickle Cove Sea Arch were wonderful side stops. Local lore has it that the Devil’s Footprints origins are supernatural, and the tracks (footprints) are impressions left where the Devil danced over Keels. Actually, from a scientific view point these “footprints” or cavities are caused by carbonate nodules that have eroded out of the bedrock. Either way an interesting stop. The Sea Arch another geological site is interesting as the waves erode the rock from both sides creating caves that eventually join to create an arch. The contrast of rock colours here is quite stark between the light coloured rock on the bottom layer and the dramatic red rock on the upper. Also who doesn’t want to visit a place called Tickle Cove.

Devil’s Footprints - Keels NL

Devil’s Footprints - Keels NL

Devil’s Footprints - Keels NL

Devil’s Footprints - Keels NL

Tickle Cove Sea Arch

Tickle Cove Sea Arch

Tickle Cove Sea Arch

Tickle Cove Sea Arch

Tickle Cove Sea Arch

Tickle Cove Sea Arch

Tickle Cove - Main Road

Just a bit of quirkiness along the way. A flake is an elevated platform to dry the salted cod.

One of many Newfoundland Potholes

Highway scenery

Highway scenery

Oh Burin, thank you for the wonderful stories you have given us. We stopped for lunch in a small parking area in town and this is where our Burin story began. Betty a local here who works for the town popped over to check up on us as we had parked beside the Oldest Colony Trust Building. This building was originally used as a cold storage bait shed and had been built from leftover funding raised to build a hospital in Burin, and with the help of the notorious Al Capone. The building is now used as a culture centre and there are murals inside painted by local artists depicting the history here. Betty mentioned that the mayor, a Newfoundland MP, and a few other dignitaries were on their way over to see the Trust building; they were in town to cristen the new coast guard rescue boat in the morning. She offered for us to check out the building and this is where we met the “knitters and chatters”, a ladies group who meet there daily to knit, chat, and eat snacks. One of the ladies was knitting some “Emotional Support Chickens” so we decided to purchase one named Pecky Sue who will now join us on our travels. Betty also works at the Burin Heritage House & Craft Shop which is the museum in the old Scotia Bank Building. The Museum is filled with many interesting historical displays and a few quirky artifacts, also interesting is the history of the building itself. The Bank of Nova Scotia became the first Canadian bank to open in Newfoundland. The Scotia Bank building officially opened here on November 17, 1910 and was one of four in Newfoundland at the time. It operated until 1991 and in 1992 the bank donated the building to the town to be used as a museum. At the time, the building was multifunctional. It was used as a bank and also, the upstairs apartment was rented to the the bank manager’s family. It is believed that Al Capone used to do banking here due to the close proximity to St. Pierre & Miquelon - two islands a short distance off the coast of Newfoundland which are actually part of France - which were the centre for liquor smuggling back then. But most interesting of it all is that after visiting the museum, Betty mentioned the christening of the new coast guard boat and asked if we would like a tour of the boat, the Barrington Bay. Of course we said yes. She called her husband Lloyd who is one of the coastguards and off we went. What an honour to be able to go on board this ship. The captain, the chief engineer, Lloyd, and the remaining of the crew welcomed us and explained everything and took us around on all decks. These boats, according to the captain, if flipped over in a storm, are designed to flip back over on themselves and land back upright. Their interiors are totally sealed from exterior conditions. The technology that is involved in operating this boat is astounding.

