Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Burin then on to Arnold's Cove NL)

July 20th: Sparky and I started to explore the Burin Peninsula from Grand Bank to St. Lawrence in Newfoundland. After driving through 35 kilometers of thick fog, we hit a long stretch of road construction and gravel roads, so I turned the car around. My Mazda doesn't need to be beaten up any more than absolutely necessary.

Road #221, Burin area of Newfoundland 

July 21st: I poked along through various communities from Marystown, to Lewin's Cove, Back Cove, Burin, Port au Bras, and Beau Bois, taking photos and exploring. I didn't want to arrive too early at our next place in Arnold's Cove. (More photos below!)

Ha! It turns out the joke was on me. 

After 80 days of traveling, this was the first f**k up with a reservation.

I had booked one night at a cottage in Arnold's Cove, Newfoundland, only to discover the owner had changed from nightly rentals to monthly rentals. Her cottage and every bedroom in the main house were jammed with long-term renters.

When I called her Ontario cell phone, she said she had canceled my reservation months ago. I then told her that Booking.com had processed the payment on July 18th for my reservation, so as far as I knew, I had a valid reservation. It's the only disadvantage of staying in tiny rural communities. They rarely have more than one or two options for accommodations. My worst nightmare was about to come true - sleeping in my car!

Driving through Arnold's Cove in search of another option, I happened upon Andrew, the owner/operator of Killick In the Cove https://thekillickinthecove.com/. His property was full, but he put me in touch with Sarah at The Sunnyside of Life in the nearby community of Sunnyside, a short drive from Arnold's Cove. https://sunnysideoflifebandbrvandtea.com/

Sunnyside B&B in Sunnyside, NL

Thankfully, Sarah and Danny had a room. And they were fine with Sparky staying. And Sarah was going to cook dinner for her B&B guests. OMG, she's an angel.

My next blog is about two of their guests getting 'screeched in.' It was hilarious!

Cheers, Lynda and The Sparkinator

Memorial at Lewin's Cove for lost fishermen

Bunkies for rent a Burin Eco-tours

Cafe at the end of the road - we were too early

Burin: islands, coves, bays, fjords

Beau Bois, rowboat at anchor

Shells on the beach at Beau Bois NL

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (to places named Dildo and Heart's Desire)

Yesterday, July 11th, was a rest, relax, and read day, at our cottage on Loon Bay, Newfoundland.

Today, July 12th, we moved on to the next location at Heart's Desire on Trinity Bay. I picked the location solely because of the name. How could I resist a town called "Heart's Desire?" Nearby communities are named Heart's Delight and Heart's Content.

Fishing sheds on the waterfront at Dildo, NL

To get to the cottage, we passed through the small and thriving community of Dildo. Yup! That's the name of the village, and they are proud of it. 

There is a huge sign on the hillside spelling out the town's name. 

According to Wikipedia, the name was first recorded in 1711 and thereafter applied to the Dildo Arm of Trinity Bay. 

Social scientist William Baillie-Hamilton notes that Captain James Cook and his assistant Michael Lane, who mapped Newfoundland in the 1760s, often displayed a sense of humour in the place names they chose, and were not above selecting names that might "offend over-sensitive" readers. Regardless of the origin, the name has brought the town of Dildo a measure of notoriety.

Dildo Brewing and Museum, Dildo, NL

The local brewery, Dildo Brewing Company and Museum, was doing a roaring lunchtime trade when I arrived. There wasn't a seat to be had, so I purchased two of their ales Lassie, a golden brown ale, plus a bitter named Bitter Cold to enjoy later at the cottage.

The patio at the brewery is doggie-friendly, and the community is only about 20 minutes away from Heart's Desire, so we might have to try it tomorrow. In the meantime, I have a date with "Lassie."

Dildo Brewing Company, Dildo, NL

Cheers, Lynda. Sparky sends his woofs!

Dildo, Newfoundland

Sundeck at Loon Bay, NL

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Twillingate and big icebergs!)

July 9th: Iceberg Alley or the Iceberg Corridor passes in front of Twillingate, Newfoundland, which is a cool place. (Pun intended.) 

Twillingate Iceberg Alley

There were at least six big bergs that I could see, with several others drifting further out in the mist. The icebergs inspire open-mouthed awe as dozens of people witness the spectacle. 

