This Week on "The Rock"

Two Ferry Rides - So Very Different

Let's see, where do I begin? The Woods Island, PEI to Caribou, NS ferry carries 
cars for the most part. 

We were pretty close to first off
in Nova Scotia!

It's a pretty drive from Caribou to Sydney. 
We found the Red Shoe restaurant in Mabou, great food.

Great restaurant in Mabou

Who says you can't parallel park
an RV towing a Subaru

The Berkshire climbed Kelly's Mountain (for all Maritime music fans), 

and arrived at the ferry terminal with plenty of time to spare. That's a nice way to say we waited 4 1/2 hours to board. 

A tight squeeze and worth the wait, we were the 3rd large
vehicle off in Port aux Basque NL.

Lynne and Reubin were pretty close to the first vehicle loaded which means their truck was 9 decks below our passenger deck. First on last off with the big ferries. Yup, they were the last vehicle to arrive in NL, 40 minutes after we got off.

Newfoundland-Amazing Vistas, Friendly People

Newfoundland is big, it would be the 4th largest state were it part of the USA. For exploring purposes, Newfoundland is marked into 4 sections: Western, Central, Eastern & Avalon. We have only toured the northern part of the Western section. It took us all last week.

We first stopped at Deer Lake and toured Gros Morne Provincial Park, then on to L'Anse aux Meadows where the Norse established a settlement in the year 1000. They only stayed for 10 years, but that was enough for me to put them ahead of Columbus when we talk about discovering America.

Here's our week in pictures.

First day as we drove to Deer Lake our base for exploring
Gros Morne National Park

Eastern Arm of Bonne Bay - Part of Gros Morne National Park
from Lobster Cove

The Lobster Cove Lighthouse

Western Arm of Bonne Bay looking back to Norris Point

A geologists dreamscape where the soil on top use to be miles below the surface

Typical old style Newfoundland house-Trout River

Woody Point Lighthouse on the Western Arm of the Bay

Sunset at our Campground in Quirpon, the Northeastern most
town in Newfoundland

Depressions of the Viking/Norse buildings at L'Anse aux Meadows

Replica of Norse cargo boat-sailed from Greenland by reenactors

Re-created Viking/Norse house at L'Anse aux Meadows

Norstead village-recreation of what L'Anse aux Meadows
would have looked like.

A reenactor demonstrated weaving

St. Anthony, the site of the Grenfell Mission,
an organization that made life in Newfoundland and
Labrador less harsh in the early 1900's

Today we head to St. Barbe where we will catch a ferry tomorrow for a one day trip to Red Bay, Labrador.
Who knows when we'll have time or internet connection for the next "On the Road with the Berkshire", but we'll be in touch soon!

Tomorrow Is the Big Day

Our Last Week on PEI

Our reservations are made for the ferry to Nova Scotia tomorrow at 9:30. We've rearranged the freezer, stocked up on the things we're sure will cost more in Newfoundland, and washed, folded and stored all seasons of clothing: winter, summer, fall, and spring. We are ready!

The weather forecast is for perfectly sunny days, calm seas, and star-filled nights. Checklists have been made and items crossed off. Last minute chores are done. (I won't tempt fate so far as to think "What could go wrong?" I'm sure some last minute glitch will give us a test, but for the moment, "we're ready!")

Lot's Going on This Last Week

We ate a terrific dinner at 21 Breakwater, one of the finest restaurants anywhere, never mind just on PEI . In a lovely home located on the waterfront of Souris, PEI, Chef/Owner Pedro creates some of the most delicious meals you'll ever have. Lunches are great, but dinners are superb. 

Seafood chowder, bay scallops with grilled vegetables and herb mashed potatoes, a striploin steak and a hamburger were indescribably good. The little touches carry the food 'over the top': fresh herbs, excellent sauces, a bottle of wine, artisan bread, and the desserts...

We looked even happier after our meal!

After dinner Reubin took us for another drive, this time to  East Point, where the quintessential wooden lighthouse still clings to the red sandstone cliffs. I've not found a part of PEI where the island has held its own against the sea. East Point is no exception. The old foundation for the lighthouse is now just barely hanging on to the crumbling cliffs. Within the last 30 years, East Point has lost more than 50 yards to winter storms.

Dinner with Edith and Stan, Mom and Ray

(I'm sure some folks have noticed that just like at Trace and in Florida, the chronicles of the passing days and weeks revolve around the meals we eat!) On Friday night we had dinner with my Aunt and Uncle. Edith was raised in a farmhouse overlooking St. Peter's Bay, just a few hundred yards from Mom's cottage and she loves her time on the Island, no matter how short it may be. My Aunt called it "the changing of the guard" as my cousin Heather & her husband Rick had to return to Maine, so the next generation, Cheryl, John, and Eloise were driving in to stay with Stan and Edith until another shift arrived next week. We all ate a great dinner, prepared by Heather, and visited until 'the new guards' arrived.

One of the great benefits of the Island are the sunsets. They arrive later here, close to 9:00pm at this time of year. Each one is seemingly more beautiful than the one before. 

We'll be posting from Newfoundland very soon. Safe travels to one and all!

What an Exciting July

Busy, Busy, Busy

 Although it's a small island, PEI has so many beautiful places to see. For those of you who remember the 14,000 pictures I took in our 2010 trip out West, you can imagine that I'm back on a roll with the places we've visited in sunshine & tropical storm.

Classic Harbors & Ferries - Beautiful Sunsets - Lighthouses

Lobster Boats on the South Side

The Wood Island Ferry we'll take to Nova Scotia on our way to Newfoundland

Sunset on the Milburn Rd-Our Home Base

Watching the Sunset at St. Peter's Bay while enjoying an ice cream!

Souris Lighthouse

Cape Bear Lighthouse & Marconi Station

 Tropical Storm Arthur made quite a difference at Souris Harbor

On a calm day a view of the Ferry to the Magdalen Islands

Too rough for the ferry during Arthur

Visits - Walks - Preparations

We've visited relatives, Stan & Edith. (Mom has a sign ready for Stan every year. He's 97 this month.)

We walked along the shore of St. Peter's Bay below Mom's cottage.

 And we admired the 3 minute tent assembly that my sister Lynne & her husband Reubin will stay in when they travel with us to Newfoundland and Labrador. (Every campsite needs a welcome sign! Check out the Canadian Goose! Livin' the Dream!)