Reflections of a Newfoundland Road Trip

Reflections

Throughout this post, you will find moments where my mind reflects on past experiences or people. It is a mixture of the present and the past. Enjoy.

How did we get here?

When a friend needs help, you answer the call or at least put the thought in their head.

Earlier in the year, my friend Yordie, was weighing the options of how to get her vehicle from Ontario to the east coast of Newfoundland. She has recently purchased a fixer upper and will be visiting frequently and having a vehicle would avoid costly car rentals and logistical concerns. Also, if she is there for a significant length of time she can explore the province with ease.

I thought this would be a wonderful road trip, so I broached the subject with her back in January. I laid out all the positives, but it was met with some hesitancy. I mean, who turns down a girls road trip?!! It turns out Yordie doesn’t like to drive long distances. You learn something new after all these years.

Eventually, she comes around to the idea and on May 16, 2026, we hop into her SUV ‘loaded to the gunnels’ with all her supplies and start driving.

Overnight #1 – Knowlton, Quebec

The weather cooperates and we comment how beautiful and quiet it is for a Victoria Day long weekend. There is very little traffic. We drive until we are hungry which is past Cornwall, to St. Zotique, Quebec. We try in Lancaster first, but the restaurant is closed, so we opt for egads, McDonalds. We didn’t have much further to travel before we arrive in Knowlton, Quebec (Eastern Township) at Joey and Bryant’s place. I had the pleasure of meeting Joey and her husband Bryant at a birthday dinner for Yordie.

It’s a lovely drive from the A-20 down the A-10 to Lac-Brome. Yordie has visited here a few times and gave me the highlights of the town, trails, stores, etc. It looks like a lovely summer place to visit. Arriving, it felt good to hop out of the vehicle and stretch our legs to be greeted by Callie (the dog), Joey and Bryant. They have been gardening all day and are ready for a break. We relax on the deck overlooking the beautiful yard and a pen of chickens. I didn’t get too close to them because I will likely name them all, and I know eventually one will end up on my dinner plate.

Joey and Bryant are wonderful hosts. Joey cranks up the smoker and puts on a spread of food that is incredibly delicious. The unnamed chicken (chicken #1) was tender and richly smoked with a jerk sauce while (chicken #2) was in a barbecue sauce. Everything was delicious. After dinner, we gather in the family room and watched the Montreal Canadiens lose in a playoff game much to Bryant’s disgust. Me, a Boston Bruins fan quietly giggled, as we are sports foes of the highest calibre.

Perhaps it is the long drive or the full belly, but I manage to get a decent sleep and arise to the sun shining through the window. Joey is already bustling downstairs making us a lovely breakfast and before you know it, we we are off again.

Many thanks to Joey, Bryant and Callie for a lovely visit and for spoiling us.

Overnight #2 – Fredericton, New Brunswick

This trip can be completed faster, but as mentioned, Yordie doesn’t like to drive long distances so we take our time. Today is going to be a long one for both of us. We stop for a lunch break and spend the night at the Days Inn by Wyndham in Fredericton, New Brunswick. I plan to book accommodations as we go along since we aren’t sure where we will end up each day. What I do know is that we have tickets for the ferry crossing to Newfoundland in a couple of days and can’t miss the boat.

We ate lunch later in the day, so I wasn’t hungry for dinner tonight, but I was looking forward to a quiet evening. Yordie went to the local store to get gas for tomorrow. She offered to pick up water and snacks while I stay in my room and have a fabulous rest.

The next morning, we grab a lovely breakfast at the hotel before hitting the road. I don’t rave about hotel food, but the breakfast room is clean and there are many healthy options available. We are greeted at the door by an attendant. It was a nice way to begin the day.

The drive is pretty straightforward. Tree-lined four-lane highway and once again barely any traffic. We notice new moose fencing along the highway and see these interesting gates at certain points. We wonder what they are. The highway is fairly flat with some winding areas and overall the drive is lovely. It’s cool but not cold today.

The signage is getting cuter as we travel further along the Trans Canada Highway. Signs like the French Fry Capital of the World make me giggle. Apparently this is where the headquarters of the McCain Foods is located. I text my son saying we should visit one day because I swear our household definitely influences the McCain stock price.