Oldest Colony Trust Building - Burin NL

Oldest Colony Trust Building mural - Burin NL

Oldest Colony Trust Building mural - Burin NL

Pecky Sue - Burin NL

Treme made a new friend with Pecky Sue - Burin NL

Heritage House & Craft Shop - Burin NL

Heritage House & Craft Shop - Bank of Nova Scotia orignal Bank Safe- Burin NL

Heritage House & Craft Shop - Burin NL

Heritage House & Craft Shop - Diving Suit - Burin NL

Burin NL boardwalk

The Barrington Bay - Burin NL

The Barrington Bay - Burin NL

The Barrington Bay - Burin NL

The Barrington Bay - Burin NL

The Barrington Bay - Burin NL

The Barrington Bay - Burin NL

The Barrington Bay - Burin NL. Pamela and Loyd

Also in Burin, we did an early morning 4 kms hike to Cook Lookout. This lookout is supposedly where Captain Cook would look out for smugglers & privateers when he charted the coastlines between 1763 - 1767. Wonderful views of Burin with its sweeping green hills and calming bays. We also visited a memorial for the victims of a tsunami that occurred here in November 18, 1929 where 27 residents lost there lives mostly women and children. Eight houses were lifted off their foundations and swept out to sea, some of these houses were towed back to land.

Cook’s Lookout Trail

Cook’s Lookout Trail

Cook’s Lookout Trail

Cook’s Lookout Trail

Cook’s Lookout Trail

Cook’s Lookout Trail. Weather forecasting stone at the bottom of the sign.

Cook’s Lookout Trail

Cook’s Lookout Trail

Tsunami Memorial - Burin NL

Turtle Islands. - Burin NL

Turtle Island - Burin NL

Smugglers Cove Roadhouse Bar & Grill - Burin NL

Smugglers Cove Roadhouse Bar & Grill - Burin NL

Smugglers Cove Roadhouse Bar & Grill - Burin NL. Lily in the pond.

As we continued our time driving the Burin Peninsula, called “the boot” by the locals because it is shaped like a boot, we stopped in St Lawrence. This town has a history of mining dating back to the 1930’s. From the start working conditions for the miners was horrible. There were no bathroom facilities, no fresh drinking water, and there were issues with flooding among other things. Not much was done to change these conditions. In 1957 a study showed that these poor working conditions such as poor ventilation and the intense speed of production created high levels of dust in the mine. Two years later test results also confirmed that radioactive radon gas from a nearby uranium deposit was entering the mine from ground water. The result of these studies are what helped improve the working conditions but for many men the changes came to late. By 1969, one hundred and fifty miners had died and another one hundred miners were permanently disabled with cancer and respiratory diseases.

Miners Museum - St Lawrence NL

Miners Museum - St Lawrence NL

Miners Museum - St Lawrence NL

Another interesting story in this area was back on February 15, 1942 the supply ship USS Pollux and two escorting destroyers, the USS Wilkes and the USS Truxtun were sailing from the USA to the American Naval base at Argentia Newfoundland. All three encountered a storm and ran aground at Chamber Cove in St Lawrence and near the town of Lawn at Lawn Head. All men from the supply ship USS Pollux survived. The men and the miners from the towns gathered and rescued one hundred and eighty-six men. Unfortunately two hundred and three others died. In 1954 the American government honoured and thanked all who had helped save the men from the USS Truxtun and USS Pollux by sponsoring the construction of The US Memorial Hospital. Ironically many of those miners who had aided in the rescues ended up here in the hospital either being treated or dying from the diseases they encountered from working the mines. Sad stories all around. There is a beautiful statue called Echos of Valour displayed in St Lawrence. It is a tribute for the victims of the USS Truxtun & USS Pollux disasters, and shows a miner and a US seaman. The town of St Lawrence dedicated this statue to all those who have suffered as a result of industrial disease, workplace injury and a memorial of remembrance to the men who fought and died during the World Wars. In 1996 this statue was designated a Provincial Workers’ Memorial.

Echos of Valor - St Lawrence NL

Road to Fortune Head Lighthouse - Fortune NL

Fortune Head Lighthouse - Boondocking - Fortune NL

Fortune Head Lighthouse - Boondocking - Fortune NL

Fortune Head Lighthouse - Boondocking - Fortune NL

Castle Hill National Historic Site - Placentia NL

Castle Hill National Historic Site - Placentia NL

Castle Hill National Historic Site - Placentia NL

We drove the Irish loop, a part of the Avalon peninsula, in the fog. We looked for whales on the famous beach in St Vincent’s known as the “Playground of the Whales” in the fog - not surprisingly we saw none. Also because of the fog, we made the decision to turn around on our drive to the Cape Race Lighthouse and Myrick Wireless Interpretation Centre. It is here that the distress signal from the Titanic was received. But in the fog, we couldn’t see more than 20 feet ahead. Unfortunately, the fog had wrapped itself around the bottom end of the peninsula and decided to join us on this part of our travels. It did though add a layer of enchantment to the scenery, from what we could see.

