Lynda L. Lock's Blog, page 9

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Quidi Vidi and then southwest to Grand Bank NL)

Quidi Vidi Brewing in Quidi Vidi NLJuly 19th: For the first time in 80 days of traveling, the compass on my car's dashboard pointed west. The Fuzz-butt and I still have more places to explore but we are now slowly heading back in the direction of Penticton BC. I plan to arrive home around September 1st, all going well.

Leaving our hotel I took a quick detour, toward the nearby village of Quidi Vidi. The locals aren't sure if the unusual name was derived from Portuguese, Spanish, French or even Latin. No one knows the exact origin. This is where the Quidi Vidi Brewery is located, the makers of Iceberg Lager. "Brewed with pure 20,000 year-old iceberg water harvested straight from our shores." 
Quidi Vidi Newfoundland

The 163-kilometre (100-mile) drive between St. John's and Goobies, near Come-by-Chance, on the Trans Canada Highway is long and not very interesting. 

It's one of the few times that I stayed on the main highway. The sideroads are much more fun, but I had a longer than normal distance to drive, so stayed with easy and boring. 

Grand Bank NLAt Goobies, I turned south and drove another 197 kilometres toward the town of Grand Bank located at the bottom of the Burin Peninsula and on the edge of the famous Grand Banks fishing grounds.

Sparky and I are staying in a cottage on the outskirts of town that is part of a B&B.

 It's very comfortable, and the owners are great, but the three cans of bug spray at the outside fire pit is probably a clue as to the type of uninvited guests that hang around in the evenings.

Cheers Lynda and The Sparkinator

At the B&B's firepit
Grand Bank NL

Sharon's Nook Grand Bank NL

A mom duck, wondering why this kid is so big

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Cape Spear, on the edge of Canada)

Sparky at Cape Spear NL July 18th: Cape Spear, the eastern edge of Canada is located just a short drive from St. John's Newfoundland. Sparky and I visited there, and he posed for a photo! 

Cape Spear Newfoundland, photo Kevin Williams
Cape Spear looking toward St. John's harbour












Marker for the East Coast Trail
And for my hiking, trekking friends. The East Coast Trail is a wilderness pathway that passes through more than 30 communities in Newfoundland, for a distance of 336 kilometres, or 209 miles. National Geographic named it one of the best adventure destinations in 2012. 

Old time police car in Black Head Newfoundland
Then we roamed around the St. John's harbour entrance that was once protected by the now defunct Fort Amherst.
Entrance to St. John's harbour
Houses on the Signal Hill side of harbour

After dinner, I took the Fuzz-butt for an evening stroll along the summertime-only pedestrian mall located just two blocks from our hotel. The restaurants on Water Street were busy, but I was in bed and asleep far too early to hear the live music playing various venues on nearby George Street. 
Busy Water Street St John's NL We had an early morning departure because we were traveling from St. John's to the southern tip of the Burin Peninsula, a six-hour drive. 
Cheers Lynda and Fuzz-butt



 

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Signal Hill & Witless Bay NL)

A few more houses on Jelly Bean RowJuly 17th: The afternoon edition.

Yesterday was a busy day. We wandered Jelly Bean Row, in St. John's Newfoundland, early in the morning. I snapped dozens of photographs of the colourful houses while Sparky read and answered numerous pee-mails. 

Signal Hill St. John's NLThen just before lunch I drove the short distance to Signal Hill which overlooks the narrow entrance to St. John's harbour. Signal Hill has been a key part of Newfoundland's military and communications history.

The Battle of Signal Hill took place on the morning of September 15, 1762 between the French and British.

It was the final battle of the Seven Year’s War in North America, which secured Great Britain as the dominant European power.

The Battery on Signal Hill NL

Then on December 12th 1901, Signal Hill was at the centre of a major international breakthrough.

Using an antenna suspended from a kite, Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal, the letter ‘S’ in Morse code.

