still foggy still don’t know if we’re going tonight. Just about to leave hotel and find another warm place before we go whale watching from Cape Spear cliffs something to eat for tea then hit the airport with fingers crossed watch this space xxx

No whales but plenty of fish as seen by the gannets diving into the sea, very close to where were standing.

Eating our tea and are very hopeful we will leave tonight. It is very foggy still but forecast for heavy rain later which I hope will clear the fog? Our plane arrived from Heathrow this afternoon and managed to land again keep your fingers crossed for us.. More later when we reach airport

Yes we can depart at 10.30pm  thankfully as there is a pea souper outside! Most incoming flights have been diverted to Gander airport, but ours managed to arrive from Heathrow to St John’s this afternoon Then It took people to Toronto,returning with a plane load in time for the rain to clear the fog and so we are able to leave phew! Off we go xxx

All good plans have hiccoughs. So all flights to and from St John’s airport were cancelled due to fog and we have one more night here! The Air Canada will pay our expenses and we are now at the Holiday Inn St John’s.

Well today was very cold grey foggy and heavy clouds. We headed to St John’s and the famous George Street shops and our favourite coffee shop. After the rain stopped we headed up to Maddox Cove and Petty Harbour. We watched the waves crashing onto the cliffs and rocks ……there was quite a swell.

We headed up to Cape Spear ( the farthest East location in Canada) and were thrilled to see whales blowing from their blow holes.

There were at least 5 hump backed whales and gannets diving to get the fish. One humpback was close to the cliff where we were standing and it breached 3 times while we watched. It kept pushing its tail out of the water and we could clearly see the turquoise colour under its fins as it swam back and forth. Vince got some good pictures of the tail but we didn’t manage to photograph the  whole whale as it leapt out of the water.

     

  

  

  

 There were only 3 more people watching and we were all really enjoying the scene. We watched the whales for over an hour in the cold wind.

As we left they were still visible out at sea, they were certainly feasting on fish!

We visited a couple more inlets and then went for our tea in “Jungle Jims” to warm up. The restaurant was only 1 mile from the airport and we found out our flight was cancelled… Never mind we’re all sorted and hope for better luck tomorrow xxxxx 

Yes, after a long long drive we reached St. John’s by 4.30 pm. The weather was cold and thick clouds all the way but fortunately no rain. We saw a moose sadly dead at the side of the road. It is nice to see the family at Ken and Doreen’s and to be able to say goodbye to them before we leave tomorrow evening. 

      So tomorrow we are spending the day in St John’s and shopping before its time to take back the hire car and get to the airport .

What to say. After a mammoth holiday? I’m heartbroken to be at the end of the best adventure of our lives, but glad to be going home safe and well enriched by all we have seen and done. 

   

 Does anyone know what we will do with 7000 + photos? LOL xxxxx

So today was our first rainy day for a while. We set off towards Tablelands and stopped at Woody Point for a coffee. It is a fishing harbour with a lighthouse and very charming, shame the skies were so grey! We walked right along the Main Street by the sea and looked in the gift shops.  

   The road then led high up above the town with beautiful views down the estuary and up to tablelands higher up. Snow was on the highest hills and it looked to me like the shape of moose antlers. 

   

 Tablelands is where the theory of the Earths plates was proved. There is a striking difference between the brown/yellow stones and rocks of the flat topped tablelands, and the rounded grey vertical rocks along the coastline. 

 Tablelands is a very different environment. It has wide valleys where the glacier has carved its way down and is full of small rounded yellow rocks, which have fallen down and been left deposited all over the valley. The views are stunning. 

  We continued to the town of Trout River where the road ends. The harbour there is lonely and has a long wooden boardwalk running right along the coastline. There are lots of holiday cabins and fishing huts dotted around with massive stores of logs for their stoves.

We followed a gravel road inland above and towards the river. There were thousands of wild flowers of different kinds amongst the trees. It was very pleasant. The rain had stopped and it was a bit brighter.

  We made our way back and then onto Rocky Harbour to the Fishermans Restaurant for a late lunch. There were lovely reflections of the rocks in Rocky Harbour and loads of tiny shells everywhere in the dark grey slatey sand.

   

 Well tomorrow we have a ten hour journey back to Ken and Doreen’s ! We’ll let you know we got there safely. You are 3 and a half hours ahead of us. So when we fly back from St.Johns Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning ……we should not have too much jet lag.  We are getting our bags packed finally tonight and just having stop over clothes for Monday night xxxxxxx

Really looking forward to seeing you very soon lots of love xxxx

Today was sunny but colder 18c. We headed North. At the visitors centre we made 2 friends. Do you like the photos of Grandma and Grandad? Hee hee! 

