We reached the most easterly point of our trip at
Cape Spear Lighthouse, south of St John's. This is as far east as you can go in North America -- at least as long as you accept
Greenland as being in Europe, which of course it is not. And, actually, there is a bit of Alaska that is on the other side of the International Date Line and technically more east than this. But let's accept Cape Spear as advertised. The lighthouse was
first constructed in 1832 on a bluff high above the Atlantic. After many changes, the original lighthouse lasted until the 1950s. Parks Canada has restored it to its late 1830s appearance. We now turn West and South on our return travel to Los Angeles.
Perched up on one of the shrubby spruces was a mature bald eagle, just looking at the valley and out to sea.
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| Modern lighthouse with the original lighthouse in the background. |
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| Original lighthouse |
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| Looking from the original lighthouse. St John's and Signal Hill to the left. |
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| The lighthouse keeper, his family and an assistant stayed all year at the lighthouse. |
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| Provisions |
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| Originally the light was fired with Sperm oil, which burns very strongly. Then seal oil, paraffin and finally electricity in the early 1920s. |
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| Replicas of the light chimney |
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