St Vincent’s Beach Whale Watching in the fog

St Vincent’s Beacon Whale Watching in the fog

Driving in the fog

Driving in the fog

We did manage to get to Portugal Cove South and visit the Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre to learn about the fossils and the Mistaken Point UNESCO site. There are fossils here dating back as far as 580 to 541 million years. This site is very restricted and you can only do this with a guided tour, we opted out, again because of the thick fog. This point, Mistaken Point, was named by sailors as they sailed around the cape thinking that once they pass and cleared the cape it would be free sailing, only to discover their deadly mistake when they realized there is yet another cape and being too close too shore, would crash into the rocks.

Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre -fossil Mistaken Point UNESCO Site

Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre -fossil Mistaken Point UNESCO Site

Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre -fossil Mistaken Point UNESCO Site

Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre -Cape Race Lantern

We managed to slowly make our way to Ferryland where the fog had lifted, somewhat. The wind at the Ferryland Lighthouse though, had taken the fog’s place for travelling weather related obstacles. Walking up to the lighthouse we had to be careful not to be blown away and knocked over the cliff - the wind here is really that strong. Ferryland is one of the oldest communities in North America and is known as the heart of Newfoundland’s Irish community. We did do a guided tour at The Colony of Avalon as it was recommended and it was well worth it. This is a 17th century archaeological site. Without joining the tour, we couldn’t have known what we were looking at. The site itself is an ongoing archeological excavation and while we were there getting information about the dig, one of the archeologist unearthed a portion of a pipe bowl and a piece of a spoon handle. They told us that at that time everyone smoked. They actually thought it was good for their health, even children smoked. This is why they find so many pipe pieces. He proudly brought them over and showed us. One of the many interesting facts is that to date no graveyard has been found. They have excavated about 40% so far and are trying to finish the area closest to the water as it is eroding faster due to the climate changes.

Windy Trail to Ferryland Lighthouse

Ferryland Lighthouse

Ferryland Lighthouse

Ferryland Lighthouse

Colony of Avalon archaeological site.

Colony of Avalon archaeological site.

Colony of Avalon archaeological site.

Colony of Avalon archaeological site. Piece of a Spoon Handle just unearthed

Colony of Avalon archaeological site. Pipe bowl just unearthed

Artifacts found at Colony of Avalon Site

Artifacts found at Colony of Avalon Site

Artifacts found at Colony of Avalon Site

Colony of Avalon

Colony of Avalon

Colony of Avalon

We made a few stops on our way to St John’s. First stop at The Squid Jigger on Caplin Bay Restaurant in Calvert on a recommendation to try a famous Newfoundland delicacy, the Cod Tongues - not bad but really not our cup of tea. We hiked to the La Manche Suspension Bridge in La Manche Provincial Park. This was quite a hike, lots of huge rocks along the trail and at times we were not even sure if we were even on the trail or just climbing rock cliffs. Then after that, off to Bay Bulls. I had an article referring to a painting called “Puffins Last Supper”. The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve area is considered the Puffin Capital of North America. This reserve consists of four islands and in the summer up to 60% of North America’s Atlantic Puffins come here to breed so what more fitting area then here to have a print of this painting hanging in the Stone Ducky Restaurant & Lounge. We spoke with the restaurant owner and he explained how he came about having this. Apparently his mother-in-law found it in an antique store that The American Pickers (a TV show) frequent here in Newfoundland, and now here it hangs. This is one of fifty prints of this painting done. It is a bit of a mystery as to who the artist is and no one is quite sure as to where the actual painting is. The details are great the puffins are flapping their wings, standing on the table, eating caplins hanging in their mouths. After our live encounters with these wonderful birds, the squawking and smell of that fishy ocean air, the painting has a special meaning to us - priceless.