Marconi’s breakthrough, which was part of an ongoing rivalry with many inventors, led to a new age in communication technology. Marconi was also an entrepreneur, businessman, and founder of The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company.

The Battery on Signal Hill St. John's NLHistory aside, I enjoyed hiking the pathways. My travel partner wasn't thrilled. He was hot and overheated by the time we returned to our car.

The weather has become hot and humid in the last couple of days. I'll have to keep a close eye on my little old man.

Later in the afternoon, I drove to Witless Bay, to see if I could find the famous Atlantic Puffins! Well, they are there, happily inhabiting the Witless Bay Ecological Preserve, a series of small islands only accessible via a licensed boat tour.

That's the one downside to having a pooch with me. I can't easily do tours.

Cheers Lynda and The Sparkinator

Witless Bay Ecological Preserve - out there!















Witless Bay Newfoundland Too hot for Sparky

View from Signal Hill - Jelly Bean Row

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Jelly Bean Row in St. John's Newfoundland)

Jelly Bean Row St. John's NLJuly 17th: Early this morning Sparky and I wandered around the famous Jelly Bean Row district in St. John's Newfoundland. Jelly Bean Row isn't just one street, it's a collection of several streets covering a large area of the historic waterfront.

While he read and answered numerous pee-mails, I snapped photos of as many of the colourful buildings as possible. I will be posting more in the next day or two.

Newfoundland was claimed for the English in 1497 by John Cabot working on behalf of the British Crown. But according to a sign in a local park it was formally claimed again in 1583, by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in the area that became St. John's. He intended it to be little more than a replenishing base for fishermen and hunters so there was no permanent European presence.

Officially claimed by British in 1583

My big question is how, or when, did the moose get to Newfoundland. It's too far for the animals to swim from the mainland. 

Central Newfoundland is the remains of an ocean floor that lay between North America and Africa about 500 million years ago. 

The island's west coast is part of the ancient margin of North America. 

The east coast was once part of southwestern Europe or North Africa, so the animals wouldn't have occurred here naturally. 

Well, thanks to the internet I have my answer:

In 1904, four moose were introduced to the Newfoundland community of Howley as part of a government initiative. 

It was hoped the animals would be a good source of meat for those working in the then-booming mining and forestry industries as well as hopefully attract sport hunters to visit the island. 

That means that every moose is related to all of the other moose. 

Cheers, and Happy Monday

Lynda and The Sparkinator

Jelly Bean Row St. John's NL

View from my hotel room in St. John's NL
Jelly Bean Row St. John's NL

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Pouch Cove, at the eastern edge of Canada)

July 16th: from my view point at Pouch Cove, at the tip of the Avalon Peninsula near St. John's Newfoundland, it appeared that Sparky and I had reached the end of Canada. 

Just open ocean between here and EuropeHowever, Cape Spear a headland located a little south of St. John's at a longitude of 52°37' W, is the easternmost point in Canada and North America, excluding Greenland. 

We were close at longitude of 52°77' and all I could see was open ocean. The next piece of land would be England? Or France?

The boat ramp in Pouch Cove NLEstablished in 1611, Pouch Cove is a tiny, roundish, steep-sided cove shaped like a pouch. The locals store their personal boats on a ridiculously steep incline. I had vertigo just standing at the top of the ramp, trying to take a photograph.

We are staying in the capital city of St. John's for three days at a hotel in the harbour and within walking distance of the famous "Jelly Bean Row". I am looking forward to roaming the streets and photographing the dozens of colourful row houses.

Cheers Lynda and The Sparkinator 

Boat ramp at Pouch Cove NL

Looking down the boat ramp

The Sparkinator at Pouch Cove NL
Close up of whatever this is.
No clue what this is!

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America ( Brigus Newfoundland - it looks like a perfect movie location)

Sparky, Cavendish NewfoundlandJuly 15th: With no particular plan in mind I decided to do a circle route around the bottom end of the Bay de Verde Peninsula, in Newfoundland. It's our last full day in this area before Sparky and I move on to St. John's in the morning. 

