On our last day in Gros Morne National Park we visited the town of Norris Point and we drove around the East and South “Arms” of Bonne Bay to the towns of Bonne Bay and Woody Point. The photo below is from a little roadside gift shop along the way to Norris Point. The foreground is a hedge of rose hips, Bonne Bay in the middle and Tablelands in the background.
A kinetic whirligig sculpture commissioned in 1997 for Gros Morne National Park as part of the Canada 150 Celebration. It is located at the same gift shop. Sculpture originally had movement but tough Newfoundland weather has taken it’s toll… Scenes of local nature, including giant mosquitoes.
The Bakery: We were told there was a bakery we should not miss in Norris Point. We found the bakery and got some fresh rolls. It is the most “Newfoundland’ish” store. This homemade sign hung above the checkout counter. It’s not a joke. It’s just an honest declaration of business hours in the local way of speaking. The place to visit is “C&J Rumbolt Ltd”. It doesn’t look like much on the outside. Go in the door that says “Rumbolt’s Bakery”, you won’t be disappointed. Surprised maybe, but not disappointed.
Woody Point Lighthouse
There is a Discovery Center at Woody Point. We learned throughout the trip that Moose Nose was a “thing” to eat in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Early settlers in Acadia ate Moose Nose Soup. I was happy to find a recipe at the Discovery Center on how to prepare a moose’s nose for a special family dinner.
Moose were common and natural on the mainland in Nova Scotia but were never on the island of Newfoundland until brought there around 1900. With no natural predators they have flourished and now outnumber the people of Newfoundland.
Above and Below: Gros Morne Mountain towers over all the local landscape.
Gros Morne looming behind the town of Rocky Harbor
Gros Morne from Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse
That’s it for Gros Morne National Park. If you get a chance to visit this awesome place, plan to spend at least a week here.
Our last night “on the rock” of Newfoundland we traveled to a campground near the ferry at Grand Codroy. The following morning we loaded back up on the ferry at Port aux Basque for the much shorter (5 hours) trip back to North Sydney, Nova Scotia.
While at Grand Codroy I tried some sketching and painting of the lighthouse we had seen at the beginning of our trip (Portland Head Light, Fort Williams Park, Maine)
A beaver, dragging a branch of pine tree upstream
A parting sunset over the Grand Codroy River for our last night in Newfoundland
We headed back south to Gros Morne. Then we made some day trip visits in and around the park.
The Arches Provincial Park. A curious rock formation made of dolomite. The rounded boulders that make up the ‘seashore’ were hard to walk on but beautiful.
Beautiful rounded boulders on the beach. Too big to bring home…
This is the area called “Green Point Geological Site” (that spit of land jutting out in the background). It is part of Gros Morne National Park and is considered a “World Geological Benchmark”. Fossils discovered here define the boundary between the Cambrian and Ordovician periods.
Below: Beach Boulders and Jennie in a Canadian Red Adirondack Chair. “Parks Canada has placed over 200 red Adirondack chairs in peaceful and scenic locations throughout many of the country’s most unique and treasured places”
The view of Green Point from Jennie’s chair
Looking down from the edge
Lobster traps along the coast at Green Point. Labrador is across the water.
Colorful, Interesting Rocks. Maybe I should have been a geologist…
This lighthouse and lightkeepers residence were built in 1897 and are within Gros Morne National Park. It has a museum inside but it was closed when we visited. This place is remarkable. The views from the cliffs are spectacular and it is a great place to get down to the tidewater edges and experience tuckamore forests.
Becky walking down to the cove at low tide
Tuckamore Forest: Here’s a quote from Tuckamore.org “Tuckamores are trees that have been bent and sculpted by constant strong onshore winds. The salt spray kills exposed buds, so growth only occurs on the tree’s sheltered inland side. The shores of Gros Morne National Park in Northern Newfoundland are covered in thick, contorted tuckamore forests”.
There is a nice museum at L’Anse Aux Meadows National Historic Site.
A “How They Got Here” map was helpful
There is a nice ‘path’ with islands to sail across to Iceland.