In my heart, I know this shouldn't be happening, but I want to witness the sobering, yet wondrous, sight firsthand. It's a worrisome trend as the Arctic heats up and more icebergs "calve off," or break away from the glaciers and then drift south towards Newfoundland.

The small coastal outports of Newfoundland and Labrador were once a hub of cod fishing and logging. Then the 1992 moratorium on cod fishing caused an economic collapse in many small villages. 

Twillingate Newfoundland

Twillingate icebergs and tour boat

Oddly, global warming has created a new tourism boom in Newfoundland and Labrador. 

In the last ten to fifteen years, the villages have come to rely on the recent influx of amateur photographers and tourists from all over the world who have come to witness the world-changing ice melt. 

The province of Newfoundland and Labrador hosted around 500,000 tourists last year. That's roughly the equivalent of the province's total population. 

Ask anyone in the 50 to 70 range, and likely they will say, "It's on my bucket list," or "I just got back from two weeks in Newfoundland." 

This is my ninth day "on the Rock" and I am thoroughly enjoying the experience. Sparky enjoys the new smells and hundreds of new pee-mails to read and answer. 

Cheers, Lynda and The Sparkinator.

MORE PHOTOS BELOW

Twillingate Newfoundland 

Iceberg Alley - weird slice marks on the iceberg

Tourists staring in open-mouthed awe

Lighthouse at Twillingate 

Twillingate, Newfoundland

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Springdale & icebergs!)

July 6th: Happy Birthday to my sis, Val. Wishing you many more celebrations!

Before Sparky and I left Woody Point, I finally stopped in at the Galliott Studios on the waterfront. My friends Berardine and Stewart Cochrane had suggested that I visit while in Woody Point, but for some reason, I had forgotten that they also serve good coffee and goodies. 

Coffee, goodies, pretty things, and dog-friendly!

I popped in for a latte to go and discovered they are also super dog-friendly. Sparky and I could have hung out there every day on the waterfront, drinking coffee and soaking up the local vibe! I really need to ask local establishments more often, "Are you doggie-friendly?" 

More often than not in Newfoundland, the answer is a resounding, "Yes! We love dogs."

The back deck at Galliott's Woody Point

Not a normal iceberg photo

We arrived in Springdale around 1:00 p.m. and were able to check into the Ocean Breezzz Chalet on the waterfront. 

Springdale's population is around 3000. It's on the northwestern shore of Hall's Bay, close to Baie Verte Peninsula, where the icebergs sail silently past. 

Occasionally, the bemouths manage to find a route into Halls's Bay, and some have been known to park themselves in front of the cottage where Sparky and I are staying for two nights. One large icy visitor had just moved from in front of the cottage to the other side of the bay. It will hang around in the bay until it melts.

This one was in front of the cottage yesterday

At my cottage in Springdale, NF

Ocean Breezzz Chalet (yes, the spelling is correct)

Springdale, NF, iceberg across the bay

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Woody Point Newfoundland)

July 4th: Sparky and  I are in Woody Point, Newfoundland, for three days. It is a sleepy little hamlet of about 300 residents on Bonne Bay, inside the boundaries of the Gros Morne National Park, and it has a very active arts community.

Internet photo Heritage Theatre at Woody Pt

This weekend, July 7th and 8th, is the Comedy Festival. Host Steve Patterson is bringing four wicked comics to the Woody Point Heritage Theatre: Ali Hassan, Ivan Decker, Elvira Kurt, and Bree Parsons. Unfortunately, I will be in Springdale, Newfoundland, by then. 

Then, August 15th to 20th, is the Writers at Woody Point festival. The literary festival began in 2004 and, each year, it has been a sold-out success.

The event will once again be hosted by CBC Radio’s Shelagh Rogers of “The Next Chapter," a show about Canadian writing and writers.

Shuttling passengers to Norris Point

If you want a bit of fresh air but aren't into strenuous hiking in Gros Morne National Park, BonTours will shuttle you across to Norris Point on a boat, to join their boat tour of the inlet and park shoreline.

Or, if you are into outdoorsy activities, the park offers a fabulous assortment of trails and camping sites.

I love that the French name Gros Morne translates to big gloomy place. When you see the fog rolling in and the clouds sliding down the steep mountains, you can understand why it was called Gros Morne.

Most of the funky old buildings on the Woody Point waterfront date from after 1922, when a devastating fire ripped through the downtown. The wind quickly carried the flames across the Bay to Norris Point. In all, 58 buildings were destroyed. The lighthouse, built in 1919, survived the fire.

