St. Johns, Nfl

We spent 4 nights near the most Easterly point of Canada -  St. Johns, Nfl - the oldest city in Canada - dating back to the 1500's - right up there with Old Que. City.  Amazingly the city is only slightly over 100,000 people and the entire Province of Nfl is only slightly over 500,000 (so about half the population of Edmonton).  When you consider the number of moose (100,000) in the province - there is 1 moose for every 5 people!!!!  Crazy!  We were told that there have been as many as 900 moose / vehicle encounters a year in Nfl - and this year is particularly bad apparently.  Currently there is a class action suit against the Gov't because of the nuisance moose and damage/injury to people and property.  We visited St. Johns over the Labour Day weekend and had glorious weather.  The city is for 'walking' - there are scads of trails every where and all linking up.  Actually the entire Province is phenomenal for its trail systems.  We asked and I guess it is a make work project for those on UI - build trails and keep them in shape - and they are in very good shape.

We parked our RV at the Pippy RV Park right in the middle of the city and decided to take a hike up one of the trails to the Botanical Gardens - whew!!!!  That was about an 8 km round trip hike with much of it including 300 steps straight up.  The Garden was lovely and thank goodness the hike back was mostly down hill.  We toured Signal Hill at night and in the day - and had a breathtaking view of the Narrows, St. Johns Harbor and the city.  Hardier souls hiked the trails up and down and around the Hill - but we passed due to the big hike we'd done the day before.  Cape Spear was awesome and the scenery is absolutely astounding.  A trip to St. Johns would not be complete with out a stroll down George St. - and we - along with a bus tour of 44 Seniors (well I guess we are Seniors too) were well entertained by a local performer and a Step (tap) Dancer who had to be pushing 80 - pretty impressive!

Our last day we toured the Battery (houses literally clinging to the cliffs over St. Johns Harbor) and Quidi Vidi Village - another old fishing village that is recreating itself and has the very successful Quidi Vidi Brewery which we toured.  An example of diversifying the economy since the decline of the Cod Fishing Industry - the facility the brewery was  originally intended to be a fish processing plant, then in 1992 the Cod embargo was in force - so the building sat empty for a few years till a group came along with a business plan in place for a Brewery - and the building fit their plan perfectly.

Enjoying the Botanical garden

Don't Pick the Grapes!

Cosmos

Neat Archway in the garden - putting all that cut wood to good use

View of the protected St. Johns Harbor and the Narrows from Signal Hill

Jelly Bean Houses along an old street in St. Johns - classic - originally the brightly painted houses were for the fishermen to more easily recognize their home as they came home from the sea - now it is classic St. Johns.

Gun at Fr. Waldergrove - guarding the Narrows

The Shaw's at Cape Spear - the most Easterly point of Canada.  We are closer to points in Europe that Westerly points in Canada!

Disappearing Gun (they could drop it down into a trench to service and/or load it - and it could not be seen by the enemy)  on display at Cape Spear - a natural fortification that was manned by Canadian and American troops during WWII starting in 1941 to guard against attacks on North America and especially from the deadly German U Boats!

Part of a reconstructed fortification tunnel system built into the craggy rocks at Cape Spear.  It must have been pretty damp and gloomy in bad weather - we were there on a bright sunny day!

Cape Spear Light House - built in 1836 - oldest one built along the Nfl coast - like the Bonavista Light House - the family home surrounds the tower.  Looks like the same 'plan'.

A wee bit of vertigo - peering down the cliff side from the Cape Spear Lighthouse.  Sandra likes to get close to the edge to get a good picture - this drives Barry crazy!

Looking across Quidi Vidi Lake in Quidi Vidi Village.  They are rebuilding buildings that were literally smashed into match sticks by a surge storm in Feb. 2010.

Murals depicting the Fisherman lifestyle in days gone by along the narrow roadway leading to the Battery Village.

Brightly colored Battery homes - which literally cling to the side of the cliffs overlooking St. Johns Harbor.  They mold the houses around the craggy rocks along the cliff side.  It would be interesting to view the interior floor plans!

These very visible signs are posted in areas of high moose contact (certain travel areas favored by the moose).  This year is a bad year for moose accidents apparently.  We only saw one, thank goodness and he was not on the road!

An interesting rock garden display at the Botanical Garden - vertical slabs of slate with the alpine plants planted in between.  Kind of replicating nature!

Part of the series of 300 steps along the walking trail leading up to the Botanical Garden.  Glad we didn't forget our water that day!

Right in the city - nice park.