Overnight #3 – Sydney, Nova Scotia

As we approach the Nova Scotia border, the roads become hilly and winding. Our destination is Sydney, Nova Scotia today. Along the highway we see these enormous machines with sharp, rotating blades that look like they are giving the forest a haircut. These machines remove small trees and brush that grow close to the highway and turns them into mulch at a record speed. It is fascinating to watch. We believe it is to push back the forest, to allow a moose fence to be installed and make driving along the Trans Canada safer. Regardless, I can’t help but imagine how long a job like this would take if it was done by hand. The technology is amazing.

What I enjoy about long distance driving is how my mind relaxes and wanders a bit. Yordie is a good road trip buddy. We don’t have to talk much. We can be alone with our thoughts but not entirely alone.

It takes approximately 2.5 hours to get from Fredericton to the Nova Scotia border. Not far from the border is Springhill, Nova Scotia and the home of the Anne Murray Museum. I will get there one day. I love her music. I still remember gathering around the television to watch her sing her famous song, Snowbird, while barefoot on stage. I didn’t know her music would become a soundtrack to my life. Mom and dad would dance to her music, dad and I would sing at the top of our lungs while driving from our hobby farm to the city and I remember the 8-track and hi-fi stereo belting out her music.

The road is winding, and we climb hills but the highway is clear. Some spots of drizzle, but nothing that slicks the highway.

This portion of the road is familiar. In October 2016, my cousin Shannon and I flew to Moncton and then drove to Cape Breton Island to see the fall colours and to celebrate my birthday. I have such fond memories of that trip from the hiking, the food and music scene, the scenery to an amazing spa day. Cape Breton is jaw-droppingly beautiful, especially at the height of the fall colours.

We stop in Antigonish for lunch. Antigonish is the home of St. Francis Xavier University and where I obtained my adult eduction teaching certificate which served me well for many years.

This is the Victoria Day long weekend and although we see a few campers, it isn’t like heading north on Highway 400 on an Ontario long weekend. The road is clear and we make terrific time. Yordie refers to Google Maps to locate the shortest route to Sydney. The route take us off the main highway to Hwy 105. The speed limit varies between 70 and 30 mph due to hairpin turns. There are many blind curves and the road falls off to the water on the right. You feel like you are hugging the road’s edge. We climb and descend hills and peer around corners. Thankfully, there are no trucks on this road and no one is pressuring us to let them pass. Although I have to fully concentrate this section of the road, you can’t help but see the beauty of the scenery.

Little Narrows Cable Ferry

We come to the end of the road, I take a deep breath, happy that portion is over. I’m sure I had a quizzical look on my face. The road has ended with only water in front of us. We are presented with the Little Narrows cable ferry that will take us to the other side of the water.

The Little Narrow cable ferry operates year-round on a 24 hour ‘on demand’ basis. We look at each other shrugging our shoulders because neither of us know what to do, so we wait behind 1 other vehicle until someone tells us to drive on to the barge. It takes approximately 5 minutes to load, 5 minutes to cross, 5 minutes to disembark.

The ferry connects Victoria County with the Bras d’Or Lake and crosses 150 metres of water. Next to the ferry dock is the Little Narrows Presbyterian Church, a beautiful white church and cemetery where they hold an annual Gaelic ecumenical church service in May to celebrate Gaelic Awareness Month. Crossing The Narrows on the cable ferry is a fun and interesting experience for both us. If you are ever on Cape Breton Island and heading to the mainland, give it a try. It’s free!

Once back on dry land we continue to drive 20 minutes until we reach Grand Narrows and a railway bridge that was built in 1890. It is no longer in use. It is a swing bridge design that used to open to allow larger boats to pass. We drive parallel to it along the Barra Strait Bridge admiring the cool swing bridge design.

Although this wasn’t the fastest route, it certainly was shorter in distance while being beautiful and interesting. We are now less than an hour away from Sydney and our stop for the night.

Tomorrow we will cross over to Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland, and tonight we will stay in Sydney where there are more options for accommodations.

Random shots

Overnight #4 – Sydney

We grab a room and then head to the grocery store to pick up a quick ready-made dinner. After we eat, Yordie takes the car for a fill up and a car wash to clean off the bugs. Me, I just relax. It was a long driving day. Tomorrow we have to be at the ferry for 10:30 am.

