Lewisporte, Newfoundland, September 2015

After a memorable few days in the Gros Morne National Park, we headed to Fogo Island. Our stopping point was Woolfrey's Pond at Lewisporte. This is a RV park owned by the township and set right on the pond. The town has built a network of boardwalks, including one that goes right around the pond. There were two loons who had taken up occupancy of the pond. Just magic. The folk in the park were very friendly and helpful. A pleasant stay for a couple of days.   

The pond and surrounding areas from the lookout

The pond at dusk

Tablelands, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, September 2015

One of the most enjoyable hikes we have done on this trip is on the tablelands between Woody Point and Trout River. This is of great interest to geologists as it is (as best as a novice can understand) the exposed Earth's mantle. The dominant rock is peridotite. I had, as suggested at the Discovery Centre, downloaded the Park's Explora app on my phone. The video commentary and other information is keyed by GPS. The phone buzzes when the app wants you to pay attention. You can listen to the park's (funny) geologist from the exact spot that is intended (see here for another review). Very well done indeed and unfortunately has only had a few hundred downloads on Android. More people should use this tremendous resource. 

Detail of peroditite

The barren landscape

A visit to the East Arm and Bonne Bay, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, September 2015

On a rather challenging day, we drove from Rocky Harbor to the Park's discovery center at Woody Point and then to Trout River across the tablelands. The discovery center is probably the best facility we have experienced at the many national parks we have visited in Canada. We spent a couple of hours with the exhibits and at a fantastic fiber art showing in the basement. The center teaches you about the geology, fauna and flora of the park in innovative ways. Exceptional and very highly recommended.

The discover center is high up on the road to Trout River and as you can see here, the views back over the fjord are amazing. The rain held off enough to take these lovely photographs.   

Discovery Center, Woody Point

Bonne Bay

Bonne Bay

Bonne Bay panorama

Looking East to East Arm with spectacular clouds and light

Western Brook Pond, Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, September 2015

The Western Brook Pond in the Gros Morne National Park is a fjord which has become separated from the sea -- so is now technically a lake. There is a 3km walk in from the main road to the lake (Newfoundlanders say pond, rather than lake). We then take a boat tour for a couple of hours. The lake is deep and long, some 16km long -- but has very little fish or other life because of the cold conditions. There has been very little human development in the area, so it is pristine. The water is exceptionally pristine, as a result. 

Torrent River Fish Ladder, September 2015

Torrent River is on the West Coast of the Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. Over the years, logging, cod fishing and other activities in the area have diminished. The local community looked to tourism as an alternative. The Torrent River runs more than 100km up to the Long Range of mountains and would be an ideal salmon fishing river. However, falls near the mouth of the river did not allow salmon to proceed upriver. So the community worked with the provincial and federal government to build a fish ladder. After a couple of false starts, the fish ladder is working well now. Visitors go from the excellent interpretation center with a guide to viewing platforms beside the fish ladder to see the salmon waiting to go upriver. The guide said that the females had gone earlier in the season and the males were moving up ready to join them.

Interpretation Centre

Salmon waiting to go up river

The Fish Ladder

Salmon waiting to go up river 

Limestone Barrens at Burnt Cape Ecological Reserve, Raleigh, Newfoundland, August 2015

While at St Anthony we visited the Burnt Cape Ecological Reserve at Raleigh. This is a windswept hillside on the harbor opposite the village. Here on this limestone foundation are there plants found only in a handful of locations in Newfoundland and nowhere else. 

None of the trees are large. Mostly only smallish shrubs even though they may be many years old.

Limestone barrens -- very rare plants indeed.

Looking from the Burnt Cape reserve back to Raleigh

Jordi Bonet Murals at the Curtis Hospital in St Anthony, Newfoundland, August 2015

I met a traveler in a RV Park who talked about the Jordi Bonet Murals at the Curtis Hospital in St Anthony. They were installed at the rotunda at the entrance to the hospital in 1967. The mural is created in ceramics by Jordi Bonet from Montreal, who died only in his 40s, shortly after the hospital opened.

The Curtis Hospital followed from the work of the Grenfell Mission, that served the people of Newfoundland and particularly Labrador. The murals represent the people, nature and fauna of the region. Seeing these  murals was a high point of our travel. Everyone visiting L'Anse Aux Meadows should make a point of going to St Anthony and see these murals.

Inuit people of Labrador

Flora

Detail of the mural .. tracks of snowshoes

Detail