Squid Jigger on Caplin Bay Restaurant - before the Cod Tongues

ATM outside Squid Jigger on Caplin Bay Restaurant -not sure I would put my card in there

Trail to La Manche Suspension Bridge

Trail to La Manche Suspension Bridge - at least there is a sign

La Manche Suspension Bridge

La Manche Suspension Bridge

La Manche Suspension Bridge - we made it!

Puffins Last Supper - Bulls Bay NL

Next is the Cape Spear Lighthouse, the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland perched on the most eastern tip of North America. We boondocked here for one night to make sure we saw the sunrise in the morning. One of the guys working at the lighthouse told us that if we did not get up to catch the sunrise by 4:30 am, we would miss the best part by 5:00 am. Obediently we woke up at 4:00 am and in the dark, flashlight and coffee in hand we made our way to the most eastern edge of the North American Continent to be first in North America to watch the sun rise. We were not disappointed with the Colors while the waves crashed on the shore.

Cape Spear Lighthouse

Cape Spear Lighthouse

The old Cape Spear Lighthouse

Cape Spear Lighthouse

Cape Spear Lighthouse - Sunset

Cape Spear Lighthouse - Sunset

Cape Spear Lighthouse - Sunrise

Cape Spear Lighthouse - Sunrise

Cape Spear Lighthouse - Sunrise

Cape Spear Lighthouse - Sunrise

Cape Spear Lighthouse - Sunrise

Cape Spear Lighthouse - Sunrise - Boondocking

St John’s the capital of Newfoundland, the oldest city in Canada, and the oldest English-founded city in North America. We strolled down Water Street the oldest street in Canada looking at all the amazing buildings and the colourful houses of Jelly Bean Row. We visited the Basilica Cathedral of St John the Baptist and of course the Terry Fox Memorial - Marathon of Hope Mile 0 - a real Canadian Hero. After that, the moment finally came, we made our way down George Street to Christian’s Pub and do one of the most touristic things there is to do in Newfoundland, we got officially “Screeched” by Skipper Lukey. In doing so, we became honorary Newfoundland citizens, and we have the diplomas to prove it. We learned a few Newfoundland words and sentences like “hey buy”, we kissed the frozen cod, ate the fried and spiced bologna, and drank the Screech (Newfoundland rum). Interestingly enough Christian’s Pub is where the famous Anthony Bourdain (American chef and author) had gotten screeched 6 years prior to his death. Skipper Lukey screeched him in and said he was one of the nicest sincerest people he had ever met. We raised our glass, cheered to Anthony Bourdain, and guzzled our screech.The next day we visited the famous Quidi Vidi Brewery where the local Iceberg beer is brewed. We sat, ate, and listened to a local Country/Blues Band.

St John’s NL - Jellybean Row

St John’s NL - Jellybean Row

St John’s NL - Jellybean Row

St John’s NL

St John’s NL

Basilica Cathedral of St John the Baptist - St John’s NL

Basilica Cathedral of St John the Baptist - St John’s NL

Basilica Cathedral of St John the Baptist - St John’s NL

Terry Fox Memorial - St John’s NL

Terry Fox Memorial - St John’s NL

St John’s NL

Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

Cheers! - Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

Skipper Lukey - Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

Kissing the Cod - Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

Kissing the Cod - Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

Screech glasses empty - Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

Screech glasses ready - Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

SCREECHED !- Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

SCREECHED !- Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

We got the certificates ! - Christian’s Pub St John’s NL

Quidi Vidi Brewery NL

Quidi Vidi Brewery NL

Quidi Vidi Brewery NL

Quidi Vidi Brewery NL

Quidi Vidi Brewery NL

Quidi Vidi Brewery NL

Quidi Vidi NL

Quidi Vidi NL

Quidi Vidi NL

The Rooms Museum in St John’s, what a wonderful way to spend a few hours. One of my main reasons was I had read they had a full exhibit on the Newfoundland dog and being such a dog person I was intrigued. They did have bits of information and explained bits of history of both the Newfoundland and Labrador dogs and also about Sable Chief another famous mascot during the First World War. Other interesting exhibits included a life jacket from the Titanic, artifacts that were found with the Worlds First Burial mound we had visited near L’Anse Amours in Labrador, pictures from Battle Harbour, and the only verified Norse Cloak pin found at L’Anse aux Meadows, site of the Viking village. Another interesting exhibit was the “Penny for Your Life Exhibit”. A memorial plaque was sent to every family in the British Empire who had lost a loved one during the First World War. What’s interesting is that the same Britannia figure was used for everyone, no ranks were used, making all deaths equal. These eventually became known as “Death Pennies”.

