St Johns, Trinity & Rocky Harbour NL Six nights

Thursday, August 18, 2022
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
We went across to Newfoundland on a large vehicular ferry which had good sleeping cabins with small ensuite.
The bus drove on with us on board we then had to take our overnight things to our cabins
I think it was ex Channel ferry as I did see a European power socket in the lounge area. Of course, our cabin had the American socket
It was the longer crossing so we had dinner and breakfast on board.
(we come back on the shorter route where sail at about 10pm and arrive 7am so no meals)
We put our clocks forward 30 minutes arriving at 9:30 to Argentia Newfoundland Labrador (NL)
We had a long drive to the Cape St Mary’s Ecological Reserve 
We arrived  about midday passing through thick spruce forests and a couple of villages.

NL is a very British part of Canada so much so that only 51% voted to confederate with Canada.
We did pass a house displaying the Union Jack.

The road went past unmined peat areas where the soil is so soft that the power poles alongside the road were in rock bases.

The reserve is the home to one North America’s largest seabird colonies.

A good interpretative centre which has good views of the cliff face where the birds were. Most people took the 1.4km walk to get closer however I stayed. When they got there they had about five minutes before thick fog rolled in.
About a two drive back to the capital St Johns where we spend two nights.
Next day (Friday 19Aug)
9:00am start for a bus tour of the city and surrounds with local guide.
NL is very Irish and their English uses some old phrases and apparently they drop their h’s but add them to words starting with vowels as we were told by the guide.
First we drove out of the city to Cape Spear where there was an historic lighthouse, remains of WW2 gun emplacements and good view of the coast and Signal Hill which guards the entrance to St John’s harbour, it is also the most easterly point of North America
It was a lovely fine day albeit a little windy.
Back to the city to be taken up to Signal Hill. 
On the way we passed the Johnson Geo Centre which the guide suggested was well the visit so we left the bus when returning from the Hill and spent two hours exploring the Centre.
It really was worth the time. It turned out to be an underground Science Centre with displays of how the earth was formed as well many examples of rocks. Lots of children.
Next day we drove north up the middle of NL to an historic village Trinity basically so we can explore the Bonavista Peninsular.
Drove through native forests most of the way on the Trans Canadian Highway (TCH).
Trinity has many multicoloured two storey houses apparently many are holiday houses. We are booked into the Twine Loft which is a collection of houses each with one more suites all within walking distance of the central restaurant where we dinner and breakfast.
We had the best cod dish ( cooked en paper) I have ever had.
Next day we had a morning tour to the Bonavista lighthouse and the Elliston root caves. These are small storage rooms dug into the hillside which were used to store root vegetables in days before refrigeration. There was also a walk to a puffin rookery.
In afternoon a small number (6 of us) chose to on jetboat trip along the coastline looking for eagles and other bird life.
Nearby Trinity are fantastic cliffs of folded rock some I am sure over 70m high
We had duck tonight which was also excellent
Next day was a 530 km drive to Rocky Harbour which will allow a full day to explore Gros Morne NP
We began at 0830am and got there about 5:30pm having stopped three times for coffee, meal and loo breaks.  Passed through many forests
Lunch at Grand Falls/Windsor, we called in to a Sobeys supermarket as well as a recreational centre where some had preordered moose burgers!
Our accommodation were a number of cabins on the waterfront. Each one with one or two bedrooms living area and kitchenette. We were amused by a robotic Husqvarna mowing machine that patrolled the lawn between the cabin and the water.
The cabins have no food so Owen organized us to go to a local restaurant for the evening meal. Leith had lobster
First stop is the Gros Morne Interpretative Centre. This had an excellent geological display explaining how Gros Morne is made up of five different sections.
Next was a 2km walk- done by Leith and a few others on the Tablelands section of the Park
Lunch was late the bus pulled up by a cafe at Trout River which only had a limited menu they could serve quickly. Fortunately we had an apple and some cheese which we could have at a picnic table.
The reason for the rush was that we were booked on the 3:30pm shuttle boat between Woody Point and Norris Point. We needed the half hour since Woody Point had a number of historic houses (~1900s)
At Norris Point we boarded a chartered tour vessel to take us around the waterways for a couple of hours.
This was a fabulous trip. A particularly good guide who pointed out bald eagles a blue fin tuna and the a couple young bald eagle chicks on a little beach. We were told that they have been abandoned by their parents.
That evening  the cafe who said they could take 20 people for dinner at 6:30pm suddenly were full and could not take us till 8:00pm!
As we had a kitchen and microwave Leith managed to buy a frozen lasagna, tomato and onion which she turned into a lovely meal. We were amused by the Husqvarna which scurried around complete with lights
Today is a drive down to Port au Basques for the short ferry trip back to the mainland

Comments

Louise Wilson
2022-08-26

No need to travel to far flung parts of the world when we have you both to take us on your travels. Your story and pictures confirm long-standing images in my mind of a very English Canada. Re the lawnmowing robot, my daughter has something similar which runs around her kitchen floor, sweeping and vacuuming.

Deb Ringe
2022-08-26

Very interesting, thx David. Judging by your clothing, looks like Autumn's well on it's way.

Ruth Keys
2022-08-27

Thank you Leith and David for your tour of Newfoundland and beyond. Just love the colourful wooden houses, the robot mower and your commentary. Love,Ruth

Trish Lane
2022-08-27

What an amazing diverse part of the world. Love the architecture especially the lighthouses. Great photos. Thanks David and Leith😊

Judith S
2022-08-28

Very interesting, David. Food sounds lovely. It looks cold.

2025-02-11

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