Established communications companies at the time sabotaged Marconi's efforts to establish a facility to continue his experiments - but he was welcomed with open arms over in Nova Scotia where he continued his experiments and succeeded in sending the first successful transmission a year later.  Amazing where wireless has gone in 110 years!

Directional signs at Signal Hill

Cabot Tour at Signal Hill commemorating the 400th Anniversary of John Cabots' landing on Nfl soil (rock!)

Parked (packed) like sardines in the Belly of the Nfl Ferry.  Buddy had to stay in the trailer but he was fine for the 5 - 6 hour trip.  But he did enjoy being fussed over once we docked and retrieved him from his berth.

Another storm system was moving in when we left St. Johns - 2 more hurricane systems are working their way up the Eastern Seaboard - so we decided we should maybe vamoose.  We left St. Johns en route back to Port Aux Basques (900 km) to catch the Ferry (a 5-6 Ferry ride was better for Buddy than the Argentia 14 hr. Ferry ride leaving from near St. Johns), stopping overnight in Clarenville to visit some people we met in Alaska 3 years ago and enjoyed a wonderful evening - seafood dinner along with the sharing of all our travel stories etc.

We crossed back over to North Sydney, NS on Friday Sept. 9 - and will now plan the balance of our Eastern Canada tour.   We don't plan anything in advance - just one or two days ahead of time.  I guess at this time of the year one can get away with that - no reservations anywhere - and no problem!  Awesome trip so far!

Bonavista Peninsula

After Gros Morne we journeyed across the island toward St. Johns - a 2 day journey for us pulling the trailer.  We stopped two nights just North of Clarenville and did a day trip up the Bonavista Peninsula visiting first the Historic town of Trinity with its many restored buildings and stories  of days gone by and then Bonavista with more of the same including the restored light house at Cape Bonavisita.  Most of the restored buildings we toured date back to the mid 1700's to early 1900's when cod fishing was at its peak.  The restored homes were examples of the well to do merchant middle class who profited well off the fishermen.  They extended credit based on an anticipated 'catch' of the season.  They called it the 'truck' system - so the merchants controlled all prices - for the goods the fishermen and their families needed and the price they would get for their cod.  It would be interesting to see a 'restored example of an average fisherman's home'.

Crows Nest on the replica of Cabot's ship the Matthew - it is 62' above the deck.  The Matthew had 2500 sq. ft. of sail and 30,000 ft. of rope.  The crew of 20 made it to Nfl from Bristol, England in about 34 days.

A replica of a 'fish flake' where they would dry their salt cod.  Processing the salt cod was quite a process and required everyone in the family helping.  Hard back breaking work to be sure!

Fish nets - we watched a video on how they manipulated these nets - harsh working conditions for these fishermen and their families!

Giovanni (John) Cabot

We remember these!

I think our ring was 'two longs and a short'!

"Bosun' Barry checking the rudder on the Matthew

This was also a wee restaurant (out on the barren Cape) with good home cooked food.  We enjoyed fish and chips here!

Historic town of Trinity - once a bustling trade center - now about 150 people live here, but the restored old buildings tell an interesting story - and every building has an interpreter or two - makes work for the locals.

Indian River Falls - a salmon spawning spot where we camped - en route across the Island

Cape Bonavista Light house - the light house tower is in the center and the family home is built around it - a 'home based business' back in the 1800's - a business that was passed down in the family as were most of the businesses or trades at that time.

The rotating lights in the light house - the keeper would have to climb up every two hours and adjust the ropes and pulleys to ensure that the light kept turning during darkness or fog.  The light house keepers job was of high status and importance in the community - and the replica of the family's home gave evidence of their solid middle class comfort.  The light house keeper's children were home schooled - as of course they were remote from the core settlement.

A statue of John Cabot on the Cape commemorates his landing on the shores of Nfl in 1497.  This was the beginning of the fishing for profit off the banks of Nfl. - first there were seasonal migrant fishers from Europe - returning home after the seasons catch - then settlers started to stay year round.  French / English vying for control.  And then the communities grew.  We toured Ryans Premises in Bonavista - another Ntl. Historic Site - very well done - telling the story of the fishing industry in Nfl (Ryan was a wealthy merchant back in the 1800's) and how the economy is struggling to diversify.  Shrimp and Cod are their mainstay today.  There is still a moratorium on cod fishing - but beyond the 200 mile limit anything goes!  Tourism has to be big too - judging from the number of B&B's, information centers and craft / gift shops - they are everywhere.

Westbrook Pond in Gros Morne Ntl. Park, Nfl

Well, remember the harsh water from 2 days ago.  this is the same pond on the 3 km hike into Western Pond.  Breathtaking!

