Although there were patches of sun when I left Norris Point things clouded over quickly once I started heading north. I stopped in Cow Head Bay to pick up a ticket to a theatre performance there, then headed north amid clouds and fog patches that became heavier as the day progressed. Stopped for gas in Parsons Pond and drove into Port-Au-Choix where I was turned off by the oceanfront parking lot that is the Lion’s Club Campground. Drove through town and failed to find a sign marking the National Historic Site on the way out. Somewhere near abouts Brig Bay I started seeing small icebergs in the Stait of Belle Isle and soon the coast of Labrador loomed in the distance amid the cloud and fog.
By the time I’d found my campground the wind was blowing a full gale and the cold and rain were like to cut right through one. No one was in sight to take my fee but I hooked up, battened down the hatches, and turned on the heat. In honour of the boil water signs I drove over to Saint Anthony yesterday, checked out the mall, and made my first-ever purchase of 10 L of water. With boil-water orders common on the Rock I figured it was about time. The signs along the highway up to Saint Anthony make it appear to be the cultural and commercial centre of the Northern Peninsula and it probably is but on a day of fog and rain it looked very unprepossessing.
The Great Northern Highway crosses bogs and marshes with embankments up to 50 feet high; driving in gusting crosswinds tends to rivit one’s attention and causes one to slow down. In such locations and especially on turns where there are guardrails the highway is marked by 8-foot poles with fluorescent markings to assist snow plow operators in winter. Calling Newfoundland ‘the Rock’ may be a term of affection but it is also close to the truth. Wherever there is a spot of arable soil along the highway people have put up fences to keep out the moose and planted ‘victory gardens’. In the ditches often close by the highway itself are stacked piles of firewood in hopes of it drying. Rather than attempt to blast or drill into the exposed bedrock utility poles are placed inside cribbing and held in place by rock.
It is always interesting to check out the stock in trade of local grocery stores. I stopped at Foodland in Port-Au-Choix as much to browse as pick up lettuce and potatoes. They stock Nova Scotia Solomon Gundy and sardines from Blacks Harbour New Brunswick but no fiddleheads here. Bologna is popular as in Nova Scotia but calling it Newfie Steak might not be wise. It was earlier at Norris Point KOA that I encountered BBQ Chicken and Beef and Gravy flavoured potato chips. I was amused to note when I had dinner at the Seaview Restaurant at Trout Cove that the butter for my roll came from Scotsburn in Nova Scotia as did the cream for my coffee. The mint was from Granby, Quebec.
Since I eventually expect to be ‘Screeched In’ while I’m here in Newfoundland I’m learning:
The Ode to Newfoundland:
1. When sun rays crown thy pine clad hills,
And summer spreads her hand,
When silvern voices tune thy rills,
We love thee, smiling land.
We love thee, we love thee,
We love thee, smiling land.
2. When spreads thy cloak of shimmering white,
At winter's stern command,
Thro' shortened day, and starlit night,
We love thee, frozen land.
We love thee, we love thee
We love thee, frozen land.
3. As blinding storm gusts fret thy shore,
And wild waves lash thy strand,
Thro' spindrift swirl, and tempest roar,
We love thee windswept land.
We love thee, we love thee
We love thee windswept land.
4. As loved our fathers, so we love,
Where once they stood, we stand;
Their prayer we raise to Heaven above,
God guard thee, Newfoundland
God guard thee, God guard thee,
God guard thee, Newfoundland.
http://cansomebodyhelpme.com/screechin/screech-howto.pdf
After the foregoing weather report imagine my utter surprise when I awoke this morning to sunshine and a cloudless sky. However if i was expecting it to warm up, good luck. I did finallly get my bike off its rack and took it out for a ride to photograph icebergs. If my source is correct I’ll be attending United Church this evening.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Only in America. Some woman fell asleep during a flight and woke to find herself alone on a locked aircraft in the hangar. Someone has some splaining to do and her lawyer is seeing dollar signs.
No comments:
Post a Comment