We did a quick stop in Cavendish for a few photos and an amble along the beachfront. This is twice in two days that Sparky has let me snap a photo of him. Usually, he turns his head away!

Heading south on Highway #80, I had intended to turn onto #73, and cross over to Spaniard's Cove but was distracted by the view and ended up missing the turnoff. 

I drove south to the Trans Canada Highway, headed in the direction of St. John's for a bit, and turned north Highway #70 towards Cupids Crossing and Brigus (not to be confused with Brigus South, Brigus Junction, and Brigus Island). Newfoundland has so many fun place names I'm surprised that Brigus, a variation of Brickhouse, has been used so frequently.

Entering Brigus my first impression was it was a perfect location for a movie, set in the 1800s. The majority of the old buildings are perfectly preserved and beautifully painted. 

My imagination was busy filling the streets with women in long dresses and bonnets, men in clothes suitable for seafaring or local business, and horse-drawn carts, carriages, and buggies. 

By the time my imagination started adding smells and noises, Sparky let me know that he needed to add his pee-mail to the ambiance.

It's a cool town! I'm glad that I 'discovered' it.

Cheers Lynda

Sparky sends his woofs!

Brigus post office


Brigus Museum
Brigus town hall flying a British flag

Houses in Brigus NL Iconic sheds, Cavendish NL

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Heart's Content NL)

July 14th: A day to catch up on chores! Sparky had his bi-monthly bath at the Pet Valu in nearby Carbonear. My poor filthy car finally got a scrubbing too. And I restocked our groceries. 

Heart's Content, 1st Trans-Atlantic telegraph cable

Here are a few more photos of the area where we are currently staying. Tomorrow we move on to St. John's, the capital of Newfoundland.

Cheers and Happy Saturday

Lynda and The Sparkinator

1st Trans-Atlantic telegraph

Sunset Heart's Desire Newfoundland 


Do you remember Roman numerals? I think it is 1972


Colourful Winterton NL
New Perlican NL

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (tea with the ladies of Bay de Verde NL)

Sparky - Heart's Content lighthouseJuly 13th: Early in the morning, Sparky and I hopped in the car and headed north on Highway #80 toward the tip of the Bay de Verde Peninsula in Newfoundland. 

Keeping a watchful eye out for the plentiful (but as yet unseen) moose, I drove through a colourful collection of tiny towns, Heart's Delight, Heart's Desire, Heart's Content, New Perlican, and then Old Perlican, before reaching an intersection where I had to make a choice, left toward Grates Cove and a National Historic Site, or right toward Bay de Verde. I turned right. 

Bay de Verde NewfoundlandThe name of Bay de Verde (Bay of Green) appears to have been corrupted over the centuries. According to the town's official history, a Portuguese captain, named the area Baía de Verde. 

The Portuguese and Spanish explorers and then fishermen frequented the area during their era of great discoveries in the 15th and 16th centuries. The French raided the area in 1697, destroying the settlement, and forcing the able-bodied men to be seamen. 

In 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht, signed to end the War of Spanish Succession, declared that Newfoundland was owned by Great Britain. The first recorded inhabitants at Bay de Verde arrived in 1662 and Newfoundland joined Canada as our 10th province in 1949.  

The harbour at Bay de Verde NL

I love learning about the history of Atlantic Canada. Living in British Columbia, the most westerly province of Canada, I sometimes forget that Canadian history is much older than is evident in my much younger province. 

I was immediately drawn to the harbour when we arrived in Bay de Verde. If you have read my previous posts you have probably noticed that I photograph boats,and colourful buildings, and more boats, and scenery, but definitely boats. 

Bay de Verde NL Heritage Premises 

A dozen or more photographs later, I was about to turn around and head back, then I noticed the Heritage Properties and Gift Shop sign. Great! After driving for two hours I was in need of a pee-break unlike my travel companion who had been leaving pee-mail messages at every opportunity.

