Newfoundland 2015 – Page 2 – Steps to Anywhere

Back in Nova Scotia

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Edward Thorpe

Despite the 11:45 departure time for the ferry we still left the Port aux Basques hotel about 9 to get a Timmy’s coffee as the reputation of the ferry terminal food services has not been good. Also, they expect everyone to check-in at the terminal 2 hours before sailing. We boarded from the back of the ferry and were very near the front for an early evacuation in North Sydney.

So we say goodbye to Newfoundland and Port aux Basques as our ferry, the MV Highlanders, sailed out of the harbour.

The ship rolled considerably after we left the shelter of the harbour and continued to do so for almost half of the trip. It was sufficient for Gail to buy some Ginger Gravol which seemed to help. She was not the only one feeling the effects of the sea but I saw nobody violently ill. From the mid point on the seas were calm and we arrived in North Sydney right on schedule at 1730 Atlantic time.

On the way to the hotel we did a bit of grocery shopping for the next two long days of travel and grabbed a fast food dinner. Once at the hotel we made a final trip to the hotel’s laundry then finished off the last of the wine. Oh yeah, the 24th was our 49th anniversary.

There won’t be much in the journal now until after we arrive in Ottawa on Sunday since Saturday will be a very long travel day with Sunday being a little shorter but with Montreal in the way. Hopefully we will find the Route 30 bypass uncrowded.

Final day in Newfoundland

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Edward Thorpe

The weather was again fantastic for our final day in Newfoundland. It was only a 200 km trip from Corner Brook to Port aux Basques and we arrived around noon. After a little shopping we grabbed a Timmy’s coffee and drove out into the Codroy Valley only a short distance from Port aux-Basques to find a quiet place for lunch.

After lunch we returned to Port aux Basques and checked into our hotel for the night. Our room was actually ready at 2 PM. We took a walk around the town, visited an ATM and chatted with some locals along the harbour boardwalk. Upon returning to the room there was a new development–no water. An hour later we learned that it was not just a hotel problem but one affecting the whole town.
Water returned about 11 pm although pressure was low. Fortunately, we were on the first floor. People on the third floor never really got water.
Now we are waiting for the ferry. I should be able to post a few more photos once we reach Sydney.

More about Vikings

Posted on September 23, 2015 by Edward Thorpe

We awoke to another beautiful day in Newfoundland, great for the first full day of autumn. After breakfast in St Anthony we packed up and visited another Viking village recreation called Norstead. This time it was typical of the more permanent sites in Iceland. The buildings were constructed of timber rather than peat blocks but no less spartan.

Wood lathe

Tools of the day

Textile making

Ocean Cargo vessel 65 feet long

Church

Boat house

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Bye Labrador, Hello St. Anthony

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Edward Thorpe

It has been another beautiful day, sunny and bright all day and very calm seas for the ferry crossing from Labrador to the Newfoundland coast. We took the longer route from St Barbe to St Anthony. It was not a complicated route but we set the GPS for our destination about 150 km away. “Penny” acknowledged the 150 kms but estimated our travel time to be 4 hours. Seemed strange since the speed limits were 80 to 90 kph but she was insistent until we were within 50 km at which time she began to catch up with reality. Morale, don’t always trust the machine.

We actually arrived in St Anthony about 2 PM, had lunch and visited the first Timmy’s since Deer Lake. After we checked into the motel we set off to L’Anse aux Meadows, the 1.000 year old Viking settlement. It really was worth the modest $10 admission. We recalled seeing the Viking long boats at museums in Oslo but really did not think of them as vessels that would take them as far as Newfoundland.

Coastline at L’Anse au Meadows

L’Anse au Meadows original Viking village

The remnants of the original settlement are still visible and there is a reconstruction of some of the buildings. The sod of which they are constructed is harvested only a few kilometres from the site.

L’Anse au Meadows

I was fascinated to learn that the area is considered sub-arctic climatically. A look at some of the vegetation, however, confirms this. There are fully mature balsam trees complete with cones but they are only three feet tall.

Tomorrow we will do a little more sightseeing and then move to Corner Brook for the night.

100 year old Balsam 3′ tall