St. Anthony to St Barbe

It was only 112 kms today from St. Anthony to St. Barbe so we did not have to rush. It is from St. Barbe that we are catching the ferry tomorrow to go to Labrador and we are staying overnight on the other side at Mary Barney's Bed and Breakfast. I will not be taking the computer so there will be no blog tomorrow night.

Once we were set up today we went back to Flower Cove, it was a cute little fishing village and had an interesting light house out on an island. It no longer is in operation but the town in wanting the government to fix it up so it can be open to the public as a tourist spot.

From here we went for a walk to see the Trombolites and we had to cross the Marjorie bridge, it was originally used many years ago for the locals to go to the coast with their horse and carts, or their dog sleds.

The Trombolites look like big rocks but are actually living micro-organisms, they are one of the earliest recorded living things on the planet, the only other ones are found in Australia.

So we are busy getting packed up and internet does not work good so had to go up the road, will sign off and will be back after Labrador.

Last day at St. Anthony

Today started out without much of a plan but it ended up being a very special day.

Since it was our last day in this area we had to decide what we still wanted to see, I had a couple walks that I wanted to do. I looked on the internet and it showed a couple more icebergs off the east coast so thought perhaps if we could get up high we might be lucky. However the skies were just not clear enough to see more than a few miles.

The first trail was up Great Berhat and ended up to be mostly boardwalk so pretty easy and the view at the top was really nice.

Next over to a trail at St. Carols and this one ended up only being 1/2 a km so again pretty easy but we watched fishing boats heading out and the waves splashing up on the rugged coastline.

From here we went to town to do some chores, had lunch today at the Lighthouse at Fishermans Point and we all had Fish and Chips, oh they were yummy.

After lunch I asked Ron if he would take me one more place that we had not been and that was to the lighthouse at Cape Norman, the most northern tip on the insular Newfoundland. Larry and Sharon decided to come along and wow it turned out spectacular.

First we came to a very quaint but lively fishing village called Cook's Cove, fishing was still very strong here the big tractor trailers were here picking up loads from the fishery.

Not to sure if they are to interested in the church and you should have seen the graveyard, looked like no one had tended it in years.

But still we had not found the lighthouse so we turned onto a gravel road and headed for Wild Bight, through town and we found another dirt road, not quite as good as the first that looked to be heading to the lighthouse, hurrah, we made it.

The lighthouse and surrounding area was unbelieveable, the frensel lens was so large and the green light shone so bright.



On the far side of the lighthouse it looked like we had landed on Mars, the rocks went on forever down the coastline, they were smooth but craggy, just out of this world.

Just then Ron says "I think I see a whale" Yes our first, it was great, they were quite close to shore but did not surface much, but still gave us a thrill.

The otherside of the lighthouse was layered rock, they had a great walk along the shore and I followed it down, hopeing to get more glimpses of the whales, you could hear them and see the spout of water and a little of the back but that was all.

We headed our way back to camp and there are always so many nice views, I never no when to quit.

L'Anse aux Meadows

Well we waited patiently and we got it, a beautiful day for our adventure up to L'Anse aux Meadows, where the Vikings lived.

It was also our day for moose, we saw six in total and at times they seem not care if you are around.

Going north we came across a mommy taking her calf across the road for a walk.

We passed some quaint little villages along the way.

Just about in the parking lot at L'Anse aux Meadows and we come across two nice moose dining on the meadows.


We had such a wonderful day to enjoy the National Heritage Site and to see how the Vikings lived while they were here. We learned a little bit more about Lief Erickson and the men and women coming to the new land.

After viewing the huts etc. we decided to do the 2 km walk around the point and we saw another iceberg, still a long ways away, perhaps when we get to Labrador they will be closer.

After our picnic lunch we went to the Norstead Village, which was very entertaining, they had people dressed in period costume and showed us how to do weaving and pottery the old fashioned way.

This in a boat that would be just like the one that the Vikings arrived in.

Oh no here is King Tut, or should I say Nordic King Tut.

After Norstead we drove back through many of the little harbour towns, all are so quaint, you can really fall in love with the little coves.

On the other side of this peninsula is Raleigh or used to be called Ha Ha Cove, it is like stepping back in time, people here are still drying their cod on the tables outside. They tie ripped plastic overtop so the wind blows, keeping the flies away.

Another little village was Ship Rock Cove and then Cape Onion, beautiful views of the shoreline.

This lighthouse is not a long ways away it is just a minature on a hill, was kinda cute.

A great day, feeling pretty smug to have gotten this one in between storms.

St Anthony and towns around

Still very misty but at least we can see this morning, and the waves were crashing the shoreline with the winds.

