Our visit in Newfoundland has been phenomenal! We couldn't have asked for more - well, maybe a bit warmer weather would have been nice. It's really hard to believe that it is July and the temperatures have been in the high 60's/low 70's! Which is fine, except when you are out on the water and it's windy. Then it's down right COLD!
Sunday morning dawned sunny and we packed up the necessities for an overnight trip and headed north to St. Anthony, Newfoundland. Hunter wasn't exactly ecstatic about the 224 mile trip (one way) - just to see icebergs and hopefully whales & moose. But after we got there, she loved it!
What a thrill As we neared the Labrador ferry port at St. Barb, we began to see icebergs everywhere! So many - and so huge! Once she saw those, she couldn't wait to get to St. Anthony. We pulled in about 3:00 and checked into our hotel and headed on to the boat dock for our 4:00 p.m. reservation on the Northland Discovery Boat Tour. We were not disappointed. There were 12 icebergs within 10 miles of the port and we got to see three HUGE ones up close. They are amazing! Two of them were 'aground' in 150 - 180 feet of water, which proves the fact that only 1/8 of the iceberg is above water. Seven-eighths is below water.
One of God's miracles in that these bergs take 2 years to travel from the Artic to the northern tip of Newfoundland/Labrador. Once here, it takes only about 2 months for them to be completely melted. Check out the boat cruising close to the iceberg to get some idea of just how big they are!
The ice off of one of these bergs is some of the purist water, as it fell from the sky over a 1,000 years ago - long before pollution, acid rain, etc. And although it floats in sea water, to taste this ice is an experience in itself.
It is so tightly frozen that the salt water does not penetrate it. Just ask Hunter! I don't think sucking on a piece of ice will ever be the same for her again.
After the icebergs, we slowed down and started watching for whales. Only one decided to visit with us this trip, but he gracefully did 'his thing' and flashed his tail just before his dive to the bottom - which is about 500 feet. What magnificent animals!
For supper, Hunter & I chose the LightKeeper's Restaurant on Fisherman's Point. That was where I first tasted pan-fried cod back in 2004. It was every bit as good as I remembered it. If I have to eat fish, then pan-fried cod Newfoundland style is my choice. The first time we ate here, we were gifted with a rainbow over the lighthouse. This year, it was icebergs floating in the harbor. After supper Hunter & Grandpa headed down the shoreline to see our iceberg friend one last time, while Grandma headed to the truck to attempt to get warm.
Back at the hotel, Hunter was in hog-heaven getting a bed all to herself. She was a bit disappointed not to find a hot tub or swimming pool here, but she made do. At least she had all the hot water she could 'waste' to take her shower.
This morning we headed back to the campground and, much to our delight, we spotted, not one, but 7 moose at a watering hole. Roger turned around and went back and stopped, while Hunter and I snapped away. Three of them were bulls, and the other four were cows & calves. They tell us it is very unusual to see that many together. It was the perfect finish of our trip.
Got back to the park about 12:30 - and Roger & I donned our yellow shirts and got to work. Natalie showed up about 3:00 and Hunter has been out and about ever since. She went to dinner at Natalie's nana's house and she checked in by walkie talkie when she got back. She'll always turns up about dark thirty.
We were talking as we drove back today and I said, "If you come with us next summer, we'll have to go to different parks so you can see more of the country." Hunter quickly informed me that she would be perfectly happy to come back to the same parks again! Think she's hooked.
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