Trip to Newfoundland
Part 2 - Newfoundland
Waiting to board the ferry to Newfoundland...
There are just two sailings per day - one just before noon, and another just before midnight.
We had to be at the ferry docks two hours before departure time, and got the last RV spot.
There are three vehicle decks, and the transport trucks had started boarding.
There were 82 tractor trailers on the ferry that morning. Plus cars and RVs.
We had to be at the ferry docks two hours before departure time, and got the last RV spot.
There are three vehicle decks, and the transport trucks had started boarding.
There were 82 tractor trailers on the ferry that morning. Plus cars and RVs.
Time for the RVs to board....
We went to the Sun Deck up on deck 9, which overlooks the helicopter pad.
Looks like a nice day for sailing.
Finally all the vehicles were loaded, and it was time to go....
Sailing out of North Sydney, we passed the Lief Ericson, an older, smaller ferry,
that does the longer 16 hour run between North Sydney and Argentia near St. John....
that does the longer 16 hour run between North Sydney and Argentia near St. John....
"Anyone want a snack?"
Lonnie had brought donuts...
Arriving in Newfoundland
No sooner were we away from North Sydney, but the fog moved in. There was still a bit
of sunshine overhead on the sun deck, but it was hard to see much out beyond the ship...
of sunshine overhead on the sun deck, but it was hard to see much out beyond the ship...
The fog became so thick, that we couldn't see anything.
Six and a half hours later, the girls went back up on deck to get their first look
at Newfoundland, as the ship slowly made it's way into Port Aux Basques.
Six and a half hours later, the girls went back up on deck to get their first look
at Newfoundland, as the ship slowly made it's way into Port Aux Basques.
"I can't see hardly anything!"
Gros Morne and Arches
Next morning it was bright and sunny as we made our way up the northern peninsula, through Gros Morne.
We stopped to let the kids stretch their legs near Parson's Pond, with it's view of the coastal mountains...
We stopped to let the kids stretch their legs near Parson's Pond, with it's view of the coastal mountains...
The road up the northern peninsula of Newfoundland follows the coast, and one of the scenic stops is Arches Provincial Park,
where there's a huge rock on the edge of the pebble beach, which has 3 large arches underneath.....
where there's a huge rock on the edge of the pebble beach, which has 3 large arches underneath.....
The kids were fed up with all the driving, and needed another break, so out they all went...
It was very windy....
Holly and Coco made their own arch...
Holly picked a bouquet of wildflowers - including violets, buttercups, and strawberry flowers
St. Anthony
We arrived in St. Anthony, at the very northern tip of Newfoundland, in the evening, and as we drove into town, we could see all the icebergs out in the water. The best views were from the lighthouse at Fishing Point, where three huge icebergs were grounded....
Of course the kids wanted to come out and have a look....
They counted 17 icebergs, out and about, but the best one was the big one closest to shore....
We went on to Goose Cove, which was another 15 KM further, at the very end of the road.
There were two more big icebergs close to shore there, although it was getting too dark to take any photos with the kids.
There were two more big icebergs close to shore there, although it was getting too dark to take any photos with the kids.
Goose Cove in the Morning
Next morning, the kids took a look out the window. "The iceberg moved in the night! Let's go look!"
So they put on their sweaters and headed off on the trail for a closer look...
"Look at all the bergie bits!"
St. Anthony in the Morning
After breakfast, we drove back to Fishing Point in St. Anthony to look at the icebergs there. The big one closest to shore
had turned and moved even closer in the night. It was even more spectacular in the sunshine this morning! It was also
clear that the two square-ish bergs, a bit further out, were actually attached, and were really just one big iceberg.
had turned and moved even closer in the night. It was even more spectacular in the sunshine this morning! It was also
clear that the two square-ish bergs, a bit further out, were actually attached, and were really just one big iceberg.
Jan went down the rocks, to get a closer look....
The turning of the iceberg had generated all kinds of bergie bits, 'growlers', and ice debris....
The turning of the iceberg had generated all kinds of bergie bits, 'growlers', and ice debris....
The dolls and I stayed up on the cliff tops.
Holly and Coco were more interested in playing with their puppies....
St. Anthony Bight
The coast of Newfoundland is extremely rugged, with lots of promontories, and inlets. Many of the smaller, protected bays have little fishing villages in them. Just to the west of St. Anthony lies St. Anthony Bight. It's quite close as the crow flies, but it's quite a few kilometres of winding road to drive to. In St. Anthony Bight we came across a parking lot with a trail down to a local park along the edge of the bay. There were three large, flat, ice islands grounded in the bay, and the wind was blowing all the bergie bits toward the shore, grounding them along the beach.....
The kids immediately went down to the beach to check out all the ice.....
The closer to shore the ice, the more interesting the shapes they had melted into.....
I was shooting straight into the sun, which is not an especially good angle, and made for some very harsh contrasts....
I tried using a diffused flash to fill in the harsh shadows.
Taking a closer look at the front edge of one of the ice islands....
...and more icebergs out in the bay....
Coco picked up a chunk of ice. "Look, it's filled with tiny air bubbles!"
That evening we witnessed another spectacular sunset out of our window....
And a few portraits the next morning, before continuing on our way...
*Next - Newfoundland Trip - Part 3
Copyright © 2016 Martha Boers
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