Very brave sailing the open Atlantic in a ship like this model
Heading west from Greenland, the sailors would hit what is now the east coast of Labrador, then sail south keeping the coast in view until they sighted Belle Isle which led them straight ahead to L’Anse aux Meadows
This was our “campsite” while at St. Anthony. Our little 26′ RV is parked at the end facing forward. The majority of people on the tour had much larger “Big Rigs”. This was one of the least enjoyable surprises of the Adventure Caravan’s tour. We expected to be staying in more park-like settings, not parking lots. Most of the places we stayed were similar to this. Sometimes gravel, sometimes grass but basically a field with parking spaces, not campsites. Adventure Caravan’s made all the arrangements and honestly we would not have gone to Newfoundland without the planning and organization of Adventure Caravan’s – but be aware that everything is designed around accommodating the Big Rigs. If you have something smaller and more nimble there are nicer places to camp. Not pictured here are two camper vans, a truck-bed camper, a couple class C’s including Jennie’s View, and a few truck-trailer units that were part of our group.
Ketchup Flavored Potato Chips: I did not know such a thing existed. After tasting them I still wonder, why? I tried to like them. Canadians seem to love them as they are everywhere. Maybe an acquired taste but this is one I hope stays in Canada.
Norstead is a reconstruction of a Viking settlement; from around 1,000 AD. Norstead is located near L’Anse aux Meadows (link to Wikipedia if you are interested in the Norse/Viking history of this area). There is so much interesting history about this area; here are two quick ones: 1. The area referred to as “Vinland” in ancient writings was assumed until 1960 to be much further south around Massachusetts until a local farmer on the northern tip of Newfoundland led archeologists to an old “Indian Village” 2. Butternut tree nuts were discovered in excavations. Grape vines and butternut trees grow in similar climate conditions. It seems that 1,000 years ago the climate in this area supported both and helps explain the Vinland reference.
This recreation of a Viking boat (called a Knarr) was sailed in a reenactment from Iceland to L’Anse aux Meadows with 9 person crew in 1998.
Board Games of early settlers
On a dare from Jennie, I sat in the Viking Chieftain’s throne with helmet and sword. Very Chieftain’ish ‘eh
Viking Church at Norstead
Church Interior
Scenes of the coast in area of Norstead and L’Anse aux Meadow
Everywhere there is a mat of Partridgeberry/Lingonberry over soft/squishy peat moss. There are some paths to walk on but where they run out it is wonderful to hike in the soft vegetation.
We stayed in St. Anthony several nights. This was the place “farthest from home” of the trip. It is 2,271 miles from Indianapolis.
That’s Newfoundland coast in the foreground, and Labrador over on the other side. We traveled from Gros Morne National Park, up the western coast of Newfoundland to St. Anthony which is out near the northern tip of the island. The picture above was taken where Newfoundland and Labrador are closest together across the Strait of Belle Isle in the Gulf of St Lawrence – a distance of about 10 miles at it’s narrowest.
We took a boat tour to find a whale. It was a windy day and not a very big boat… it reminded me of the infamous “Minnow” as we headed out for a 3hr tour… hoping we would not be lost.
Thanks to our persistently searching Captain, and our fearless crew, we did see whales! The boat was bobbing wildly on the waves and this was a lucky shot.
Rugged Coast
Fox Point Lighthouse as we were returning back to dock at Northland Discovery Iceberg & Whale Tours.
Above: Fox Point Lighthouse and “Haul Up Cove”. There is a wonderful little restaurant near the lighthouse called “Lightkeepers Seafood”. We hung out there several times. We enjoyed the food and the Wi-Fi (which is hard to find in Newfoundland). There is also a nearby thing called the “Great Viking Feast”. We recommend avoiding that.
Above: Partridgeberry Cheesecake: Lightkeepers Seafood Restaurant. Trivia: Partridgeberry picking season was in full swing. Partridgeberries are the same as what other countries call “Lingonberries”. They are a relative of the cranberry but more mild. In Newfoundland, they grow in a low evergreen shrub in the dry acidic soils of Newfoundland and Labrador’s coastal barrens and headlands. Newfoundland and Labrador are the largest harvester of Partridge/Lingonberries in North America.