The Rooms Museum - St John’s NL

The Rooms Museum - St John’s NL

Life Jacket from the Titanic - The Rooms Museum - St John’s NL

Artifacts found at the Worlds first Burial Mound - The Rooms Museum - St John’s NL

Norse Cloak pin found at L’Anse aux Meadows - The Rooms Museum - St John’s NL

“Death Pennies” - The Rooms Museum - St John’s NL

“Death Penny” - The Rooms Museum - St John’s NL

Mummer masks - The Rooms Museum - St John’s NL

Last but not least in St John’s, a visit to the famous historic Signal Hill and Cabot Tower. When we arrived at signal hill, there was a fire truck, police, ambulance, and a rescue helicopter all with lights flashing. Apparently someone had slipped or fallen off the cliff on the North Head Loop trail and needed to be rescued. We had planned to do the guided tour of Signal Hill but unfortunately the tour had been cancelled; they had to close down the North Head Loop trail and needed to have all employees ready to help. We hiked up the hill from the Visitor Centre and enjoyed the views of St John’s. Along the trail we hand-picked and ate an abundance of blueberries. Guy even found a few Saskatoon berries bushes. At the top of Signal Hill we hiked up to the Ladies Lookout Trail which is the highest point of land on Signal Hill where it is believed that from that viewpoint the women would watch their men voyage off to sea and wait patiently for their return. A most exciting part of this adventure was, Guy was able to shoot the “Noon Day Gun” at the top of Signal Hill. This is a quick-firing 3-pound Hotchkiss Gun that was once aboard the HMS Calypso and used for gunnery practice by the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve. Guy was given a wardrobe to wear, instructions, safety googles, and ear plugs. I was also given ear plugs as I was the official photographer and in the line of the boom. There were quite a few people in the audience and when the noon count came Guy fired the cannon. It was a loud boom, so loud that when it happened I jumped and cut off Guy’s head from the picture. Don’t worry, no damage done - Guy is intact.

Emergency Helicopter - Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Blueberries on the way to Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Cannons - Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Cannon - Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Handsome Guy getting prepared to shoot the cannon - Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

The Cannon - Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Guy getting important instructions - Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Getting more important instructions - Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Boom ! - Signal Hill & Cabot Tower

Loud boom ! I jumped - Guy did not shoot off his head, no damage done.

Baccalieu Coastal Drive our last exploration here in Newfoundland before our onward journey west to Labrador. First stop Brigus, famous for their blueberries among other things. We went to the Brigus Tunnel which was built for Captain Abraham Bartlett in1860. It was built to give him quick access to the Bartlett Wharf which went into deep water on its outer edge. The holes where the blasting charges were placed all had to be hand drilled. The blasting charges were black powder. It took four months of strenuous labour by John Hoskins - a Cornish miner - to complete.

Brigus Tunnel - Brigus NL

Brigus Tunnel - Brigus NL

Brigus Tunnel - Brigus NL

Brigus is also the birth place of the famous Robert A. Bartlett also known as “Captain Bob”. He was an arctic explorer who spent over 50 years mapping and exploring the north and led over 40 expeditions to the Arctic - more then anyone has ever done even today. He captained Polar Explorer Robert Peary’s ship the Roosevelt on his attempts to reach the North Pole, and successfully did so in 1908-09 which made Robert Peary the first explorer to travel to the North Pole. The ship came within 150 km of the North Pole. Supposedly Captain Bob and Peary had a falling out and Peary excluded Captain Bob from the final exploring party. Captain Bob purchased the Schooner Morrissey in 1925 and continued his explorations for the next 20 years. American zoos, museums, and universities commissioned him to transport an assortment of plants and animals such as a walrus, oxen, even a polar bear. The Hawthorne Cottage here in Brigus is the family home and is filled with interesting artifacts and souvenirs from his many travels around the world as well as many of the original items and furnishings of the times. He died in New York City in 1946 from pneumonia and is buried in Brigus.

