Geology and Geography

Today was a series of natural wonders each more amazing than the next. We left Corner Brook after enjoying most components of a Newfoundland breakfast including fish cakes, eggs, homemade baked beans, mustard pickles, and toutons. I have seen fried bologna on other breakfast menus but have so far managed to avoid it. Everything was delicious even though it probably sounds weird.

We headed north towards Gros Morne and were soon on the only road that runs along Newfoundland's west coast. After about the halfway point from the southern end, there are no roads that connect the western side of the island to the east. This isn't really a problem because there are no towns or other settled places for an approximately 70 mile long stretch of the east coast and absolutely no people in the middle north part of the island. There are actually huge areas of the island where there are no roads and no towns.

As we've driven north and further from the "larger towns" its been really remarkable to see that there are no farms, no agricultural fields or pastures, no outlying houses, no narrow roads leading off to who knows where. Everyone lives in a settlement and everything happens there. In between there's nothing but nature. At one of our stops today, there was a display panel talking about early lightkeepers and it said that "Isolation and politics kept Europeans settlers away from Newfoundland's west coast decades longer than elsewhere on the island." It sure seems that way when you're here!

Gros Morne Park is a beautiful landscape formed by glaciers but looks completely different than the glacial mountains in New England and is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site in Newfoundland. The main road runs right through the middle of the park with amazing views of lakes, bogs, and rounded mountains.

After a quick stop to pick up a park pass in Rocky Harbour, we continued north to the Green Point Geological Site. Right on the beach, the rock layers here are amazing with completely different stone types coming together at all different angles.

We just happened to time it perfectly at low tide (we have a perfect record for tides, so far).

The next stop was the Western Brook Pond where were took a boat tour into one of the largest fjords in the park. The tour is on every "must do" Newfoundland list and just about every promotional booklet and tourist photo includes a shot from this place. There's a reason- it was one of the most incredible natural sites I've ever seen!

The tour lasted 2.5 hours and included lots of detailed information about the landscape. The mountains here rise to 2,000 feet and the water is 540 feet at its deepest. One of the most amazing things about the fjord is that the mountains drop right into the water- there aren't beaches in most places and the rock walls rise perfectly vertically out of the water.

There are many waterfalls that we got to see close up because the boat can pull right up to the side of the mountain (remember: sheer vertical cliffs and deep water). 

I took so many pictures, but they really don't show the scale or incredible beauty! On the ride back our group of 50 or so passengers was treated to some original Newfoundland folk pop by one of the tour guides who is in a band. A little unconventional for a nature tour but the crowd seemed to enjoy it and he was pretty good. Jen even bought his CD afterwards.

Continuing north was the Arches Provincial Park which (like Green Point) is conveniently located on the beach a very short walk from a parking lot. Lots of bang for no buck. Another geological wonder; this one is similar to its namesake in Utah in that both were formed by softer rock being eroded away from harder rock.

I offered to take a photo of an older couple who were in the way of my own photo (so not entirely altruistic) and they proceeded to direct me to take numerous shots, backing away, sliding to the left, zooming in- totally annoying. What a surprise when I got back to the parking lot to see them get into a car with Florida plates. Americans are the worst!

We ended the day in Port aux Choix which is on our list because of its famous ancient archaeological site, but we will see that on our way back south and tonight it's a pit stop before we get to the northern tip of the island tomorrow. It looks like many of the small towns we've driven past today with most of the houses right on or near the water and fishing seeming to be the thing to do.

We're staying at Jeannie's Sunrise Bed and Breakfast and the owner is a lovely woman who referred to Jen and I as "dear" repeatedly. We have to leave at 6:00am tomorrow to make our whale watch (!!) in St. Anthony so will sadly miss breakfast, but Jeannie set us up with coffee, toast, and jam ready to go. And hopefully see the sunrise since Jeannie advertises it!

We arrived in town kind of on the late side (6:30), it's Sunday, and from what we could tell there were two options for food. One was full to capacity and stopped serving at 7:30 so we hurried to the Point Riche Restaurant and Lounge and were lucky to get a booth considering a senior tour bus was staying at the attached hotel (and they also closed at 7:30). More seafood! Remember I mentioned that the town is known for its ancient Native American site? Only the archaeologists will appreciate this but I have to share:

The rest of you will learn something about the Maritime Archaic after I blog about my visit to the site in a few days, and then you'll think this is funny, too! 

Jeannie recommended that we watch the sunset from the Point Riche Lighthouse, so we grabbed a couple Canadians (see blog post from August 20 for reference) and headed over. Jeannie also said that was a great time and place to see moose and caribou.

We sat on the beach for a so-so sunset thanks to the clouds then headed back in the twilight passing a herd of moose grazing on the side of the road. Seriously!

Photo courtesy JenMac

Can't think of a better way to end another Newfoundland day.

 
 

    
 
 

  

 

I think I've forgotten to mention that Nova Scotia is in the Atlantic Time Zone so one hour ahead of EST, but Newfoundland (or The Rock, as residents call it) has its own time zone and is 30 minutes ahead of Nova Scotia. One half hour different. It's very weird but luckily my phone is smart so I don't have to try  figure out