Today was a recovery day. Our 6 hour ferry from North Sydney, Cape Breton was delayed sailing. We arrived in Port Aux Basque, NFLD around 2 am or so. By the time we disembarked and arrived at our nearby campsite, it was almost 3 am. We literally fell into bed.
We lost another half hour. NFLD is half a time zone further east than mainland Canada making us 1 1/2 hours ahead of New York, Montreal and Toronto. Timing phone calls with family will be interesting.
The goal for today is the southern part of Gros Morne NP on the west coast of Newfoundland. We hadn’t actually set up camp last night so rather than doing so, we just had lattes and cold cereal for breakfast and all we had to do was drive off!
It was much warmer than we had expected. By mid afternoon it was a balmy 78 and reasonably sunny.
Newfoundland topography is stunning! So different from mainland Canada. There are geological formations here not found anywhere else on earth. I will talk about those as we come to them. Today’s drive was beautiful, misty and sunny at the same time.
We’re not exactly peppy with so little sleep. We didn’t stop anywhere except for lunch in Deer Lake. The Off the Hook Fish and Chip stand gave us the best lobster sandwiches we’ve had yet .. and at the best price! Two lobster sandwiches, fries and a drink cost $33 CDN.
We have a view of water from our campsite tonight. We are here for 2 days. We had some reorganizing to do after yesterday and a little cleaning. And of course, it started to rain about an hour after we set up. I didn’t feel guilty about having a nap.
Plan for tomorrow is some hiking. Dinner tonight is leftover beans, grilled cheese cinnamon bread sandwiches, strawberries, wine.
If you have been reading my blog, you know that we were supposed to be on the south eastern side of the Island where we planned to drive over to this side without repeating the drive. Now we are spending 3 days on the south western side before heading east in order to sync up with our original reservations at Terra Nova NP and Canada Day (July 1)… and then back again.
Maybe a little history of Newfoundland would be appropriate here. Newfoundland is Canada’s newest province. During WWII, it was still part of the UK. It became a province in 1949.
The history of Newfoundland (NFLD) stretches back thousands of years, with evidence of human habitation dating back to prehistoric times. The indigenous peoples of the region, including the Beothuk and Mi’kmaq, were the first inhabitants of the island.
The arrival of European explorers in the late 15th century brought significant changes to Newfoundland. John Cabot, an Italian explorer sailing under the English flag, is credited with the first European discovery of the island in 1497. Subsequent expeditions by European powers, including the Portuguese, Spanish, and French, led to the establishment of fishing outposts along the coast.
In the 17th century, the British established permanent settlements on the island, primarily focused on the lucrative cod fishing industry. Newfoundland became a British colony in 1854, and in 1949, it joined the Canadian Confederation as the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
The modern history of Newfoundland and Labrador has been marked by economic challenges, including the decline of the cod fishing industry in the late 20th century. Today, the province’s economy is diverse, with industries such as mining, offshore oil and gas production, and tourism playing important roles.
Newfoundland and Labrador is also known for its rich cultural heritage, including unique folk music traditions, vibrant arts and crafts scenes, and a distinct dialect of English known as “Newfoundland English.” The province’s rugged landscapes, including the dramatic fjords of Gros Morne National Park, attract visitors from around the world.
We will spend almost 2 weeks in this Province. We have been here before but there are areas we haven’t visited. Fortunately we have been to St.John’s and the Avalon Peninsula previously but are disappointed not to see it again this time and a visit with my friend.
Louise and Brian McLeod Travel Blog 
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