After breakfast and a fill up, we head to the ferry terminal. We are a few minutes early, so we park at the front of the line for our row. The weather has turned a bit, but not too bad. It’s cool and since we are close to the water, not surprising. At least the ferry will cross today although they are calling for a rough sail. Fingers crossed I’ll be good. I had a bad experience on the Nanaimo ferry back in the late 70s, but it might have had something to do with what I had consumed before boarding. (wink wink).

While parked, Yordie hops out to visit the Marine Museum at the terminal. Her grandfather perished in a marine incident back in 1942 and she wants to see what photos and information the museum have. Alone and enjoying the activity around me, I decide to take advantage of the quiet to complete a Duolingo Spanish lesson. I’m on a roll. I’ve done a lesson every day for over 1700 days. I’m slowing down though. I need to get myself a tutor to practice conversations. I used to do 10 lessons a day; now I complete 1 or 2. It’s a habit that I enjoy. My wish is that one day, I will be proficient enough to have a conversation with a native Spanish speaker. One day …

The attendant is now instructing us to board the ferry so I text Yordie to return to the car. She drives us on to the ship and we find our way up to the seating area. We locate a recliner seat which has USB ports. We hook up, recline and watch as transport trucks are loaded on board. Yordie is way too excited to sit for any length of time. She stands in front of the gigantic windows which gives passengers a terrific view of all the activity. She watches the ramp close, and turns and smiles. I can see her excitement.

This ship, the Ala’suinu, is 3 years old, lovely, modern and quiet. Her name means ‘traveller’ and comes from the Mi’kmaw language. Yordie has the sea in her veins and she can’t help but marvel at the technology the ferry uses. I know it won’t be long for this girl from ‘ The Rock’ to make her way outside to feel the sea air on her skin.

We are both excited that in 6 hours we will be in Newfoundland. Yordie is coming home to her island and me, I’m just a visitor, but love coming here. I used to frequently travel to St. John’s on business and I’ve made personal trips a few times. This is the first time that I’ve taken the ferry, so it is fun for me also.

The crossing is lovely. Suddenly, about an hour into our voyage, Yordie is paged to come to the Purser’s desk. She asks me to come along.

The Sinking of the SS Caribou

In 1942, Yordie’s grandfather (Prosper) was the second officer on the SS Caribou that was sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Port aux Basques, NF. Unfortunately, her grandfather along with 236 others lost their lives that early morning at 3:40 am.

The story continues as her father was to be on board, but thankfully he didn’t make the sailing. His shaving kit, and other personal belongings were lost during the sinking.

This story was shared with the Purser and we are invited to the bridge to meet the Captain and crew. We had our pictures taken with the crew, and I said a prayer for those lost at sea.

Marine Prayer – We ask for God’s mercy, remembering those lost at sea who have no known grave and pray for their inclusion among the saints in everlasting peace. Amen.

Sounding the Horn

Yordie was permitted to sound the horn at the site where the SS Caribou went down. It was an extra special moment for her, and I felt honoured to be able to share it with her.

Overnight #4 – Port Aux Basques

Well wonders never cease…it’s damp and drizzling in Newfoundland. LOL We check into the St. Christopher’s Hotel (St. Christopher, the patron saint of travellers) and decide to head into town to look for fresh flowers. Yordie has family buried on the island and we are going to visit some of their sites to lay flowers.

This is more of a challenge than we expect. Apparently, Mother’s Day is the big day for floral bouquets. Everywhere she tries has empty floral buckets. We will try closer to Cornerbrook where her parents are buried.

Instead of eating dinner at the hotel, we opt for a restaurant. I had a hankering for split pea soup, but that wasn’t on the menu tonight. I did manage to get homemade turkey soup and it is delicious. If you are ever in Port Aux Basques, check out Alma’s Restaurant.

The next morning we awake to heavier drizzle and cooler temperatures but our spirits are light. We have arrived in Newfoundland. We hit up Alma’s for a quick breakfast before heading back on the road. Yordie takes the helm of the car as she is quite familiar with this section of the province. I sit back and enjoy the scenery which is grey, misty and cool. Still, there is beauty in the shades of grey.

We visit a shopping centre in Cornerbrook where they sell flowers. Yordie loads up and directs me to the cemetery where she places flowers at the resting spots of her mom and dad. I had been here before, but it was in the dark and during a torrential downpour. Everything looks foreign to me in the daylight and I have to rely on Yordie to show me the way out of town.

