Bonavista, Elliston and the Puffins

Up early and off to see a few more icebergs, and some cute birds in Elliston, a place we were told of while in Twillingate. 230 was the highway we took up the peninsula, and soon after we got going we saw a few beauty icebergs, so out we get, and take a few pics, as do another couple making the same trip. Ohoo Ahh we all go, and Polly has a good talk with them as I continue to shoot. was such a beauty spot to stop, and ice was not crunched in by the flow of pack ice we have been seeing most of the way.

Off again and looking around to see if we get closer to this iceberg, I take a road that leads us back to the town we had just passed, didn't get any closer, but we did get a look at something I have noticed here in Newfoundland. The water from a creek would be diverted to fill a pool in the summer, and was a huge pool, this I thought was such a great idea, the pool had 2 nets in it right now, it doubled as an ice rink in winter. Great idea here. use what you have around you to get what you want.

On our way again, and more icebergs. Polly and take roads that may lead nowhere, and some unfold the best surprises, like getting a gift, never know till you unwrap it. This trip up we keep tucking in here and there and seeing some of the most beautiful spots.

We do make it to Bonavista to see a much bigger town than we had thought we would, many people live here. We circle around and end at the waterfront, actually mostly ice pack right now. We get out and look at the bay and take a few more pictures, many icebergs her. Then a man parks, gets out, and he looks at the ice and spots a seal, and points it out to us, then we get the surprise, he talks to us about the icebergs, and if I didn't hear him say Iceberg, I would not have understood a single word, I asked him "What?" and he said it all again, Wow, now I know I have gone to the other-side. He was jolly, and friendly, but neither Polly nor could I understand most of what he said. This was a new experience, in our own country and not understand someone speaking English.

We didn't stay long here, we thought we would come back after we had gone to Elliston, so we drove toward what we thought was the road up the peninsula toward Elliston, and got dead ended. We stopped at a small restaurant, I went in and asked for directions, and the woman who was cooking said, as she came out the kitchen, and out the door, that we should go up the road, and turn at the gravel road, cross the cattle crossing, and pass the Dungeon, then right at the pavement, and left when you see the sign for Elliston. Simple, lol, well it was, We saw horses that are free in this area, and we did stop at the Dungeon as she said we should, and saw a beauty place, even saw a guy golfing on the top of the hill in a pasture area. This place seemed free, as the wind, and I'm sure there is lots of wind here sometimes, but not today, was calm.

After a stop here and a few more pics, off we went toward Elliston. The town was small, and as we drove in we were looking for where the birds were and as we drove to the end where there was a turn around, there was a memorial we had read about for the sealers that got stuck in the ice, some sank on the boat, and some died on the ice. Stopped and read about this, and looked around at more beautiful Icebergs, and of course a few pics. We went to a gift shop close by, and here was many beautiful gifts, and an owner who was ready to talk, I liked that. He had just gone into business this year, and had grand plans for a restaurant, and other parts to his place, but ran out of funds, so had to open and make some cash to get the rest done. He gave us directions, I always love this part now, "go up the road to the sign, next road up, and turn left then keep going till you pass the blue house, and right there you will see where everyone is parking and walk toward the sea. LOL this is best yet, we did as he said, and did find the place, but I did hear of another couple that stopped at what we had thought too was the blue house, but wasn't. they didn't get a good look, we did. Directions here can be fun, you have to pay attention, and get it twice if you can... LOL

We walked out to a most beautiful place, down a trail that was a little mushy, and soft as peat was under your feet most places here. Yes the puffins were here nesting, and we got about 25 feet away from them, there were a few people going, and a few coming, and we enjoyed about a 1/2 hour of this place. Never seen Puffins before, now we can say we have, and we saw more. We saw the open ocean, with pack ice off aways, so the icebergs looked just a little better, as they were on there own, and the sun was out so you could see the shine on the surfaces, this made it just great.

Seagulls and Turns nest together

The Touristy well maintained home here

What many houses look like

Average home on THE ROCK!

Polly loved the Puffin chair

Root Cellars are a popular show piece here

Gardens are everywhere, and always humped up, seldom fenced

Beauty ice here

The trek to see the puffins

About 50 feet between the puffins and the onlookers.

Puffins were nesting, and flying off to get food like bees

Polly's caption, "Bathroom lineup!"

Polly with her binoculars

Walk the trail back to the truck

Rugged Beauty

Polly said look at the lines on the water, nice picture

Polly is right again...

Coast Guard in the ice

Last 2 photos are of the road, or lack of it.

Polly and I saw a bench as we walked into the spot to see the puffins, and we got Bosco and our lunch out of the truck, and walked to this bench by the sea and had the best lunch while we watched the ice, birds, and sea perform as they always do. Nice way to end our trip to see this area.

Loving this life by the sea, and most everywhere you go in Newfoundland, you are by the sea...