Newfoundland

[Ford_6L_E350]

Made it up to Lanse aux Meadows. The only proven Norse site in North America. The remains/ruins aren't much to see, so they have reproduced what they believe the buildings looked like - from other known Viking sites.

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Why the Vikings came, and maybe what they did. Current thought says this was a waystation. They stopped here for supplies/repairs/drop off cargo and went further south to gather goods for sale/trade in Iceland. It appears they lived here for less than 10 years.

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Not much to see, just some depressions in the ground.

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One of the replica buildings. 3' thick sod walls and timber roofs.

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Inside one of the sod houses

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Clayton Coburn, our tour guide. His picture is on the brochure for the site. He was born here and grew up playing on the 'Indian Mounds'. Was around when the archeologists were digging here in the 60's. Interesting guy with wonderful stories.

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An iceberg in the bay, visible from the site.

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While walking around the grounds, we saw these ducks in the bay. 12 adults and 20 ducklings. Several of the ducklings are underwater when this photo was snapped. Notice how clear and brilliant the water is.

After leaving the site we went down a backroad and found:

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Since we had no idea, we had to check it out.

Turns out the river normally flows quite a bit underground, and salmon can be found in these underground pools. During springtime or heavy rains, the underground portions are filled to capacity and excess water must flow on the surface.

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The overflow river.

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Hiking out to the underground pools we find the forest floor heavy with large rocks, and everything covered with moss.

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The river goes underground

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The river surfaces

We got some good sun today. After an overnight low of 38, it got up to 67 for a brief period. Now it is 53 and rainy as I sit in my van and talk to the world though the wonder of the internet.

Tomorrow we are off to see Arches Provincial Park.

Mike

 

[Zeta-SMB]

Re: Newfouidland

I'm enjoying your pictures. My folks used to go there all the time.

Z

 

[witoke]

Re: Newfouidland

Great pictures and interesting info about the Vikings. I could not remember the dates and so looked it up. All these settlements were around the year 1000! About 500 years before Columbus 'discovered' America.

 

[BroncoHauler-SMB]

Re: Newfouidland

Great pictures and interesting info about the Vikings. I could not remember the dates and so looked it up. All these settlements were around the year 1000! About 500 years before Columbus 'discovered' America.

There's also a theory out there that the Chinese discovered America (west coast) before Columbus, in 1421.


Herb

 

[Ford_6L_E350]

Re: Newfouidland

Limited internet speed and/or access has hamperedy ability to post more pictures.

So, some impresswions:

- Newfies are the freindliest people on earth.
- Roads are neither good nor bad, simply fair to poor.
- The fiords in Gros Morne Park are spectacular!, the weather has been less than spectacular. Mostly cold and damp mixed with fog. Today it got up to 68 and I'm not sure how to deal with the heat.
- The ocean waters are unbelievably clear - clearer than the tap waters.
- The cod is wonderful.
- 500,000 people live here, 300,000 in St. Johns, 30,000 in Labrador and the rest scattered.
- Many (if not most of the time) times the road you are on is the only sign of human actvity. Other than the coast, very little habitation exists.
- Almost no soil means no farming, no livestock. Fisheries was it. Now tourism and some lumber/paper.
- If you want a good look at Newfoundland, get a copy of a movie shot here "Shipping News".

Later,

Mike

 

[daveb-SMB]

Re: Newfouidland

68 degrees. Sounds like my kind of place. Keep the pics coming Mike and glad you guys are having a good time. One of these days maybe I can afford to go back there.

 

[Ford_6L_E350]

Re: Newfouidland

5 days sitting in a dealership lot waiting for repairs with no internet!

$1500 later we have a new #1 injector and are back on the road, but broker and behind schedule.

You may have to wait til I get home (Aug 1-5) for more updates.

Sorry

Really sorry about the $1500.

Really sorrier about the 5 days.

Mike

 

[macmcintire]

Re: Newfouidland

Sorry to hear about your troubles Mike. Maybe we can pass around the hat among the Forum members and take up a collection. I hate it when a vehicle breaks down on vacation!

 

[Ford_6L_E350]

Re: Newfouidland

Ok Mac, I'll donate, but the money shoould go to DaveB.

Mike

 

[daveb-SMB]

Re: Newfouidland

Well, I guess I know how you feel Mike. My bad spell seems to be over but I still feel for anyone who has trouble on the road. I hope the dealer you found was as good as the one I found in Bakersfield. Those guys were great and it was actually nice to find there are some dealerships out there that do good work. In all the gooffy problems I've had lately, it's still an aventure. Hard to believe someone can have a good time camping in a dealership for a night or two but sometimes it's better than being at home. Hope your travels excell. Keep us posted.
Dave

 

[Ford_6L_E350]

Back on the road again!

Heading south from Lanse Aux Meadows we come to a 1920's shipwreck:
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The steel is slowly returning to the earth. The cast engine block in the upper right will take a few centuries.

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A typical Newfoundland Marsh. Seems like half of the island is marshy.

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our hiking destination. Western Brook Pond ~ 3 miles out.

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There are miles of boardwalks crossing the Newfie marshes. It would be very difficult to cross otherwise.

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Another view of the Western Brook Pond fiords.

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A common small fishing village. Since the cod is mostly gone, only small fisheries still exist.

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Another village in the fog. The fog is the reason we got so few photos.

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A clear day in Gros Morne National Park

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The Tablelands in Gros Morne. These are one of the only places on earth where the mantle is exposed on the surface. Happened when the plates collided. Because they are mantle and not crust, they do not support plant life. Geologists flock here to study these and other rock formations.
The Avalon peninsula of Newfoundland is a piece of Africa that broke off and stuck here at the same time.

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These rocks at Green Point are Cambrian era (~500 million years old). In reality they are the world standard for rocks of that age and and Geologists come from all over the world to study here.

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University Students studying Acidic water flows at the Tablelands

More to follow.

Mike

 

[Ford_6L_E350]

We spent most of our time in Newfoundland in and near Gros Morne National Park. It is a wonderful park with large sections of private land, villages and services surrounded by the park. You can camp in one of eight campgrounds in the park or commercial campgrounds just outside the park - but between the outer borders of the park. Private campgrounds are closer to the visitor center than park campgrounds are. About half of the park campgrounds have showers, all the private ones have showers.

Commercial boat tours operate in the park and in Bonne Bay, which is surrounded by the park. Gros Morne is about 60 miles by 40 miles. It is easy to spend a week there and only see the highlights - which is what we did. Even with the cold and fog, it is a great experience.

The fog and rain are why we have so few pictures.

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Eagle in the tree. On a boat tour of Bonne Bay. It was foggy enough that we could only see the shore when we got close. The crew felt bad and offered everyone a repeat tour for free. So, we came back two days later.

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Much better

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The Tablelands

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Woody Point and the Tablelands

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Woody Point. The grey building is a good restaurant.

When we left the park, headed south to:

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Captain Cook Memorial. Yes that Captain Cook. Honed his skills in Newfoundland before heading to the Pacific.

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Corner Brook from the Cook Memorial. 2nd largest city in NF. First chance for good fruit and vegetables.

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Why they needed lighthouses

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Rose Blanche lighthouse. In use from 1873 till 1942.

That is all for Newfoundland. Next stop Nova Scotia and the trip home.

Mike

 

[Nomadcat]

Thanks Mike!

Really appreciate the report. I always want to make it up there but, somehow, always end up 3000 miles west of my home and never east.

Maybe soon.

Keep 'em coming, photo and word-wise.

Paul