Capt. Murphy's Whales, Birds & Banjos
© 2001 Robert A. Mackall
Arriving in Newfoundland is dreamlike. Not because it is 5:00AM. Not because we are the first car off the ferry. Not because we have finally made it to Newfoundland. It's the fog... the damned fog. It's everywhere; it's thick, cold and clammy; it's pea soup with an attitude.The first thing we learn about Newfoundland is that we have been mispronouncing it our entire lives. All Americans have been mispronouncing it forever. It is NOT Newfunlun or Newfinlun or any kind of "lun" at all. The Newfies will take great care and patience in correcting your pronunciation. This maybe the only thing that all Newfoundlanders have in common... So then, first, a rhyming lesson in the correct pronunciaton.
The ferries to Newfoundland depart North Sydney, Nova Scotia bound for either Port aux Basques on the southwest coast or Argentia on the southeast coast . While the trip to Port Aux Basques is about 5 hours with at least one crossing per day, the trip to Argentia is once a week and takes 14 hours. We have elected to take the 14 hour, overnight crossing to Argentia and return via the Port aux Basques route. Operated by Marine Atlantic, the Joseph and Clara Smallwood, our ferry for both crossings, is a huge ocean going vessel which can handle 1,200 passengers and 370 automobiles. As this is an overnight crossing we wisely booked a sleeping cabin for the voyage. The trip is one huge Newfoundland kitchen party.
As indicated, our arrival in Newfoundland was met by a banket of fog and quietness... and plenty of it. It being about 6:30AM we found a lovely breakfast at the Harold Hotel in Placentia; and shaking off a lack of sleep on the boat we set out to explore the south coast of Avalon; specifically the Cape St. Mary's Seabird Ecological Reserve. We arrived at the Reserve in a light rain and dense fog. The visitor center was a warm and welcome relief from the elements. Before taking the hike out to the gannet colony we enjoyed a chat with the park naturalist and watched an excellent video. Having been amply warned of the dangers of the cliff hike on a rainy day and armed with hiking sticks we set out on our adventure. The viewing area for the gannet colony is a triangular piece of cliff face about the size of kitchen table with a vertical drop of about 100 m on three sides... not for the feign of heart. Wet, cold, tired, having seen next to nothing and scared to death of the vertical drop to the rocks below we returned to the vistitor's center vowing to return someday to visit this extraordinary spot under more favorable conditions. As it is a bit of a drive to the Reserve you may wish to call ahead for a weather update (709) 277-1666. It is a must see spot in the world.
Cape St. Mary's Bird Sanctuary
© 2001 Robert A. MackallThe southeastern corner of Newfoundland is known as the Avalon Penisula. The southern portion of the Avalon Penisula is primarily an Irish neighborhood. Consequentially the driving loop around this area is known as the Irish Loop. And it is the greater part of the Irish Loop that we plan to explore today. Leaving the Cape St. Mary's Reserve, we drive around St. Mary's Bay. Here we saw some exquisite fog; some of the very best we've seen today. I'm sure there is much to see and do here. The small towns are cozy, the folks all quite friendly and speak with a lovely broagh; but the fog was persistent and we were defeated. By early afternoon we made our way to the east coast of Avalon and started driving north up Route 10. Finally the fog lifts, the sun shines and the day is not lost. With the fog lifted we are treated to gently undulating hills of green leading down to gorgeous clear water of greens and blues.
Our destination this afternoon is Ferryland and the archeological dig at the Colony of Avalon. The archeological site at Ferryland is important for a couple reasons. First, it is a really cool actively worked archeological dig in an accessable and gorgeous spot on the planet. Secondly, as Bob is a direct descendent of the Lord Baltimore, Sir George Calvert; Ferryland represents the introduction of his bloodline to North America. It is absolutely spiritual to walk the reconstuction of the colony of one's 14x removed grandfather. Unfortunately the colony failed due to the harsh winters. And although he never saw it, the Lord Baltimore later founded the Colony of Maryland.
After our halfday at the Ferryland dig it was a short but very picturesque drive north to Witless Bay where we had booked a room at Elaine's B&B By The Sea. Elaine and Danny Dinn operate this incredibly friendly and beautiful B&B on the shore of Witless Bay with its view of Gull Island from the spacious backyard. We were able to watch breaching Humpback Whales right from our bedroom window! Beyond the physical beauty of the B&B and its environs, the Dinn Family is genuinely warm, friendly, helpful, their children are perfect and they all enjoy meeting the parade of visitors coming through their home. In the morning, Danny sat down and joined us for breakfast wanting to know all about us. Oh and what a beautiful Newfoundland Irish brogue they have. Should the subject come up; Danny's most revered hockey player in the world is the great Bobby Orr of the Boston Bruins. Don't get Danny going or you may be staying for lunch :-) When you visit to Whitless Bay, which you will naturally do after reading this; please stay at Elaine's. It is that good.
Elaine's B&B By The Sea
© 2001 Robert A. Mackall
Apart from Elaine's, the other great reason for visiting Witless Bay is the Witless Bay Seabird Ecological Reserve.We have visited bird sanctuaries throughout the Canadian provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island; but never have we seen so may birds of so many diverse species in one spot. Because human visitors are not permitted on the four islands that make up the Reserve, boat tours are the only means of experiencing these wonderful nesting colonies. The closest tour operator to Elaine's (you can walk to it) and the tour closest to Gull Island is Capt. Murphy's Seabird and Whale Tour. We, of course, believe Capt. Murphy's to be the best and recommend it unhesitantly not only for the length and breadth of the tour itself but also for the live traditional Newfoundland music while cruising in and out of the harbor. If this were not enough this is also a prime whale watching area and as the Humpbacks had just migrated into the area (early July), we were treated to close up encouters with these sociable beomeths of the deep... so close that we were showered with the exhilation breath of these wonderful creatures. Let me tell you this: the breathe of a Humpback Whale is not sweet. It smells like propane gas gone bad.
Our visit to Witless Bay completed we now headed north for the short 30km drive to St. John's, the Oldest City in North America. The first thing we learned about St. John's is that road maps and highway signs are completely useless. Do not depend on them... better yet, throw them out. I repeat; they are completely, utterly, totally useless. Destroy them before they destroy you! We had an "Official Road Map" of Newfoundland which contained roads which had not yet been built. Worse were the limited access highways into St. John's with no access at all! The highway signs were misleading in the literal sense. The best advice we got was to simply aim for the highest hill and you will find downtown St. John's under it... and that worked just fine.
If you have comments, questions or suggestions; please email me at rmackall@yahoo.com
