Blogs from Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada, North America - page 31

St. John’s Geo Center provided us with an outstanding learning experience. The geology of Newfoundland as told by the rocks. The center also houses, a comprehensive Titanic exhibit. It tell the “true” story of greed and arrogance that ultimately caused this disaster. Signa Hill long been used for defense, observation, and communication. The reoccurring pattern of the French and British fighting over lands continues. Unfortunately, we were socked in with fog so no view. One other interesting point, it was here that Marconi received his first trans-Atlantic wireless signal Dec. 12, 1901. July 18, 2006. Cape Spear National Historic Site is the most easterly point of land in North America. The lighthouse here has guided mariners in St. John’s Harbor for over 150 years. During WW II a coastal defense battery was constitructed at the ... read more

Today we drove every kilometer of paved road in Labrador, and still had lots of time to eat, sleep and sightsee. One very obvious annoyance are the biting black flies and “Midgies” (tiny flying insect that also like to bite), they are everywhere and just waiting for fresh meat. We have our bug shirts with face/neck screens, and long pants, so off we go to hike the Battery Trail. This trail is not used a lot and it was like bushwhacking, so we cut our hike short and stop at a museum, Labrador Straits Museum. It provided a glimpse of local family life for the past 150 years, not an easy life. Red Bay, our destination, is also where the pavement runs out. Red Bay National Historic Site of Canada tells the story of the Basque ... read more

The winds of Newfoundland are strong. The only other option would be, no wind and biting black flies. I’ll take the wind, thank you. L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site was once a full fledged Norse Village for Vikings serving as a sailing base for explorations throughout the area, about 1000 AD. Hedge-Ingestad, a Norwegian scholar-explorer and Anne Stine Ingstad, an archeologist, came to this area in the 1960’s. Digs uncovered eight complexes of rudimentary houses, workshops with fireplaces and a trove of artifacts all of which verified the Norse presence. A path leads to recreated buildings, overlooking the Bay. Here costumed interpreters re-enact the roles and work of the Norse (Viking) captain, his wife and four crewmen. It was fascinating going into the sod houses seeing artifacts and “Vikings” going about their life of years ... read more

Our friend from yesterday, Sharon and Cliff, were at the same campground, so we went together to see the Lighthouse and the breccia. Breccia are layers of chunky limestone pieces that contain fossils. Cow’s Head rock preserve is a complete record of deposition from Cambrian to the Ordovician period. It is one of the best opportunities in the world for learning about marine environment of that time. It was an impressive trail, but tricky to locate. There are arches, formed from eroding rock, right on coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Port aux Choix is a town well known for its rich history and thriving fishery. It is a few miles off the main road, the only road the Viking Trail, but is worth the detour. It is a National Historic Site. The first ... read more

This morning it is cool and cloudy but no rain!! So our first stop is Lobster Cove Head Trail. This headland and Berry Hill are large chunks of jumbled rock that forms a mélange. Beds of buff-colored dolomite, shale, and ribbon limestone were folded and faulted as slices of ocean floor slid over them. We got lots of photos. Our next hike is the Coastal Green Point an easy hike of about 3 km. We talked to the ranger and he had seen a black bear and a moose in the area. A fellow hiker informed us yesterday the trail was underwater. This did not deter us. The trail follows an old winter mail road along the coast. I can’t imagine the harsh conditions of winter in this rugged park. The scenic coastline, wetlands, and forest ... read more