Sunday, June 25, 2017

Day 15 of 30 on our 2017 Canadian Maritime Caravan with Yankee RV Tour

On Monday June 19, 2017, we departed Triple Falls Campground and started our back tracking on Highway 430, along the west coast of Newfoundland.

The melting snow was creating steam, as it evaporated, in this warmer weather. It is a sight we have not seen before!

We prayed for good travel weather with no wind. No one was listening, it was overcast, drizzling, with low hanging clouds and windy. Heading back the way we came, the time seems to go by more quickly.



























It is amazing how the terrain can change form wooded areas to barren rocky ground in the blink of an eye.

We were through the forested area and back along the coast more quickly! Where the wind picks up and throws your RV around. Driving on the ocean side road, Charlie had to strain to keep the steering wheel from flying out of his hands.

Our wagon master had us track our distance from the front to the back of the caravan. He selected a land mark and we all watched our odometers climb. When the tail-ender came to that same landmark, it was determined that 16 rigs covered just over 2 miles of highway.

The Town of Anchor Point on the Great Northern Peninsula is the oldest English settlement in the area settled around 1740, by Robert Bartlett and his nephew Bob Genge from Somerset, England.  It was settled due to the rich fishing, sealing and trapping resources, where residents set-up winter housing at Deep Cove (now a national historic site). Today the community remains the key employer in the Straits from Eddies Cove East to Anchor Point, given the presence of a secondary shrimp processing facility, numerous fishing enterprises and services related to this industry.

Deep Cove Wintering Site on the Great Northern Peninsula is a wonderful place to visit. During summer, the settlers of Anchor Point had taken up an abundance of activity that surrounded the sea, as the rich waters could be viewed from any resident window. However, during winter the families moved inland to smaller homes they built in Deep Cove just a few kilometers to the south. Some shared houses with other families. This enclosed site provided to be more efficient and protected the settlers from the elements and harsh conditions in rural Newfoundland during the 19th and into the 20th century. Settlers would move back to their permanent homes in Anchor Point after winter. Deep Cove is noted as the last inhabited winter housing site in Newfoundland. A beautiful board walk and walking trail leads you to the site. As you walk where past residents before you walked there are interpretative panels noting the history of the community, how houses were built, what residents did for fun, the role of education/religion/man/woman and explanation of several structures and necessities. In 2012, funding aided with the development of adding miniature replica houses and structures along the board walk.

We saw a Caribou standing on the right side of the road, on a short ridge, just looking at us. Look closely at the picture to see him or her. Canada is home to over 2 million caribou, medium-sized members of the deer family, which includes four other native deer species: moose, elk, white-tailed deer, and mule deer. The word “caribou” is believed to be derived from the Mi’kmaq word “xalibu” meaning “the one who paws.” All deer have cloven-hooved and are cud-chewing animals, but unlike other deer species, both male and female caribou have antlers. Caribou are well adapted to their environment, their bodies are short and stocky to conserve heat, with long legs to help move through deep snow. Long, dense winter coats insulate against cold temperatures and high winds, and muzzles and tails are short and hairy. A mature bull can weigh anywhere from 350 to 500 pounds.

The Torrent River runs hundreds of miles from the western slopes of the Long Range Mountains to the sheltered shores of Ingornachoix Bay. The Torrent River is a haven for Atlantic salmon. This is where they come in abundance to spawn. Eggs will hatch and develop before their long journey across the Atlantic Ocean, and return to the Torrent River to continue their life cycle.

 


The Torrent River Nature Park and Visitor Information Center is located at the mouth of the powerful Torrent River. The Interpretation Center is a unique, Salmon-shaped facility, it was completed in 2006 and is proudly owned and operated by the resourceful people of Hawke’s Bay. Here you can uncover the history of Hawkes Bay and the evolving relationship forged between the Town and the river that runs through it. Discover the story of the Atlantic salmon: a local, global and sometimes confounding tale of progress, pollution, politics, greed, ignorance, apathy and, above all, hope.

In 1768, Captain Cook surveyed the coast of Newfoundland, and on his map Parsons Pond is called Sandy Bay. Rev. Isaac Parsons visited there in his schooner and gave the community its present name. Today a number of families have the surname Parsons, likely descendants of Bill Parsons formally of Trout River, and his wife, Caroline Francis, who were early settlers there. Parsons Pond is a community with an interesting history of oil exploration. Through the 1800's there were several wells and basic refining operations. The original well sites and hardware can still be seen on the western side of Parsons Pond. The provincial energy company, Nalcor, in partnership with others, has purchased the onshore exploration rights. Nalcor began drilling 3 sites in February 2010; results to date were limited and the company is not considering additional drilling at this time. Nalcor is continuing to look at the potential of offshore drilling in the Gulf of St. Lawrence region. In the summer time the Town Council and the Parsons Pond Recreation Committee always facilitate a great week-long festival, "The Parsons Pond Festival".

We saw this sign, we have seen many of these signs along our travels. But every time you see a sign like this, you get a bit more vigilant.




We got the closest to a Moose … closer than we really ever wanted to!




A Mama Moose and her baby popped out on the right side of the road and crossed right in front of us on the road!

We arrived at Gros Morne campground for our overnight stop just after 1pm. We had time to set up and then were are taking a driving tour of Racky Harbor and Gros Morne National Park.

Driving north, Wiltondale, is the gateway to Gros Morne National Park, driving south, Rocky Harbor is the gateway. With its fjords, mountains and spectacular ocean scenery, Gros Morne offers unexcelled opportunities for outdoor activities and sightseeing. Perhaps the best way to put Gros Morne National Park into perspective is to say that it's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. That designation puts it on par with such natural wonders as Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Ancient glacial scraping and erosion formed the breathtaking landscape that makes this a paradise for the outdoor enthusiast and camper. Trail hiking, rock climbing, sightseeing, boating, swimming, camping and fishing are just some of the recreational activities on offer. The Tablelands in Gros Morne National Park offer a view unlike any other. Driving from Woody Point to Trout River, the landscape changes dramatically, where the usual green vegetation is chipped away and a desert-like gorge appears. The rocks here, peridotite, were once part of the Earth’s mantle. They were forced to the Earth’s surface during tectonic plate collision hundreds of millions of years ago. Gros Morne Mountain is 2,644 feet in elevation and the centerpiece of this UNESCO site.


After Gros Morne, we stopped at the Norris Point Lookout and Jenniex Heritage House. This provides a spectacular view over Bonne Bay and across to the Tablelands.

Besides the spectaucular foggy views, the tulip gardens were in full bloom!

In Rocky Harbor, they have found arrowheads in the Salmon Point area, indicating that the Micmac Indian once inhabited the area. Then came the fishermen from England and France, some of whom eventually stayed all year round. As early as 1809, it is recorded that Mr. John Paine and his wife Sarah lived in Rocky Harbour Cove followed by the Youngs'. This fishing village, run by English Merchants, grew rapidly. Fishing during the summer and logging during the winter were the main industries. People grew their own vegetables, cured fish, preserved local berries and raised animals for food, clothing and for work. Woody Point was the "Commercial Center" of the area at that time and, everyone went there for the essentials, which they could not produce themselves. Everyone was busy and the village prospered.


We enjoyed a quiet night in our three service campground.

No comments:

Post a Comment