It's an interesting place to hang out for a few days. I have discovered that a full day of driving in rain and fog takes a lot of energy, and I appreciate a day to relax, rest, and read. 

Cheers, Lynda and The Sparkinator 

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (Port aux Basques to Woody Point)

July 3rd: The coastline of Newfoundland is 17,542 kilometers or 10,900 miles long! 

Woody Point, Newfoundland

I have spent the last two months driving across North America and have logged 13,050 km or 8,109 miles, but in comparison, I haven't come close to circumnavigating the coastline of Canada's 10th province. 

Did they teach us this stuff in school? I have no recollection of learning much about Newfoundland, other than it was governed by Britain and didn't join the Dominion of Canada until 1949.

And growing up we heard a variety of 'Newfie' jokes because they 'talked funny.'

https://www.vice.com/en/article/avjxj5/10-newfie-jokes

Mountain range just past Port aux Basques

A Newfie walks into a lumber yard and says, "I's building an 'ouse bye' and needs me some a dat der too be far." The clerk says, "You mean a 2 by 4?"  The Newfie answers, "Yes, bye', dat's da stuff." The clerk asks, "Well, how long do you need it?" The Newfie responds, "Well bye', I's buildin an 'ouse wit it so I's gonna need it for a while." 

So far, I've met hard-working, friendly, kind, funny, cheerful people who are happy to stop and chat and give directions or suggestions. I've been called, sweetheart, honey, darling, and sweetie a dozen times by men and women, and I have only been here 24 hours. People wave as I drive past, or when I'm walking Sparky. 

Same location as the previous photo

Today Sparky and I traveled from Port aux Basques to Woody Point, on Bonne Bay, inside the Gros Morne National Park. On the way we stopped for a visit with folks whom I've chatted with several times via Facebook, about our shared passion, Isla Mujeres Mexico. 

Bernardine and Stewart Cochrane have lived and worked in Newfoundland all their married life. They love their town, Pasadena, and their province. We shared a yummy lunch made by Bernardine and had a fun visit, talking about life on Isla Mujeres and life on Newfoundland. 

I'm loving this place!

Cheers, Lynda and The Sparkinator

On the #431 road towards Woody Point

Woody Point Public Library 

Colorful garbage containers

Fishboat on Bonne Bay waiting to offload catch

Sparky's Epic Adventure Across North America (on to Newfoundland, finally!)

July 1st: We hung out at the hotel in Sydney, and later in the day moved to our next hotel in North Sydney, close to the terminal for the Newfoundland ferry service. That's all that I accomplished on July 1st, Canada Day.

The Big Fiddle, Cape Breton musicians

Remembering the merchant seamen lost during WW2

Sydney Nova Scotia harbour

July 2nd: Finally, our day to cross over to Newfoundland has arrived. Don't get me wrong, our entire trip has been a fun adventure, but I am excited to finally explore the one Canadian province that I have never seen. I made a reservation for a pet-friendly cabin a year ago in anticipation of this trip - and I am very glad that I did. I felt sorry for the pooches who either rode on the top deck, locked in kennels, near the fog horn, or on the car decks, locked in cars with numerous other car alarms sounding when the movements of the ship jostled the vehicles. The weather was foggy and reasonably cool during the crossing, but on hotter days, the pooches in the cars would be hot and stressed. (On BC Ferries, the onboard announcements remind drivers to only lock their vehicles and not set the car alarms to help reduce the stress of the dozens of pets riding in family vehicles.)

One of the ferries on the route between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland

In our pet-friendly cabin, Sparky and I pleasantly passed the seven-hour journey relaxing in the comfortable berths and enjoying a tasty late lunch (the onboard restaurant does takeout). Followed by wine for me, and water for The Sparkinator. The cabin was fitted with a television, a full bathroom including a tiny shower, and a small table with a stool. After eating, we both fell asleep for three hours.  

As we were preparing to dock, I was able to snap a couple of quick photos of Port aux Basques through the window in our cabin, and then the fog closed in again. The weather is supposed to clear in 4 or 5 days from now. In the meantime, my photos are grey and sometimes blurry. 

Cheers, Lynda, and The Sparkinator 

Our pet-friendly cabin

Explaining to Sparky how lucky he is.

Port aux Basques, Newfoundland

Port aux Basques, Newfoundland

Port aux Basques, Newfoundland