   This is the view of Norris Point from on top of the hill. We walked along a trail through the woods, again boardwalks were placed over the boggy parts to a viewing platform. 

   We took photos wherever we could and really loved the Arches provincial park. The sea has broken through the rocks to make these arches. 

 At Port au Choix we paid to visit the historical centre and learned about the different peoples who lived in this special area over the last 3000 years. They are finding all sorts of items, bones,arrow heads, settlements etc and the exhibition and DVDs were very interesting.

We called in at a dry dock in one harbour and saw huge fishing boats/ trawlers. 

   It’s our last full day here in Gros Morne tomorrow and we are going to visit Tablelands and walk some easy trails

Today we headed to Gros Morne for our boat trip, booked for 12.30pm. We parked the car and then had a 3km walk inland to the fjord. The walk was easy on a path with boardwalks over the marshlands. The problem was we were running late YES I’ll repeat it we were running late. We would have been far too early but we went to the wrong location and were three quarters of an hour drive away from where we should have been oops! 

 Anyway we frog marched the 3 km and were last on the boat! The scenery was spectacular and the water very black. The rocks either side went up vertically and there were hidden waterfalls. It was like being in Norwegian fjords but with no jelly fish as this was fresh water and not so high mountains. Eons ago it was part of the sea as proved by the finding of whale bones but now is fresh water and inland.  

   We were on the water for 2 hours and both stood at the front of the boat listening to the commentary about the rocks and stories of the surrounding areas. On the way back they put on typical Newfoundland music… Sea shanties! 

   The walk back along the marshland was much more relaxed. We saw many different wild flowers. There were loads of blue flag Irises and orchids as well as cloudberries( called bake apples here ). We kept hearing the cute whistle of the chickerdies and saw a small bright yellow bird. There is a dark red flower that attracts insects and uses the proteins from them as sustenance for the plant. 

 Back in the car we stopped by the sea coast and took photos. We found a pile of moose antlers near a stack of lobster pots. We stopped for fish and chips. I had the local version called poutine. It is chips covered with cheese and gravy yummy. 

   Chilling out in our hotel room now. We have a jacuzzi in our room very posh xxxxx

I’m now feeling sad our fab holiday is almost over but really looking forward to coming home. Love to you all xxxx 

 

hi woke up to completely different weather, heavy grey clouds and were told it’s the tail end of a hurricane …so am back in winter clothes. 

Vince tripped over the computer  cable last night and it fell on the floor and now doesn’t  respond! He’s backed all photos and everything up fortunately except the screeching but we think we can copy those pics from Ken and Doreen fingers crossed. Never mind it was an accident  We headed to a computer shop but they couldn’t sort it, but it’s under warentee  still so it will be ok.

We drove to Lark Harbour South of Deer Lake today along the Deer Lake and other Lakes up to the sea visiting the harbours along the way. The inlet is called Humber River and the bay of islands. We passed an old steam train and a paper mill along the way. It was drizzle and cloud all the way with very occasional sunshine. Hope you like the photos, but in clear visibility we could have seen the mountains more clearly. Whales frequently are seen in Lark Harbour but not today! The provincial park at the end is called Blow Me Down Park. 

            Back in Deer Park this evening it is beautiful weather warm with bright sunshine. Hope this lasts for tomorrow as we are going on a boat trip up the fjord in Gros Morne.  xxxxx

Wednesday today and we are back on line. It has been the hottest day so far in Newfoundland we’ve been so lucky with the weather. Lena treated us all to breakfast in a cafe overlooking the sea and then we bid a tearful goodbye to her.  

     We have travelled to Gros Morne National Park and then back to our hotel in Deer Lake. The road we followed was the TCH Trans Canadian Highway and was mostly full of pot holes!  

 It was forested all the way and mostly flat until we approached Gros Morne, which is mountainous and glacial. 

   

 It is a world UNESCO site. It has a deep fjord running through the park and north of the park sandy beaches we’ve been told. Here are a few pictures we have taken this afternoon. We are now at the Holiday Inn, Deer Park for 5 days. Photos for the last 3 nights will be updated soon 

Ps love to Otis Louis Lilyana and Anona in order of age ! See you very soon xxxx

From 3pm late into the night …Wow today we became honorary Newfoundlanders and we were screeched in. We have photos and videos to show you. There was a big party and the ceremony started. We had to eat hard bread and something like spam meat and then kiss an ugly cod fish and drink the screech rum in one go after saying     

 ” indeed I is me old cock and long may ye big jib draw!”   

               It was such good fun and we were kind of knighted with a boat oar and given a certificate and small momento s.  