While driving, I let her alone with her thoughts and follow her navigating instructions. I badly wanted a coffee but know I would be begging for a bathroom in 30 minutes, so decide against it. The Golden Years, yeah right! We stop for fuel tank and are back on the highway again.

Our destination today is Lewisporte before dark. It is recommended to be off the highway before dark to avoid moose incidents and there are huge moose alert signs along the road.

We have reservations at the Island Cove Inn tonight in Lewisporte which is the place we stayed at on our last road trip. A cozy two storied motel that overlooks the bay. I’m looking forward to being back there. The view over the bay is amazing.

At Deer Lake, we take a detour up Hwy 423 to Cormack. Yordie’s friend Marsha has property in Cormack, which is outside of Deer Lake. Marsha’s mother, Sadie, lives with her and Yordie wants to drop in to say hello. I met Marsha on my last road trip in Newfoundland but she is at work today. We drive the tree-lined roads until we pull up to this lovely property and invite ourselves in. This isn’t my modus operandi and I feel a little uncomfortable visiting people I don’t know. Newfoundland works on a completely different social system that I’m used to. It probably stems back to my childhood where we would call before dropping in. There was no dropping in. lol

I sit in the kitchen of this beautiful home listening to Yordie and Sadie catch up. I also know Marsha’s brother, Sheldon who is back in Ontario so there is a connection. I grab a group shot for the memory.

Before leaving Cormack, we stop into the local farmer’s market to pick up some treats. Yordie is thrilled to find fresh cream, partridgeberry jam and other delights before we head back down the highway.

The weather is beautiful. Although it is cool it is fairly clear and the roads are in terrific shape with lots of passing lanes. There is lots of activity along the highway with the moose fencing and brush clearing. This portion of the drive is fairly boring so we chat to keep things light. We talk about the renovations and how exciting it will be to see the house after all the work.

I am excited to get to the hotel and put my feet up and relax.

Late in the afternoon, we arrive at Lem’s sister’s place (Herma). Lem is the brother-in-law of Yordie’s late sister, Norma who recently passed away in December 2025. Yordie has been a terrific support for their family during Norma’s illness.

Yordie is excited to lighten the load of her SUV. We have been carrying her snow tires in the back and Herma has been kind enough to store them for her. While waiting for the tire storage to happen outside, I stretch my legs and go inside the house. I need a bathroom break. Lem’s sister has a couple visiting her, (Eileen and Danny) who live closer to Yordie’s place in Upper Island Cove. Eileen said she was afraid of driving over the cliff when she visited Yordie’s house. I take a mental note as I am afraid of heights also. Eileen and I sit on the couch and ‘chew the fat’ while the others are working on the tire storage.

Before we head to the hotel, Yordie, Lem and I go to the Brittany Inn for a fish dinner. I’ve been looking forward to fresh fish, but sadly it was the worst meal I have eaten in Newfoundland. The fries were dark brown and the oil needed a good change. It was disappointing, but I still have a few days left to have a good feed of fish.

Overnight #5 – Lewisporte

Arriving at the hotel around 7:00 pm, we check in using the honour system. The room door is open and the key is inside. We have already paid for the night’s accommodation, so we can unpack and unwind. Yordie had a package to drop off and I called back home to chat with the kids and show them what was left of daylight over the bay. Henry, my grandson, loved the fact I was calling him from the east coast. He is a huge geography fan.

Yordie was gone for a while so I curl up on the bed and take it easy. I’m sure there is a Spanish lesson in there also. I’m feeling a little drained from the drive. It was a long day, and then the socializing on top of that added to my weariness. Yordie is back in the room for a little while when she gets a text from her nephew, Tony who will be dropping by the inn for a visit. I straightened myself up and wait for the knock on the door.

Tony is lovely, like everyone I have met here. He shares stories and photos of his ‘cabin’ that he built which included milling the wood. Very cool. The photos show a beautiful cottage overlooking the water. They call it a cabin, but I would equate it to a cottage. I visualize a cabin as a tiny, remote weather-beaten grey wooden building in the hills with a plume of smoke spiralling upwards from a belching wood stove. This place is much larger and quite impressive. I appreciate the work and detail that has gone into this ‘cabin’ and those windows! He has talent, for sure.

Sleep comes easily tonight and we awake to a beautiful sunny day.

