Then we went to the Visitors Center. We watched a film about the Gros Morne area and then headed up route 430/431 for Trout River. On the way we spotted a long waterfall named the Southeast Brook Falls off in the woods, found the parking lot and trail and walked up to it. Before getting to Trout River we stopped at the Discovery Center. They had a lot of information about the rock formations in the area that was very interesting.
The views heading on up to Trout River were very different than what we have been seeing. There was one large area where the mountain side looked like a massive mountain of brown dirt but it was actually rock and no trees or hardly any vegetation. We finally got to Trout River and was not as impressed as the information we had been given on it but we did have a good lunch at the SeaSide Restaurant. I had Seafood Chowder and Lena had Fish Cakes (which was mashed potatoes, onions, cod and breading). We rarely see clam chowder on the menu, instead it is usually seafood chowder which I like.
On the way down the hill we drove through Woody Point which is a short boat ride across the water from Norris Point where we were yesterday afternoon but about 50 miles by the road around the cove. This was a pretty little fishing town with lots of little shops right on the water. If we had knew we would have went here and not of gone to Trout River.
On the way back to the campground we saw some people pulled off the road and had their cameras/phones out so we figured there was some wildlife out, so we stopped and it was a young black bear just across the ditch by the road. It was feeding on the vegetation and not paying us humans any attention. Other people in our group are seeing moose but we have yet to see one on this trip.
Our group all gathered up at the picnic shelter in the campground for our drivers meeting for Tuesday followed by our Hobo Stew supper. The stew was delicious as was all the other food.
Day 43 Monday July 22, 2019 We woke up to light rain, overcast and 60 degrees. We had planned to go to a Ranger lead hike this morning at 10:30AM but we changed our mind due to the weather but it did clear about the time of the hike but we didn't have time to get there before the hike started. We went into Rocky Harbour looking for a coffee shop that had some good WIFI but no such luck. We did find a gift shop/coffee shop/cafe so we stopped. They had WIFI that was okay but not fast and some regular Keruig coffee so we stayed there awhile and had a cup of coffee and a tart and pickup a few gifts.
We went back to the Lobster Point Lighthouse to tour the light keepers family quarters. It has been restored and setup as a small museum. There were two park employees inside answering questions. The light keeper has a stairway right from the living quarters to the lighthouse so in bad weather he didn't have to go outside to take care of his duties.
We returned to the campground had lunch and drove to Norris Point for a boat tour of Bonne Bay. The water was calm so we set on the upper deck even though it was cool as they crossed the main part of the bay but once they crossed over to the other side it was really nice. The crew did a great job of providing historical information of the different fishing villages in the area and mixed it with some funny stories about people and events, including one tour they did where they rounded a bend where there is a small sandy beach about 10 feet by 50 feet to find two kayakers lying on the little beach in their “birthdays suits” in the sunshine. The boat is really quite and the way the boat came around the bend in the bay the people didn't see the boat coming so they got a surprise because all the passengers on the boat tour had their cameras out taking photos of more than the rocky outcroppings around the bay.
On our way back to the dock we saw an adult male and a juvenile Bald Eagle. The juveniles head feathers don't turn white until they are 4 years old. We also saw a minke whale. As we where coming back to the dock two of the crew got their guitars out and sang two songs. They are also part of the band we are going to see tonight at a local hotel in a program called Anchors Aweigh, a taste of Newfoundland Humor.
The Wagonmasters told us the tour company would pay for the show tickets even though that was not part of the tour package but the meal and drinks was on us it we decided to eat but we were advised to get there by 6PM if we wanted a seat because the show is always sold out and if a ticket holder doesn't show up on time they resale their seat. I got some great chicken wings and Lena got fish and chips she said was great. A nice thick piece of fried cod.
The Anchors Aweigh band was very good. They sang songs about Newfoundland and mixed it with a lot of humorous stories about the people of Newfoundland. They are very proud of their heritage and sang many songs about it. One of the band members (Reggie) play harmonica and the accordion. I think he had at least 5 different accordions and one of them was wireless so he could move around the audience and the microphones still picked up the sound. The lead singer said it would produce about any sound from a fart to a clap of thunder.
I really liked the drummer and was thinking I bet he could play the song “Wipe Out” that features the drums that I like so much. After they took their intermission the lead guitar (Wade) brought out his “Ugly Stick” that he had made and him and the drummer played “Wipe Out” much to the enjoyment of the audience.
We were introduced to the “Ugly Stick” the night we were “Screached In”. It consist of a wood pole (like a mop handle) attached to a shoe or boot, some kind of padded face (can be the mop head with added eyes), a series of things like bottle caps, washers or anything that will make a rattling noise and a wood notched stick that you beat against the wood pole while you are bouncing the pole on the floor to make music (noise). Wade is a music teacher at the local school and he sounded good with his “Ugly Stick”.
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| The Queen made her appearance |
At the end of the show they played a short piece of songs that played tribute to all the provinces in Canada that had people in the audience and also the USA. Of course our group took up over a third of the room. I think our group really enjoyed the show.
Day 44 Tuesday July 23, 2019 We departed at 7:55AM for our 265 mile trip to Peyton's Woods RV Park in Twillingate Newfoundland. Most of the road was really good but there was some that was really bad but we just slowed down accommodate the potholes and bumps. We stopped along the way to fuel up and go to the Tim Horton's just across the parking lot for a Latte and pastry and some of their WIFI to add a few more days to the Blog. I am several days behind with the posting due to the lack of functional WIFI in the campgrounds.
We arrived about 3PM and setup in site 54. One of our group (Terry) offered to help guide me in to our spot but I told him “no offense” but I was accustomed to Lena doing that. Once we got backed in on the first attempt he said I see why you wanted her to help you. The sites are a little tight with trees along each side but we put it right in with no problem.
After everyone got settled and had supper we carpooled back down the road a mile or so to attend some musical entertainment by a group of 7 local ladies called The Split Peas. They sang and placed musical instruments for a couple of hours. There songs were mostly Newfoundland songs. Several were written by one of the ladies in the group. At the end of their show they got four of the audience to come up and play the Ugly Stick to one of their songs.
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