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Published: November 25th 2014
Corner Brook
What Captain James Cook did not seeA seemingly slow start to a day of accumulated enjoyments. Under dry but cloudy skies our bus left at 9:00 along the Humber Arm of the Bay of Islands. Driving through
Corner Brook(20,000 pop.) let me wonder yet again at how the plain cubic shape of architecture can be interpreted in different societies, seen last in Chile and earlier in India and Greece. Many of the houses are small and plain, with fairly small square windows and sometimes an added porch or step. Virtually all are well maintained. Almost universally they have been improved with fairly recent vinyl siding in what seems to be an original small-board pattern. Occasionally a rectangular version of this style is found, and very occasionally a house has been expanded, usually in a symmetrical style.
Cook’s Lookout over the city commemorates
Captain Cook ’s survey of the Bay of Islands and his time in the area. As could be expected, the high point gave stunning views of heavy clouds shadowing dark green trees around the deeply blue water. Unlike in Cook’s time, we could also see the city and other towns strung thinly around the bay. The one remaining paper mill contributed muted brown buildings and brilliant
Marlaines Tidewatcher Cafe
A place for lazing on a long coffee break white steam clouds.
The road wound along the coastline to the Southern Arm of the Bay where we had a “pit-stop” at
Blow Me Down Provincial Park. We were headed to a coffee shop for a “break”, but their septic system wouldn’t be able to handle our requirements. This may be a real issue for many because the museum we visited later in the city had a sign to the same effect.
The woods and verges are lushly green with pink and yellow wild flowers growing everywhere – an effect of frequent rains. As the sun began to shine through the clouds, the sea took on the colours of the sky and the green trees. In Lark Harbour, at “Marlaine’s” we all bought drinks and home-baked goodies – enormous date squares! To one side was a large deck and easy chairs to deepen our enjoyment of the soft air and warm sun.
We moved along to
Bottle Cove for a short walk through the woods to a rocky point. I was glad to stretch my legs, as were several others. The path was easy, as long as we watched for the tree roots crossing at all angles. At the point we were
Bottle Cove
Named for its narrow mouth and long bay greeted by mildly crashing waves on dark rocks topped by green grasses, an endlessly fascinating sight all over the world.
Turning around, we drove back to Corner Brook, allowing the other side of the bus to contemplate the continuous sea view. We passed the dominant element in the cityscape, the
pulp and paper mill. Pollutants are diverted to huge concrete holding tanks; only steam billows out into the sky from the stacks. The plant is the life-blood of Corner Brook, in a world that is abandoning paper in favour of digital platforms. Our visit to the Museum and Archives underlined that the history of the settlement mirrors the history of pulp and paper technology. So far, the museum’s illustrative timeline ends with the introduction of the ipod. Seeing how the old crude implements and tools evolved into safer, labour-saving devices was a lesson in the progress that inexorably continues.
We made our own way back to the hotel. My choice was a fifteen-minute walk along the creek pathway. Reluctant to buzz past a man and his son, I conversed with them for a fair portion of the walk. We were friendly, but he was an arch conservative and loved propounding his views.
Corner Brook Creek
A long oasis through the city Eventually a friendly dog and his owner diverted his attention, and I strode on alone. What a difference from yesterday’s soggy walk! The trees filtered the sun, the air was fresh. It was so good that after a bit of a rest at the hotel, I went out again to walk farther. The Corner Brook Creek is fairly wide and tumbles over sizable rocks. As I discovered during my walk, the creek is dammed to make the Mill Pond, once essential to logging. Now it forms the heart of the walking/cycling network for the city, a visual and aural delight.
Dinner: leafy green salad with partridge berry vinaigrette, poached cod fillet, baked potato, carrots and cauliflower, blueberry tart and partridgeberry tart (tastes like a sharp little cranberry)
Where did we drive?
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