 Then the party went on late into the evening. We chatted to lots of lovely people and drank alcohol finishing with a coffee that had very little coffee in it mostly whisky I think! An unforgettable memory. It was amazing!

Earlier on we had a ferry trip to the nearest island, Bell Island, It is only 3 miles over the sea and a long island     We knew there was an iceberg behind it and after eating fish and chips at the famous Dicks ” I love me Dicks” was their slogan (sorry just had to put this in my blog). …we did a circular tour of the island to view the iceberg.     There was a class of teenagers on the return ferry and they were so well behaved and respectful. They all quietly sat while their teacher called out their names and quietly walked over to the outside decks. So unlike British teenagers! 

     Well that was our day and definitely one to always remember!

MONDAY AND TUEDAY IN BRIGHTON

We are on the way to Brighton Newfoundland now with Ken to see where he grew up and it’s pouring with rain This is the Gumbo area.

   After about 3 hours driving it stopped raining and then after 7 hours total driving time we reached Brighton. The sun was shining and it was warm. 

 We went into the holiday cabin they own and met Kens step mother Lena who is 88. She stays here all the Summer and Winters over in St John’s. She is very alert and agile for her age and had made us a lovely salad for “supper” followed by lemon meringue pie. She took us for a tour of the small island and showed us where she grew up and the land Kens family owns.  

   About 5 or 6 houses are Cave family owned. The water surrounds every house. We saw where Vinces aunty lived before she died very young when Ken was only 18 months old. She was very ill and the weather was so bad that the doctors couldn’t get to the island in time to save her. You could only reach Brighton by boat in those days. Now there is a causeway connecting Brighton to Triton and a causeway connecting Triton to the mainland. Needless to say that the cabin is is picturesque and beautiful for a holiday location. There is a calm relaxed feel to the island and a sense that it must have always been like this nothing has changed over the years.        We are staying here for 2 nights before heading on to Gros Morne National Park. Hope the photos show how amazing this small community is. 

   Lena has lots of stories to tell us and is very kind to us. We also met Violet her sister who is lovely too. I am laying in bed early morning, listening to the birds singing, (One small bird has a whistles tune, very distinctive,) and the sound of the ocean. We heard fireworks last night as it was a national holiday for the orange men. There is a strong Irish presence in Newfoundland.

Today we had another guided tour of Brighton Triton and Roberts Arm. Lena chatted away to us and directed Vince where to drive. There wasn’t a breath of wind and there were beautiful reflections in the ponds. We visited the local museum and the old Methodist church that the museum now looks after. People can still use the church for weddings funerals etc. if they ask. The sun was warm in the blue cloudy sky.

   

 We came back at lunch time and then visited the graveyard where Kens parents are buried. It was a surreal experience. The graves were mostly from only about 5 different families and Lena proceeded to tell us about each persons life. She seemed to have known them all! We must have been there for an hour or more while she talked about each one. 

  Vince and I went out by ourselves to explore. We walked high up along the coastal tracks through the forest. The mosquitoes were biting! There were lovely views over this idyllic island. 

   

 We got in the car and went over to Triton and to where the ferry takes cars onto 2 more islands. 

  Many photos later we called at a souvenir shop which advertised “fresh fudge” vince asked to buy some fudge and the girls said” oh we had some last summer” what a laugh!

After another hearty meal cooked with ease by a sprightly 88 year old for 6 of us, (Kens youngest daughter Deborah and husband Mike had arrived,) we did a house call which was like a pub crawl! We met Violet, Lenas youngest sister,Diane another niece, and another relative across the road with an American husband from Virginia. Alcoholic drinks at each house!

Back at Lenas we ate her carrot cake yummy and chatted until late into the evening. We move onto Gros Morne tomorrow by ourselves for a few days. This island of Brighton is magical and holds a special place in our hearts.

Fog and cold weather today, what a contrast from the heat and warm sunny day yesterday

We went for a long drive up the Trans Canadian Highway to Clarenville and then back via the Cape Shore to Placentia.

Above Placentia is Castle Hill National Historic site. We had a tour of the fortifications and the artefacts found there. It was so interesting and  the views were picturesque. This is where there is a fort and cannons defending the fishing town. In turn the French defeated the English and vice versa. Eventually the English took the fortress. They had 2 flags flying the 17th century British flag which was without the Scottish part on it and the French flag which was white in those days.  

   
  We saw where the cod was prepared and dried out on the cobble beach.

 We still haven’t seen a moose! BUT when we got home we had roast moose, roast potatoes and vegetables with gravy. It tasted very like roast beef but darker meat and a slightly different taste and texture. We really enjoyed it and would eat it again.

Looking forward to seeing you all soon. Xxxxxxxx