West coast of Newfoundland

We have had a great week of exploring the western coast of Newfoundland.  We stayed for 6 days in Gros Morne National Park and then did a quick trip to the very northern most tip of the island to St. Anthony to view some spectacular icebergs.  We are now in the central area of western Newfoundland in the second largest city in the province, Corner Brook.  You can tell its not a populous island when the largest city has a population just over 100,000 and the second largest's population is just over 20,000.  We will be here two nights before heading a bit further south for 2 nights then its back on the ferry to Nova Scotia and our Newfoundland trip will be all over. 

Here are some photos from our recent excursions:

Here is a map of Newfoundland and all the places we have visited or will visit before out trip ends next Monday.  I think we have covered the island tip to tip.

July 14 - Our boat trip into the fiord of Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne National Park - Absolutely stunning fiord.

The large ice sheets and icebergs floating down iceberg alley in St. Anthony.  Yes, that is a fishing boat in the middle and yes, the ice sheets are huge (over 1 mile long).  These are remants of a 64 sq km ice sheet that broke off Greenland and is now breaking up all along the coast of Newfoundland.

This is a "bergie bit" (Angela's favorite new words).  This is a smaller piece of an iceberg that has fractured off and is now grounded against the shore.  We watched this little guy break up just as we sat on the shore.

And of course Matt has to sample a piece of the bergie bit - Actually pretty good and no salty taste whatsoever.

This floating chunk is known as a Growler.  It is a medium sized chunk that has broken off a larger iceberg.  This was taken from our boat ride out onto the Atlantic Ocean.  This growler was still much much larger than our boat and was estimated to be about 120 feet tall.

Newfoundland Update & Lighthouse Photos

I wanted to take advantage of the fact that we have some WIFI while here in St. John's and give an update of our time in Newfoundland so far.  This country is absolutely beautiful, most likely, one of the most beautiful that we have ever been to.  We arrived last Saturday morning and have spent the last week exploring the Avalon peninsula which is on the east coast of the island (see prior post for map). 

I think the highest temperature we have seen is about 50 and we saw just a few hours of sun yesterday.  It has been very chilly, rainy and FOGGY...  We didn't believe it when we were told that Newfoundland is the foggiest place on earth, now we believe it!!  We have been treated to beautiful rocky coastlines and the whales are in feeding on the capelyn.  We've seen them on several days as we have been driving around the coast.

We just returned from a place at the southern tip of the peninsula called Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve where we photographed over 30,000 nesting pairs of birds.  We will have some photos posted soon of those, it was amazing.  For some more information on the reserve, click HERE.

We are now headed to an area on the next peninsula over called Bonavista to photograph my favorite bird, the Puffin.  We had a permit to visit an island here but have not been able to land on it due to rough seas, so we will try again in a few weeks.

Here is a photo that Matt took last year in Alaska when we visited Alaska of the horned puffin.  The Atlantic puffin that we will be photographing is similar to this little guy.

Horned Puffin - Seward, Alaska

I also wanted to share some lighthouse photos that we have been working on while traveling through Maine and Nova Scotia over the past month.  These photos are all Matt's but I'll hopefully have some ready to post soon.  Just for you Mom!!!

A short ferry ride takes you from the main islands of Hatteras, North Carolina, to the sleepy island and town of Ocracoke.  This brick  lighthouse is the oldest operating light on the outer banks and serves as a beacon for all those returning to the harbor.

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers many opportunities for beautiful sites.  The Cape Hatteras Light is only one of the many lighthouses that protect shipping along the outer banks of North Carolina.  This lighthouse is one of the tallest in the world measuring in at over 200 feet in height.  It resides in its new home since 2000 and provides a wonderful look into the past for all lighthouse enthusiasts. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Cape Elizabeth is the home of the Portland Head Light.  One of the most picturesque lighthouses on the Maine shores.  This beautiful lighthouse and keeper's home showcase the very essence of why lighthouses are needed along the rocky coastline.  At sunset, the lighthouse and coastline are bathed in a warm pink glow.  Look closely and you will see another lighthouse off in the distance. Portland, Maine.

Black & White rendition of Portland Head Light - Portland, Maine.

Nubble Light towers above the rocky coastline at Cape Neddick, near York, Maine.  While the lighthouse only stands 41 feet high, its light is over 88 feet from the sea due to its precarious perch on the rocky island.  Can you imagine transporting both yourself and all your goods in a small hand tram high above the rocky shores?

Nubble Light towers above the rocky coastline at Cape Neddick, near York, Maine.  While the lighthouse only stands 41 feet high, its light is over 88 feet from the sea due to its precarious perch on the rocky island.  The rocky island gives us some hint of what a harsh life that the lighthouse keepers must have faced before the light was electrified in 1938.

Cape Neddick Light Station, or more commonly known as Nubble Light is a beautiful place to visit on a warm summer's evening.  It's rocky perch near York Beach, Maine, shows just why lighthouses are so important to shipping near the coast.  It was dedicated in 1879 and still shines brightly today.

While the waters of the Atlantic ocean were calm on our visit to Cape Neddick Light, the rocky coastliine makes it easy to see why these beautiful structures are so needed along the Maine coastline.  The natural beauty is spectacular, but its easy to see why a lighthouse keeper's life was often lonely.

Located inside Casco Bay, the Portland Breakwater light helps to guide ships into the Portland harbor.  This small "bug light" helps guide Coast Guard ships through the rocky coastlines of Maine.

Connected to land by a narrow wooden walkway, the Marshall Point Light Station provides guidance to boats entering Port Clyde harbor.  This vantage point from the light keepers cottage shows the rocky point on which the light sits.  This light station was built in 1857 and has even been featured in the movie, Forrest Gump.

Located on the scenic Lighthouse Trail in Nova Scotia, Peggy's Point Lighthouse is a favorite tourist attraction for those visiting Halifax.  Although only built in 1914, this lighthouse is one of the most photographed lighthouses in Canada.  Here we witnessed a rare but spectacular sunset

The red light of Peggy's Point Lighthouse guides sailors into St. Margaret's Bay in Nova Scotia.  This small town of a little over 40 is one of the most popular tourist attractions near Halifax.  Sunsets over the Atlantic ocean make this a popular place to visit.

The octagonal shape of Peggy's Cove's lighthouse is one of the most recognizable lighthouses in the world.  Photographed by many each year, the setting sun provides a glorious backdrop to highlight the unique rocky coastline of Nova Scotia.

The rocky point of the picturesque Peggy's Cove is home to the Peggy's Point Lighthouse.  Although it can be very busy with the loads of tour buses that come from nearby Halifax, this light is definitely worth a stop for visitors to Nova Scotia.  Planning on enjoying a sunset, be sure to bring your jacket as the chilly Atlantic waters make the point a windy place.

A clear blue day in Nova Scotia is rare, but provides a beautiful backdrop for the scenic lighthouse in Peggy's Cove.  It is easy to see why this lighthouse is needed to help guide sailors around the rocky entrance to St Margaret's Bay near Halifax.

St. Johns - Newfoundland

We had a great overnight ferry and woke up to the chilly but beautiful green shores of Newfoundland this morning.  When we drove off the ferry, it was misty and cold with temperatures at 48 degrees.  Can you believe this is summer here?  We made the 2 hour drive from Agrentia where the ferry landed to St John's on the Avalon coast.  We will be here a week before driving north and west to explore the rest of the island.

Quite the trek north, but still nothing compared to our trip to Alaska last year.  Although the weather is similar!!