We stopped to walk out on a short trail and yes, our first iceberg, it was a long ways away but still our first one.

We just were going to browse around St Anthony and the little surrounding communities as we are told tomorrow will be much nicer.



We went to the Grenfell Museum which told all about Dr. William Grenfell who was a very important figure for the north here in St. Anthony and Labrador. He accomplished a lot of good in his lifetime. From the museum we went over to see his house, it was a wonderful home.

After lunch at Tim Horton (yes they have Timmy's here) we went out to Goose Cove, we went for a short walk on this 1 km trail and took a wrong turn and had to get our feet wet getting back to the truck.

One thing that you see lots of traveling along the highway is the stacks and stacks of firewood, they bring the wood in by sleigh in the winter and cut it up during the summer, and everyone looks after everyone else's piles.

Back into St Anthony and a look at one of the fishing piers, here the big boats were sitting and the men were busy working on their nets.

Now out to St. Anthony Bight about 10 km out of town, very little, a few empty homes and some with some interesting things in the yards.

Next to St. Carols, it amazes me as to how many perfect small harbours there are, no wonder the pirates could hide from the enemy.

Great Berhat was only about 5 km from St. Carols but they had a perfect harbour and a trail which perhaps we will walk on Thursday.

The other thing we see lots of on the highway are garden plots in the middle of nowhere. Now Newfoundland is known as the rock, and so when ever people find soil they create a garden, surround it with some sort of fencing and get fresh vegetables. Some have scarecrows etc. to keep out the animals, but others just tie plastic bags to the fencing and let the wind look after the rest.

Port au Choix to St Anthony

Windy and wet, and wet and windy that was today's drive, Ron said he had never seen a road before with whitecaps. The winds pushed us around but at least it was not foggy and we were able to see the scenery. The drive was like yesterdays, fairly flat, the roadway is good but just a little narrow at times.

The Strait of Belle Isle seperates Newfoundland from Labrador.


Once we arrived into St Anthony we went right into town to book for the Viking dinner and a good thing as tomorrow is already sold out so we decided to go to tonights preformance. Went back to camp and watched a movie as the rain just was not letting up.



The Viking dinner was good, Salted Kippling and Cod tongue for appie, Jiggs dinner, Moose Stew, Roast Beef, Baked cod(to die for), Shrimp and Rice, and Baked Salmon, Yummmy. For dessert was Partridge Berry Flat Cake with Bake Apple Sauce and whip cream.

The entertainment was the Viking actors and a good time was had by all.





When we got out of the dinner at 9pm it was still good and light so we took a few pictures at Fishermans Point.

We are here at Triple Falls RV in St Anthony until Friday and tomorrow is supposed to be rainy but sunny after that so will save the Viking National Park until Wednesday.

Rocky Harbour to Port au Choix

The road up the coast toward St. Anthony is called the Viking Trail, from Rocky Harbour to Port au Choix it was mostly flat with wonderful seaside vistas. We travelled along at a very leisurely pace and enjoyed the ride. Today's ride was 169 kms, so we were all set up in our beautiful new campground by noon.

The Oceanside RV park is run by the local Lions club and has the most wonderful view that we look directly into. We met for a second time a couple from Pentiction, they have already been up to the Vikings, travelling a much faster pace than us.

After lunch we drove the km into town, went to see the bake oven from the French fisherman and over to the Phillip Garden walk. The area is very famous for the discovery of settlements from the first people who came here for fishing some 4000 years ago. The Phillip Garden is where some of these digs took place.

We then went to see the National Historic Site that has quite a display of these early peoples and then down the road we found the Point Richler lighthouse. The coastline seems to be made up of layers of rocks, quite impressive.

I heard you could buy fresh cod down on a boat by the dock so off we went. We found these gentlemen getting ready to go out, baiting their cod line with herring. Each cod line has 350 hooks and was impressively in a neat bundle, they say they will usually catch about 600 to 700 pounds of cod on one line. The boat with the fish was out but they said to come back in awhile and his buddy would be in.

So we decided to drive back to Port Saunders, which we had passed coming in to look at some large boats we had seen in the harbour. Poppa Ron looks like a peanut.

Back to camp for a happy hour and just heading out to chinese dinner when Mike and Jodie Benedict arrive at the campground, so they joined us.

After dinner we went back down to the dock and found the boat had been in so Jodie and I both bought a 7 pound codfish, for 75 cents a pound. Now this fellow would not fillet it as he says he can not do a good job but they will usually do it for no extra cost.

But we found Mike a knife and he did it and did a very good job, can not wait to have it for dinner tomorrow night.

Jodie was looking for the cod tongue but Mike persuaded her to leave it in place.