Out of order - but this is at the terminus of the 'pond' after 1 hr. on the boat - Breathtaking!

Free fall waterfall on the 'pond'

More waterfall on the 'pond'

Tin Man - can you find him?

A fairly recent rock slide (10 years ago or so) that was apparently witnessed by boat tourists at the 'pond'.

Craggy cliff walls at the 'pond'

More cragginess!

Water fall at the 'pond'

Pier where we dropped 4 extreme back country back packers off - they needed a Parks Canada Pass and will spend about 4 - 5 days hiking out (35 km) on unmarked trails (compassing and GPS skills are essential).

Neat profile in the craggy rocks at Western Brook Pond

More shear cliff rising out of the water - which were formed 1000's of years ago by a combination of tectonic plates colliding and the action of the ice mass. Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne is one big laboratory with its exposed rock faces with evidence of the Tectonic plate action.

Old Tree / Woman

Old Tree /Man

Well, after 2 days of waiting out Hurricane Irene, we finally made it on the boat in the 'Pond' and it was well worth it.  We will let the pictures tell the story of Westbrook Pond in Gros Morne Ntl. Park.  Needless to say this is an awesomely beautiful spot.

The pond is only 100' above sea level and used to be salt water - but cut off by marsh and table lands it is now fresh water and very clear, cold and deep.  It would take 15 years to totally exchange the water due to slow inflow and outflow.  It is considered an Oligotrophic environment - no nutrients for algae etc. hence the clearness.

There are 5,000 resident moose in Gros Morne Ntl. Park who are steadily overgrazing and negatively impacting the forest ecosystem.  They are planning a controlled 'cull' this fall by issuing 500 hunting licenses in the Park.  There are an estimated 100,000 moose in all of Nfl (no natural predators) who have raised havoc with vehicular traffic this year.  On the Northern Peninsula alone they have posted - 22 moose / vehicle collisions so far in 2011.  We are watching closely when driving and try not to drive at dusk or at night.

Grounded by Hurricane Irene!

August 29 & 30th - well guess what?  We were grounded by Hurricane Irene.  Planned to do the Westbrook Pond boat trip on the Monday - cancelled due to the high winds.  Tuesday - more of the same - the fringe effects of Hurricane Irene.  We were right on the Gulf coast on the West side of Nfl and at the Northern tip of Gros Morne Ntl. Park.  We just hunkered down and weathered the storm.  Even brought 3 of our 4 slides in to minimize surface contact area for the wind.  As it turned out Monday was not as bad as Tues. so we did do some alternate touring - Nurse Myra Bennett's home in Daniels Harbor (she came as a young Nurse to serve in outport nursing - and did so for the next 40 years or so).  We actually took in a local live theatre that told part of her story.  She delivered over 700 babies (including her own Grandson) and extracted more than 5000 teeth - the latest when she was 92 years old.  There are many more stories of her outport nursing experiences that I won't bore you with - but it is amazing - the courage, tenacity and endurance of the people who came to this part of the country in the earlier years!

We checked out the 3 km. hiking trail into the Pond where we were to catch the boat - and the winds almost blew us off the board walk and into the marsh.  Next post will show dramatically different shots of the same area.

We were parked near Shallow Bay and started to enjoy a walk on a lovely sandy beach except for the wind - combined with the sand - was virtually sand blasting us.  Don't need that so aborted that idea!

All set up and enjoying the beach view - except for when the fringe effects of Hurricane Irene blew in 24 hrs. later!  This was actually a B&B - with about 10 serviced RV sites - perfect and very inexpensive!

Part of the 3 km hiking trail into Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne Ntl. Park.  This is a Ntl. Historic site - 'rare beauty' and 'outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history!

More shots along the trail and boardwalk toward the "Pond" - on that very windy day.  We were glad not to be on the boat this day!

Nurse Myra (Grimsley) Bennett came to the Daniels Harbor, Nfl area to serve as an Out-port Nurse in 1921.  She was 31 and served the area with dedication and devotion for the next 50 years.  Amazing story!  Besides her basic nursing skills she had additional training in midwifery and anesthesia.

Arches Provincial Park, Nfl - just one more beautiful spot!

One can appreciate the erosion effects of wind and water!

Beaches at Shallow Bay near Cow Head, Nfl.

We are standing on a wee levee that separated us from the effects these winds and waves in the adjoining cove - thank goodness!   But we weathered it well!  Buddy not so well - but he got over it!

Next - Westbrook Pond - a Ntl. Historic Site