Blogs from Bonavista, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada, North America - page 2

Left St John's after getting our front tire replaced and made our camp Monday nite (August 9th) in Green's Harbour. It rained overnite but we were able to dismantle camp okay. Next night's stop was in Bonavista - the lighthouse is past the town, on winding hills, moving amongst many tourists (like ourselves). Watching the whales frolic in the bay was a nice highlight and we shared the binoculars with those around us so they too could enjoy! Encountered rain leaving Bonavista area and right now we are in Gander getting supplies. Plan to camp in the Springdale area tonite. Unable to get any pics on the blog right now as I am working on a Chamber of Commerce computer - no access. We have encountered red squirrels, a bald eagle, hawks, rabbits, but no new ... read more

Since it was raining all morning we scrub our AM hike and drive to Bonavista, NL. This National Historic Site includes several buildings dedicated to the fishing industry and the hearty people who survived in this remote coastal area. The cod was bountiful and the work endless. The men’s job was to bring in the fish and then split it. Everyone was involved in cleaning, salting, and drying the fish on flakes (pole stands in the fresh air). Care was taken to remove the liver for “cod liver oil”. The job was labor intensive and never improved with time and technology until the cod was over-fished and the catch steadily declined. These people were a generation behind the “modern” world existing on the barter system. With the introduction of refrigeration, things slowly changed. In 1497, John ... read more