Being a tourist today

Thursday, June 2, 2011

It was still foggy and a little drizzly today but we are tourists and we have to take what we get.  Off we go with raincoats to Cape Anguille the most westerly point on Newfoundland.  It was about 30 kms from our campsite through the countryside along the Codroy river.  There are small little communities dotted all along the road.  There is definitely no urban planning anywhere down here.  In the villages houses are just built wherever they can get an open space, small, mostly well kept homes.  Most of them do not have much of a yard, so no lawns to mow….Doug was lovin’ it here already!  

The coastline was beautiful even if it was foggy.  When we got back to the lighthouse the keeper came right out when we pulled up.  Doug talked to him for quite awhile. I had to go, there were tons of pictures to take.  The Lighthouse keeper only works 8 hours a day for 14 days straight and then they have 14 days off. Possibly a new career for Dougy!!!  

The houses beside the lighthouses are now mostly bed and breakfasts and the lighthouse keepers spend their day in a little 10 x 12 office.  No wonder he came right out to see us.  He told Doug it was so cold here in the wintertime the Seagulls don’t even stay around.  






From here we were going to meander down to the Rose Blanche  Lighthouse.  We took a side trip to see the village of Cape Ray and the lighthouse there.  Spent some time exploring Port aux Basque, they actually had a mall with about 6 stores.  

My happy place

Rose Blanche Lighthouse is about 40 kms east of Port aux Basque and is at the end of the road on the south west shore. The trip out was over very windy roads, lots of rock, and bogs all over the place.  

The lighthouse is one of the last granite Lighthouses on the Island built in 1873 and restored in 1999.  They were just getting set up for the season so we did not have to pay our $3.00.  I can’t even imagine how beautiful this would have been on a clear sunny day.  We may try and come back here before we leave the island.  

We are going out for supper tonight as Port aux Basque is about 30 km from our campsite and we were headed to our Soiree tonight.  The hotel was having pan fried cod or Fisherman Brew’s for supper.  Wasn’t sure if I was ready for Fisherman’s brew’s yet so had the cod which was awesome.  Our first of many fish dinners….we hope!  

The Feather and folk festival was great.  All local talent accompanied by guitar.  Many of the singers sang their own songs that tell stories about their life in Newfoundland and the province that they are so proud of.  The owners of our campground were there and invited us to sit with them.  

Their nephew Sherman Downey was the feature performer.  One fellow got up and told some funny stories and recited the cremation of Sam McGee, which was very well done.  The show was over about 11:30 and we had to drive home the 30 kms in the dark, no lines on the road and ginormous moose lurking in the shadows!  Luckily we followed the owners of the campground back, which made the trip a little easier.  Another great day.