Hawthorne Cottage - Brigus NL

Hawthorne Cottage - Brigus NL

Prayer Chair - Hawthorne Cottage - Brigus NL

Brigus NL

Brigus NL

How would you like to have that rock in your front yard - Brigus NL

John Guy and 39 colonists sailed from England in 1610 and established Cupids Cove (originally called Cupers Cove) the first established English settlement in Canada. Cupids Cove is where the first English child was born in Canada, the first brew house was built in Canada, and the first Cemetery began in Canada just to name a few of the many firsts here. The site was discovered in 1995 by a group of archeologist led by archaeologist William Gilbert who we met when we visited the dig site. He has been working on this site for over 30 years. One of the interesting things here is that the dig site is located right beside a house, and, according to our guide, may even continue under that house. The home belongs to Ruth and has been her family’s home for many years. She and her husband would often complain about the difficulties they had with planting potatoes in their backyard as they kept unearthing stones and artifacts (unbeknownst to them at the time). Ruth is now in her late 80s and has said that when she passes the land will be donated to the archeological project and, if they wish, they can tear it down.

Cupids Cove NL

Ruth’s house - Cupids Cove NL

Cupids Cove NL

Cupids Cove NL

More beautiful views Boondocking

More beautiful views Boondocking

Harbour Grace. We had started our day with a visit to see the SS Kyle. This ship was launched in 1913 and delivered mail, supplies, and passengers to the area. It was the first regularly scheduled ferry between Newfoundland and coastal Labrador. It ran aground in Riverhead, Harbour Grace in 1967 where is still sits today. We also visited the Amelia Earhart monument and the Harbour Grace Airfield which was constructed by the locals in 1927. This historic airfield had twenty transatlantic flight attempts and it is where Amelia Earhart left from on her successful solo flight in 1932. Then after driving around town for a bit we were off on a 7 km hike called the Pirate Pathway Trail. This was a bit of a challenge as it rained the night before so there were a few slippery areas but well worth all the effort not just for the amazing views but also the abundance of blueberries along the trail. We picked and ate and picked and ate and then we even managed to harvest a full bag to enjoy with our breakfasts for the following few days. After the hike, we had a lovely visit with a dear work colleague and friend Lisa. Meeting her family made for a special day for us, they were warm and welcoming and we had some great laughs; what a wonderful end to our visit in Harbour Grace. On our way to Bay de Verde we stoped at Salmon Cove and encountered a seal sunning himself on the beach, quite a spectacle. I think Guy was politely told where to go by the seal when he got too close for photos. The locals around were not that interested they probably see this type of thing all the time but for us it was another of these memorable Newfoundland experience.

