Sunday 9th August
Time to leave what the guide book refers to as the Western Sector and move on to the Central.
First it’s back to Deer Lake for propane and groceries and then back on the Trans Canada heading east.
Not very far though, Howley RV park just east of Deer Lake.
Monday 10th August
Not our favourite campsite, full of seasonals and ATVrs. Not only that, they screwed us. It was supposed to be $15 for an unserviced lot, however, they don’t have any unserviced lots so they charge $20 for using a serviced one with no service. Didn’t find out until we were leaving - should have just driven off. And let’s not even talk about the washrooms.
It was day we should stayed put and would have done if not for the above. Torrential rain all day and unbeknownst to us the vent above the bed opened itself with predictable results.
Final stop for the day at Notre Dame provincial Park. Yet another secluded spot in the trees.
Tuesday 11th August
Weather change!
Rain and clouds gone - it’s a gorgeous warm sunny day.
Water, water everywhere.
A shorter run today, away from the Trans Canada towards Twillingate. Here’s the galley slave clearing up to go.
Next stop:
‘Nuff said.
After checking in and doing a bit of laundry we set off for the big tourist attraction in these parts - Twillingate.
The best lookout is actually Crows Head beyond Twillingate itself.
The views were magnificent that are not really capable of being captured with the camera. However, you can see the attraction.
Sailboats drifting by (2 actually).
It’s also supposedly a big iceberg viewing spot but nary a one on the ocean blue. The white things are boats, one appears to be a shrimp boat, it had outriggers anyway.
Someone (from Windsor, Ontario) offered to take a rare shot of the three of us.
Twillingate itself is another fishing village.
Wednesday 12th August
A morning walk to the washrooms with the sun twinkling on the sea.
Trouble in Paradise. When I went to start the truck to move to a different spot, it wouldn’t!! The engine barely turned over and would not fire. Further investigation showed that both batteries were down near 11Volts - very bad!
Good Sam Roadside Assistance to the rescue yet again A boost to the truck and we’re mobile again. A move to the other site, unload the camper and take the truck for a spin.
The problem isn’t the truck alternator - phew! Don’t have a clue what the problem is though but suspect it’s yet another aftermath of the day on the road in torrential rain - won’t do that again, the camper isn’t submersible.
Thursday 13th August
Batteries down again. This calls for drastic action. This time we got a jump from one of the park rangers and we made the 1 hour backtrack to Lewisport and a tiny little Canadian Tire. I took in the lowest voltage battery and it’s mortality was confirmed.
New battery in we headed to our next destination. When down in Marathon, on the boat, we have a friend Bill Watson longtime friends of Ernie and Dianna who live in Gander Bay, just up the road. We were invited to visit and so that’s where we headed.
This is where Bill stays (at the bottom of their garden) when he visits them.
They used to be serious cruisers and have sailed the Atlantic and the Med.
They have chickens (lots of wonderful eggs for us) and a garden of vegetables.
Friday 14th August
A day hanging out around the house with a visit from neighbour Claude and wife. When he spoke to just her, couldn't understand a word.
(Claude, Dianna, Carol, Claude’s wife and the back of Ernie’s head.
We had another unusual visitor - can never resist a bug pic.
Saturday 15th August
Eastbound we continued to Gambo and the David Smallwood Park. However, for the first time there is no space, not even for unserviced.
The guy at the gate was very helpful and told us just to park on the other side of the road with other unfortunates.
Best part - no charge!
Carol was not feeling up to a hike so I went off on my own. Everywhere in Newfoundland there are hiking trails.
This one was by the side of a salmon river.
Because someone thought at this point the river was a little tricky for the salmon to ascend to breed they made a salmon ‘ladder’.
Doesn’t look like much of a ladder but beneath the grills is a series of steps of a about a foot high. You can stand on top and see the broiling water below.
Everyone in Newfoundland has a an ATV. The owner of this deluxe version told me you can travel from St. John’s to Port Aux Basques on the bed of the old narrow gauge railway track.
Sunday 16th August
Moving yet closer to St. John’s, on Ernie’s advice we took a side trip to the Bonavista Peninsula.
Lockston Path Provincial Park has a couple of hiking trails so we we are at the summit.
Monday 17th August
Elliston (via the worst road yet) is a must see in this area for at least two reasons.
One is that it’s the world capital of root cellars, boasting 137 in number.
In the days before refrigeration this was the preferred storage for vegetables and anything else you wanted to keep cool. Why they had so many here we’re not sure.
The other reason is seabirds.
More specifically the most absurd of seabirds, puffins.
They live on an island just off the shore that you really can’t get to so the pic is not that sharp, need a 20x lens not a 5x.
Neat rock formations too.
After Elliston we we went to Bonavista itself which has a candy lighthouse.
John Cabot made his landfall here on a somewhat forbidding coast.
Tuesday 18th August
On our way out in the morning we took a detour to a big tourist draw - Trinity. Full of old historic buildings.
.
Next stop Butterpot Provincial Park only 30km from St. John’s
No comments:
Post a Comment