Twillingate

There is one more stop before we leave Lewisporte and that is a drop in at the local Home Hardware to visit her other nephew, Darrell. We drive down the main street and get caught behind a backhoe loader. This is rush hour in Lewisporte. lol

Yordie wanted to give me a bit of a tour before heading to our final destination, Upper Island Cove, so she decided make a loop from Lewisporte to Twillingate then to her place. We had done this trip before, but not during iceberg season, and Twillingate is known as the Iceberg Capital of the World. Fingers crossed that we see an iceberg.

Campbellton

Around 15 minutes up the road from Lewisporte, we stop in Campbellton to lay flowers at Jim’s resting place. Jim was Yordie’s partner of many years and one of the nicest people I have ever met. He passed away on the same date as my mother – March 24, 2020.

Here’s another reflection, I was with Yordie enjoying a warm coffee at a café in Bronte after a walk when I got the call from my father to come quickly as mom was in the hospital and didn’t have long. Jim had to come and get us so I could get to my car. That was March 24, 2012. Thankfully, I made it in time.

I snuck up behind Yordie to take these photos while she had her private moment. Jim was a fine man and I miss him but I know his beautiful Yordie misses him more.

Back on Hwy 340, we head towards Twillingate when we see an oncoming car flash his lights. Yordie immediately slows down and eventually stops as we watch 2 moose gallivanting in the brush in broad daylight. The flashing lights can indicate police, but in this part of the world, it is likely a moose sighting.

Long Point Lighthouse

As we arrive in Twillingate, we see an iceberg in the bay and drive to a higher vantage point to get a better look. We are rewarded with another one that is closer! Nothing like spotting icebergs without even trying. This is awesome!

We are at the Long Point Lighthouse. We hop out of the car and head towards the lookout where we are blown over by the wind. It is hard to remain upright. It is one of the most photographed landmarks on the northeast coast of Newfoundland, perched on the cliffs of Devil’s Head in Crow Head on Twillingate Island.

There are few people here but again not as many as I would have anticipated, but perhaps the wind is keeping them away. We walk along a small trail situated 300 feet/91 metres above the Atlantic Ocean. The waves are crashing below and it is such a powerful sight. The ocean air is incredibly refreshing. If you have long hair, you need to tie it back or wear a hat, and hold on to it!

I search the ocean waves for a whale, but no luck for me today.

We need to warm up a bit so we head into town to Annie’s Harbour Restaurant for an early lunch. This is a high recommend for a lunch or tea. The beautiful windows overlook the harbour and the clean lines of the restaurant allows a terrific view. The food is pretty good also. Grab a window seat and enjoy watching the boats as they enter the harbour. I have the fish cakes and Yordie has toutons (fried bread). Don’t come to Newfoundland if you are on a diet, but it is soooo delicious!

With full bellies, and a lovely visit to Twillingate, we head south to see Yordie’s newly renovated house at Upper Island Cove. It should take us between 4 and 4.5 hours to get there.

Upper Island Cove – Our Destination

Driving through the Terra Nova National Park means sketchy internet but the road is wonderfully maintained with lots of passing lanes. I love this drive, and I love the hills.

I have been trying to get in contact with Stephen Cadeau, who is a childhood friend of my youngest son Joel. I knew he had moved to Bay Roberts, but he hadn’t responded to me when I gave him the dates that I would be here. I will try again when I arrive on the off chance he is home. It would be terrific to see him and get a huge hug from him. My sons and him grew up together from kindergarten to high school. We have kept in touch over the years, and his mom lives down the road from me.

The scenery heading up coast towards Upper Island Cove is spectacular. I take a photo of a church in Bay Roberts and send it to Stephen. He instantly returns my message and announces he is in Ontario! Figures, lol. Apparently his place is a 5 minute drive from Yordie’s new place but he is currently working in Ontario. Next time, son!

The ride to her home is quite lovely and you feel like you are hugging the cliffs as you ascend to one of the highest points of Upper Island Cove. My fear of heights doesn’t kick in at all. I feel quite safe and I’m enjoying the ride up the hills. I can’t imagine this in the winter though!

Yordie is so excited to finally see the renovations that she has been monitoring from a distance. She bought this property for use when she is in Newfoundland and for her family and friends. She will continue to reside in Ontario, but now she has a place to stay that is hers and as of today, a vehicle to drive. Renting a car in Newfoundland is expensive and sometimes availability is challenging.