Fried Cod Tongue. I thought it was delicious. Didn’t get much help from the rest of the group. It is considered a Newfoundland delicacy. Also at Lightkeepers Seafood Restaurant. We really enjoyed this restaurant. We really did not enjoy the Great Viking Feast.
Below: Scenes from around the boat dock.
Above: Green coastal rocks
Below: Really far out from shore the whales were jumping way out of the water-looked like they were having a great time. These were taken from the little front porch of the Lightkeepers Seafood Restaurant where lots of visitors stood watching the whales play.
Panorama from Fox Point area looking back at town of St Anthony and Marguerite BayScreenshot of Google Maps location. 2,282 driving/ferry miles from home to L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site at the very northern tip of the peninsula was the next days visit.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site: Amazing place on earth, go here if you ever get a chance.
We stayed at Gros Morne National Park two times. This first time we visited “Western Brook Pond”.
Parking out by the road, we walked about an hour across flat coastal lowlands to reach the entry to the 540 foot deep “Pond” (we would call this a lake). The glacier carved pond is 10 miles long and the surrounding cliffs tower 2,200 feet high. The weather was sunny a few moments but mostly overcast and threatening rain. We were grateful to get finished without getting more than a few sprinkles.
The mountain range (in photo below) that rises up along the western edge of Newfoundland is called the “Long Range Mountains”. It is an extension of the same mountain range we in the United States call the “Appalachian Mountains”. I had no idea that the Appalachian Mountain Range continued that far north into Canada.
Following are a bunch of photos – none of which really capture the grandeur of the place – but they bring back good memories. I hope they inspire others to visit Gros Morne.
My kids hate it when I stop to read markers but it helps to understand how this unique place ‘happened’. Feel free to skip this if you are like my kids.
Jennie & Becky headed to Western Brook Pond for the boat ride
Scenes along the trail
Lots of waterfalls off the surrounding cliffs fill the pond with fresh water.
Two examples of lava forced upward through cracks then exposed by glaciers. I think that is called a “diabase dyke” and according to Gros Morne geology the cracks formed when the supercontinent began breaking apart.
On the boat returning back to the dock the pond looked like an infinity pool.
Looking back toward the pond as we walked to the car we saw this glorious rainbow.
Panarama of the Long Range Mountains; the end of the Appalachian Mountains
Sometimes there is time to kill on travel days because you cannot arrive at the next destination until late afternoon.
We stopped at “The Newfoundland Insectarium” while traveling from Twillingate to our next stop at Gros Morne National Park.
It’s a nice insect collection but it could be anywhere, not particularly Newfoundland’ish. I enjoyed the live exhibits more than the dead ones. I don’t have a photo but it was fun watching a whole bunch of live leaf-cutter ants carry leaves around.
Another stop was at: “Salmonid Interpretation Centre” on the Exploits River near Grand Falls. This is the fish ladder bypass
This is looking below the falls and fish ladder
The fish ladders lets the fish (salmon) go up the gentle ladder instead of this set of treacherous rocky falls
Whale spouting (that little bit of mist in center)
Bad photo of a Whale’s Tale (but proof we saw them)
Panoramic view from Long’s Point Lighthouse
Newfoundland Scenes around Twillingate
We chartered a boat from “Captain Dave’s Boat Tours” and went Cod “fishing” (really “jigging”). Those are whale bones! Captain Dave himself skippered the boat (David Boyd). His family history is closely linked to Cod fishing and he is passionate to pass along the history.
Jellyfish at Captain Dave’s. Captain Dave’s is also the location of “Prime Birth Twillingate Fishery & Heritage Centre” which has an interesting museum of all things fishing…
Whale Baleen
This gentleman cleaned all the Cod for us
That bucket of gook is full of Cod Liver Oil. He was very good at fileting fish. Glad I didn’t have to do it.
We saw coastal scenes of rocks and seabirds while getting out to where we fished
We caught lots of Cod and one iridescently colored Mackerel
Twillingate was one of our favorite stops. The RV Park was on North Twillingate Island. It was an easy walk from the RV Park to the water at “Back Harbor”. Back Harbor faced west so we saw some beautiful sunsets. Back Harbor had the ubiquitous and iconic brightly colored “fishing rooms” around the harbor.