SS Kyle - Harbour Grace NL

Amelia Earhart - Harbour Grace NL

Harbour Grace NL

Harbour Grace NL

Pirate Pathway Trial - Harbour Grace NL

Blueberry picking along the way - Pirate Pathway Trial - Harbour Grace NL

Pirate Pathway Trial - Harbour Grace NL

Pirate Pathway Trial - Harbour Grace NL

Pirate Pathway Trial - Harbour Grace NL

Blueberries before - Pirate Pathway Trial - Harbour Grace NL

Blueberries after - Pirate Pathway Trial - Harbour Grace NL

Gift from Lisa’s mom - Pirate Pathway Trial - Harbour Grace NL

Salmon Cove NL

Salmon Cove NL

Salmon Cove NL

Too close mister ! - Salmon Cove NL

Bay de Verde to visit yet another quaint little museum, the Bay de Verde Heritage Premises. This particular day was the Museum's 25th anniversary and they were having a big celebration. We could do the tour they said but unfortunately the biscuits and tea at the end of the tour would not be available. (One of the main attractions to visit here, for us, was they served fresh biscuits and tea after the guided tour). We decided to still go ahead with the tour. Mary Anne took us on a very informative and detailed tour. Guy even tried his hand at a few stitches of the fishing net - memories from when he was a child, his father used these same tools to repair his fishing nets. At the end of the tour it was decided that we could have our biscuits and tea as long as we were okay to have them outside on the patio. Of course we said yes. And, since we were the first visitors of their 25th anniversary, we had our picture taken and, who knows, we may even be famous some day. From there we walked down by the wharf admiring the fishing boats. One boat had just come in and they were off-loading their daily catch of cod. One of the fishermen offered us a delicious piece of cod and a few cod britches (cod roe still in the sac). They are called britches because they look like a pair of pants. I googled how to cook cod britches and we tried them for dinner. Not sure if it was my cooking skills or the britches but we did not find them to our taste. The fresh cod filet on the other hand was very delicious.

Bay de Verde Heritage Premises.

Bay de Verde Heritage Premises.

Bay de Verde Heritage Premises.

Guy working on a fishing net - Bay de Verde Heritage Premises.

Guy stitching fishing net - Bay de Verde Heritage Premises.

Mustache Cup - Bay de Verde Heritage Premises.

Bay de Verde Heritage Premises.

Bay de Verde Heritage Premises.

Tea and Biscuits on the patio - Bay de Verde Heritage Premises.

Bay de Verde

Fresh Cod and Cod Britches

Grates Cove a tiny seaside village tucked away at the tip of the most northerly point of the Avalon Peninsula. We boondocked here in the quietness. In the morning we were entertained with dolphins swimming in the bay. The legend of “The Cabot Rock”, it is believed that John Cabot first landed here in 1497. Apparently there was a rock here that had inscriptions to explain this, but in 1960 two men from the media came and “stole” the face of the rock, these inscriptions were never to been seen again. Further evidence does indicate that John Cabot did return to Grates Cove in 1498 and was shipwrecked here. We did a few kilometres hikes to view the landscape and the famous rock walls of Grates Cove. They were built in the 1700’s and were used to create gardens, and small livestock fields to keep the animals out of the gardens. The walls are spread over 150 acres and are an example of communal land, unique to Newfoundland. The terrain here is rocky and there were and still are very few trees and since wood was never an option they used the many rocks available. These walls were designated a Historic Site in 1995.

Grates Cove NL

Boondocking - Grates Cove NL

The Cabot Rock - Grates Cove NL

Rock Walls - Grates Cove NL

Rock Walls - Grates Cove NL

Rock Walls - Grates Cove NL

Rock Walls - Grates Cove NL

Rock Walls - Grates Cove NL

Historic Boardwalk Hike - Grates Cove NL

Historic Boardwalk Hike - Grates Cove NL

Ahh mom don’t take me picture - Grates Cove NL

Fishing Stage Museum - Grates Cove NL

Fishing Stage Museum - Grates Cove NL

Fishing Stage Museum - Grates Cove NL

Fishing Stage Museum - Grates Cove NL

Guy looking at the underwater scanning device - Fishing Stage Museum - Grates Cove NL

The Wooden Boat Museum in Winterton gave us the opportunity to meet a few boat builders and watch as they were building boats. Since Guy was/is a carpenter, he was quite intrigued. Inside, the museum was very educational on the many different types of the boats that have been used here in Newfoundland over the years. One of interest is the Rodney or Punt. Now there are many explanations as to if these are two in the same or different. Some say the Rodney is just a small Punt. Another explanation is that a new boat is called a Rodney until it has been used a bit and then it becomes a Punt. The Rodney is a boat up to 25 feet and propelled by oar and sail and the Punt is a boat up to 15 feet and propelled by shorter oars or paddles. Either way they are both referred to as the fisherman’s wheelbarrow. These boats were vital to outport families across Newfoundland. They were used for fishing but were also a means of transportation.