Newfoundland

Jun 9-12, 2011
AC696 YYZ-YYT, AC697 YYT-YYZ

Newfoundland is a beautiful province with lots to offer, and although we enjoy the west coast and Gros Morne, I had been wanting to get back to St John’s and the Avalon Peninsula.  One of the more interesting places on the Avalon is Cape St. Mary’s bird reserve which has an incredible collection of birds and amazing scenery, but also very foggy weather.  On our last trip we could only hear the famous birds and experienced only a very brief glimpse of them.  Given the rain and fog that we had on the way I was expecting the same, but this time luck was on our side and after we hiked to the lookout point, the fog finally cleared and we saw all that the island had to offer.  In addition to Cape St. Mary which is a focal point for the trip, we had a great meal in St. John’s and got out to see the puffins, other sea birds and even some humpback whales.

Jun 9-10
After evening flight and overnight in St John’s head to Cape St Mary

After stopping at Castle Hill and lots of fog and rain the fog clear at Cape St Mary

One of thousands of Northern Gannets at the cape

Seagull scavenging one the nests

Gannet in full flight

Looking back up the coast, with the fog still lifting

More of the many birds through the fog

Jun 11
After overnighting in Saint Bride’s we head back to St. John’s via Northern Avalon

Equipment at the end of Transatlantic Cable in Heart’s Content

Some of the many modern features of the Western Union facility

Telegraph equipment used until the 1960s

The end of the First Atlantic cable laid in 1866

“Runway” in Harbour Grace where Earhart flew to Ireland in 1932 on first solo Atlantic flight

Signal Hill near St. John’s at end of a long drive before a nice dinner to end day

Jun 12
Started the day with fish and chips and then headed to Witless Bay  

Bull Head Lighthouse in Bay Bulls at the start of our boat tour

Even though we were early in the season we got quite close to a humpback whale

Although it never breached, we were happy for this close up view

Puffin nests in Grand Island in Witless Bay Island Reserve

Puffin in flight next to our boat

One of the thousands of Murres flying from Grand Island

Jun 12
Back home to Toronto at the end of the day