The local women, and one young man, who staff the Heritage Premises and Gift Shop were fabulous. They invited me in for tea and a scone in the dining area. I said, "I am on my own may I join you in the kitchen?" 

"Yes, of course. Sit here. And your cute doggie, he's welcome too." 

We had a lovely visit, a tour of the sea captain's home, and yes a bathroom break too, before heading south toward Carbonear, and eventually our cosy place in Heart's Delight.

Cheers Lynda & The Sparkinator

More photos: 

Heart's Delight NL

Heart's Content NL
Heart's Content NL

Winterton local on his quad-four

Winterton fishing gear

Winterton, boats, sheds, church

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (to places named Dildo and Heart's Desire)

Yesterday, July 11th was a rest, relax, and read day, at our cottage on Loon Bay Newfoundland.

Today July 12th we moved on to the next location at Heart's Desire on Trinity Bay. I picked the location solely because of the name. How could I resist a town called "Heart's Desire?" Nearby communities are named Heart's Delight and Heart's Content.

Fishing sheds on the waterfront at Dildo NLIt get to the cottage we passed through the small and thriving community of Dildo. Yup! That's the name of the village, and they are proud of it. 

There is a huge sign on the hillside spelling out the town's name. 

According to Wikipedia, the name was first recorded in 1711 and thereafter applied to the Dildo Arm of Trinity Bay. 

Social scientist William Baillie-Hamilton notes that Captain James Cook and his assistant Michael Lane, who mapped Newfoundland in the 1760s, often displayed a sense of humour in the place names they chose, and were not above selecting names that might "offend over-sensitive" readers. Regardless of the origin, the name has brought the town of Dildo a measure of notoriety.

Dildo Brewing and Museum, Dildo NLThe local brewery, Dildo Brewing Company and Museum, was doing a roaring lunchtime trade when I arrived. There wasn't a seat to be had so I purchased two of their ales Lassie a golden brown ale, plus a bitter named Bitter Cold to enjoy later at the cottage.

The patio at the brewery is doggie-friendly, and the community is only about 20 minutes away from Heart's Desire, so we might have to try it tomorrow. In the meantime, I have a date with "Lassie."

Dildo Brewing Company, Dildo NL

Cheers, Lynda

Sparky sends his woofs!

Dildo Newfoundland
Sundeck at Loon Bay NL

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Twillingate and big icebergs!)

July 9th: Iceberg Alley or the Iceberg Corridor passes in front of Twillingate Newfoundland, which is a cool place. (Yes, pun intended.) 

Twillingate Iceberg Alley

There were at least six big bergs that I could see, with several others drifting further out in the mist. The icebergs inspire open-mouthed awe as dozens of people witness the spectacle. 

In my heart, I know this shouldn't be happening but I want to witness the sobering, yet wonderous, sight firsthand. It's a worrisome trend as the Artic heats up and more icebergs, "calf off," or break away from the glaciers and then drift south towards Newfoundland.

The small coastal outports of Newfoundland and Labrador were once a hub of cod fishing and logging. Then the 1992 moratorium on cod fishing caused an economic collapse in many small villages. 

Twillingate Newfoundland

Twillingate icebergs and tour boat

Oddly, global warming has created a new tourism boom in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

In the last ten to fifteen years the villages have come to rely on the recent influx of amateur photographers and tourists from all over the world who have come to witness the world-changing ice melt. 

The province of Newfoundland and Labrador hosted around 500,000 tourists last year. That's roughly the equivalent of the province's total population. 

Ask anyone in the 50 to 70 range, and likely they will say "It's on my bucket list," or "I just got back from two weeks in Newfoundland." 

This is my ninth day 'on the Rock' and I am thoroughly enjoying the experience. Sparky enjoys the new smells, and hundreds of new pee-mails to read and answer. 

Cheers Lynda and The Sparkinator.

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

Twillingate Newfoundland 
Iceberg Alley - weird slice marks on iceberg

Tourists staring in open-mouthed awe
Lighthouse at Twillingate