I love the red front door and it reminds me of our late friend Janice’s (Sprout) place when she lived at Musselman’s Lake, north of Stouffeville, Ontario.

Getting out of the van, I can see over Conception Bay. Yordie has already warned me not to venture too far across the grass or I will tumble onto the rocks 200 feet/60 metres below. Thankfully, Yordie is going to install some large boulders to prevent anyone from driving over the cliff. We are so high up and it is windy, but the air is so clean, cool and fresh. I can see white caps and sunlight dancing off the water. This location is spectacular. She really found a beaut!

We will unload the vehicle shortly, but first let’s take a gander at the renovations. What started as cosmetic with some window replacement, paint and flooring turned into a full renovation.

I’m excited to see what she has done with it. Yordie unlocks the back door and reminds me that it is not fully complete – 80%. We enter a mudroom/laundry room with new appliances. I can smell the fresh paint. Light fills the room casting a beautiful warm glow. Light comes from 3 sides of the house as windows are everywhere. The kitchen window overlooks the yard and further out to the bay. I love the colours of the cabinetry a soft marine blue, accented with a light grey paint on the walls and the wide plank flooring in a warm cocoa brown.

Yordie warns me again that we will have to make the beds and I’m fine with that but first let’s get the van unloaded. It doesn’t take long to empty, and the next couple of days we will try and find a place for everything and then she can move everything back to the way she likes it. lol

I work on gaining access to the internet as technology is more my thing, but unfortunately there is an issue. We have to contact the provider. We find out the next day that the contractors cut the wires when working on the siding and it needed to be replaced. No worries, the serviceman ran new wire immediately. The service was quite impressive. She now has internet capability.

The Shed

When Yordie purchased the land, it contained 2 houses and a shed. When we arrived, the second house had been removed, but the shed which blocks the view of the bay is still remaining. Her nephew, arranged for it to be sold and dismantled, and we got a chance to witness this exercise with cranes and flatbed trailers filling her property. Lots of action happening in Upper Island Cove. Yordie was dancing when it was gone. It made a huge difference to the view. I forgot to get a before and after photo, but her view is unbelievable. She will build a garage shed closer to the front of the driveway so that she doesn’t have to navigate too far up in the winter. The 3 flatbed trailers and crane caused lots of commotion in Upper Island Cove and judging by the numerous vehicles who stopped and pointed and continued on, it likely was considered an event.

Jo-Ann, Yordie’s sister who lives in St. John’s came for a short visit before she and her boyfriend drive to Cornerbrook for a few days. It was good to see her. I haven’t seen her in many years. The last time we saw each other in Newfoundland was when she snapped her ankle on a short hike at the Woody Point Lighthouse. MaryAnn and I made a human chair for her and carried her out to the road to get help. We drove Jo-Ann to Cornerbrook while she absorb every bump on the road without medication and spent the remainder of the day in the hospital in Cornerbrook. We put her on a plane back home so she could have surgery. She amazed us with her pain tolerance. I would have been a crumbling mess. It was terrific seeing her.

Day Tripping

I only have two more days remaining and we have errands to run, like water, sundry items, etc. for the house. Yordie takes me for a drive around a loop. We drive through Harbour Grace where the statue of Amelia Earhart was returned to its rightful place in May 2026. It had been stolen a year earlier and was restored (sculptor Morgan MacDonald) and reinstalled at the Spirit of Harbour Grace Municipal Park.

Wildfire of Conception Bay North

Heading north we follow the water through tiny quaint villages like Salmon Cove, Perry’s Cove, and Gussett’s Cove. We are suddenly sombrely slapped in the face by the wildfire destruction in Adams Cove from last summer. Stands of trees are sticks of black char and in some locations you can see the path the fire took. Houses and outbuildings destroyed and while some are being rebuilt there is so much still to be done. It is all very sad.

The fire jumped from one side of the road to the other. I see abandoned school playground equipment left intact, but the surroundings razed. I can’t imagine how hard it would be for the families impacted by the fire. Click on this link to see a CBC video of the rebuilding efforts 1 year after the devastation. Conception Bay North Wild Fire.

Continuing north, we stop at a quaint bakery for more treats. Yordie chats with the owner about the devastation of the fire and how everyone is dealing. The woman said the worst part is so many people have left. Friends and families up and left either to wait for their rebuild or start over again somewhere else.