Twillingate is called “The Iceberg Capital of the World” because icebergs drift south on ocean currents from Greenland and Labrador. They often get “stuck” around Twillingate when their bottoms hit the shallower bays. We were too late in the summer to see icebergs (but we did see Humpback Whales). This post is about the area where we were camped. The next page will be about places nearby we traveled to on day trips.
Trivia: Twillingate residents must use extra caution in the spring because Polar Bears and Seals often arrive on the icebergs! Here is a link to a beautiful blog about Newfoundland: Seasons, Icebergs, Capelin, Whales, and Berries: https://newfoundsander.wordpress.com/icebergs/.
Sunset from Back Harbor, North Twillingate Island. I would walk over with morning coffee, sit and enjoy peacefulness
Roni & Becky watching me climb up the hill to get a panoramic picture of Back Harbor Bay.
Lupin
Berries. Not sure what these are but there are low growing “bushes” (maybe 6″ high) growing all along the coastal areas. Blueberries were ripening when we were there. We had handfuls of fresh blueberries on several days.Blueberries – Newfoundland Style. Not like the big bushes in Indiana at all.
Rock with section of purple stone (possibly purple quartz?)
Lobster Traps, waiting for next season
Salt Box Home we walked past each day from RV Park to Back Harbor Bay.
I don’t have a photo but it’s worth mentioning the “Split Peas” at “Twillingate-New World Island Dinner Theatre”. The local ‘actors’ and fantastic musicians put on a hilarious show of all things Newfoundland’ish. We enjoyed it, the food was good too. https://vacationintheisles.com/dinnertheatre/
We’ll end this post with more sunset pics – We didn’t want to leave Twillingate…
The Town of Trinity on Trinity Bay. This town was not on the official ‘agenda’ for the caravan group but was a nice day trip.
Local Trivia: The smallpox vaccine was first introduced to North America in 1799 here in the little fishing village of Trinity by Rev. Dr. John Clinch. Dr. Edward Jenner discovered the vaccine and was a close boyhood friend of Clinch. Jenner had developed the first smallpox vaccine in England using a less dangerous virus derived from cowpox in 1796. Newfoundland was a British colony at the time and Clinch moved to Trinity. He began inoculating his own family then 700 villagers. When nearby Bonavista was being ravaged with smallpox, Trinity proved immune. About 3 years later the vaccine was introduced in the United States.
Gothic Revival: St. Paul’s Anglican Church
Above: Lester-Garland Premises (originally a fish processing station) which is now a local theatre called Rising Tide Theatre
Below: Many of the Salt Box style homes in Trinity are historically restored/preserved. We enjoyed the morning walking around town.
Fort Point Lighthouse
Leaving Trinity we had a nice lunch here at Port Rexton Brewing Company
Bonavista is one of the oldest towns in Newfoundland. “Discovered” (it would be better to say “claimed”) in 1497 by Italian explorer John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto).
Cape Bonavista Lighthouse 1843 is one of the oldest in Newfoundland
A replica of John Cabot’s ship; “Matthew” is housed in the tall blue building for repairs and over winter. Inside the building, there is a history exhibit called “The Matthew Legacy”
The Matthew
This is “The Dungeon” at Dungeon Provincial State Park. It is a huge collapsed sea cave (called a “gloup”). Clear greenish-blue seawater sloshes in and out of this hole through two archways to the Atlantic. For scale, there are a couple people on the path at upper right.
One of the great things about Newfoundland is that is is still very ‘natural’. There is a dirt road and a gravel parking lot to this natural wonder. There are no guardrails or concession stands or other developments to distract from the moment and just enjoying ‘being there’. We found this to be the case throughout Newfoundland and enjoyed it very much.
Colorful, enormous, slabs of rock tilted on edge were a common sight in Newfoundland
Each evening we went to see the nesting puffins at “Ellison Puffin Sanctuary & Root Cellars”. They nest on islands just off the coast.
DADart Photography 