Jimmy’s Place

We spot a couple of icebergs in Northern Bay, and a beaut in Bay de Verde that reminds me of a boat. While winding through Bay de Verde and it’s harbour we smell food and our stomachs rumble. We get out of the car at a cafe but it isn’t open, so we hop in again. I spot a sign at the bottom of a hill that says come to Jimmy’s Place. We drive up the steep hill and find this yellow clad building with a navy blue door and enough parking for 2 vehicles. It appears to be someone’s home and like any Newfoundlander, Yordie enters the building. It is a bed and breakfast.

There are two rooms upstairs with a shared washroom. A wraparound deck overlooks the harbour. We are welcomed in. Sitting down in a little eating area we share some fries, gravy and dressing plus some soup to warm us up. The current owner (Pauline) joins us, thanks us visiting the establishment and offers us some frozen crab legs to take with us to enjoy another time. This is such a Newfoundland experience. Warm and welcoming.

Grates Cove

Back on the road we take a side road to the point at Grates Cove. The rumour is that the explorer John Cabot landed here in 1497, There once was a rock that marked the occasion with John Cabot’s name on it, however the rock disappeared in 1960. This area is at the most northern tip of the Avalon Peninsula and has been declared a Canadian Historical Site due to the numerous stone walls Irish settlers built around their properties to protect their livestock and gardens and there are over 150 acres of these walls.

We weave in and around the roads that overlook the ocean and stop at Susie’s Post. Yordie enters ahead of me and sees Susie straddling a space heater. Susie is caught off guard by us entering and we all have a good laugh. She is trying to keep warm on this cool day. We are all dressed in layers to protect us from the wind, but that wind must be brutal when it blows hard. You can find pretty much anything here at Susie’s Post. It is like an indoor garage sale. Locals and tourists alike drop in for a cup of coffee and take a look around at discounted clothing, household items or quirky signage.

Old Perlican

Heading south again, we spot an iceberg in Old Perlican. We drive past the harbour where we find a service road and take it as far as we can go. We are hoping to get a closer look. Hopping out of the car, we walk up a hill and are rewarded with not one but two icebergs. There was one bobbing close to the shoreline. The rounded top of the iceberg is a brilliant white and the ice below the surface reflects a brilliant turquoise blue. Beautiful!

We continue to head south and are looking for the turn off to route 74 at Hearts Content but we miss it by a few kilometres. Yordie sees a man on his property and stops to ask for directions. He was happy she stopped by and as it turned out he was lonely because he had recently lost his wife. Me, from the city, sat in the car while they swatted bugs. The property was a little run down, and all I could think of was the movie, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but it all turned out okay. Yordie didn’t breach the fence. Phew!

We found the road and it was a little sketchy in places, but we are heading in the right direction and before you knew it, we were home again.

Back at the house, Yordie makes us a codfish dinner. Unfortunately, no fresh fish is available to us so the store in Bay Roberts is our provider. Regardless, it is delicious and she made us a lovely spread.

All Around the Circle

This is my last day and will be heading home tomorrow. We ventured out again and took a different route, I believe it would be considered south. We covered off some more quaint towns such as Cupids, Maryvale and Harbour Main. The map of the route we took is below.

I really enjoyed Brigus. It had a quaint and cozy feel. The lovely Victorian houses, picturesque gardens, the Brigus Tunnel, and properties lined with beautiful stone walls made for a lovely drive. Maybe one day I will return and have lunch here and explore it in depth. It is Sunday, so there are more cars on the road, but surprisingly not at the white church.

The Brigus Tunnel which we didn’t get out of the car for is a hand-carved tunnel through solid rock and I just learned the show Rock Solid Builds has filmed in Brigus. We did, however, see another iceberg.

Time to Leave

My flight out of St. John’s is departing at 8:30 am and Yordie now with a vehicle is able to get me to the airport in time for my flight. I am grateful for the lift. She had some errands in St. John’s that day, so it will work out for both of us.

I would have stayed longer, but my grandson’s first ball game is tonight, and Nana can’t miss that.

Yordie will stay until the middle of June and likely return over the summer to see that the final renovations are complete. I’m happy that she found her little piece of paradise and I know she will make many new memories there.

Yordie, thank you for sharing your new place with me and the little pieces of Newfoundland we had a chance to experience together.