Today
we ride the ferry to Newfoundland, what a beauty day we have, sun and
almost no wind, just right for a 6 hour ride to the Rock!
We
have been told be there 2 hours ahead of the sailing time so we got
busy early, and were on the road by 9:15 am, and got to the ferry
terminal by 9:30, wre plenty early. Could have waited at least
another hour, as didn’t load till 11am or so. Not a problem, we
talked with many people from many places that were going the same
way. Some from Germany, some from Quebec, some from Ontario. Was a
good mix, all excited to see what Newfoundland had to offer.
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| Waiting for the ferry to load |
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| Polly takes this shot wile loading on this huge ship |
Once
we loaded onto the ferry, in a good place for Bosco to have a nice
ride, (he was staying in the trailer, no dogs upstairs and we could
not go to our car) this we were prepared for as we did our homework
when booking. We made sure all was good for him, Water, Food, and a
Warm place to sleep, our bed of course, with a nice warm blanket. He
was to have the most comfortable ride!
They
loaded the ferry tight, and we made our way up in an elevator to the
7th floor, feels like we are on a cruise ship, has 9
floors. We get off and check out the restaurant, but not open yet, so
we go and choose our seats. Wow, what a nice ferry ride we will have,
reclining seats, TV’s all around, and plugins for headsets.
Computer terminals available to use. Gee does seem like a cruise
ship. Polly and I sit in the rear of the boat, with plenty of room
for us, boat was less than capacity today. By the time we were loaded and
seated was lunch time as we didn’t take time for breakfast today,
so out come the sandwiches Polly made before we left this morning.
Now
I go for a look around the Ferry, and Polly stays with our bags,
we brought way too much, but never know when can’t get to our home.
I go to the top sun deck and look around as we prepare to leave, and
what a beauty view we have. I meet a guy that works on the ferry
going by and ask him if he can tell me when we leave if the ship
backs around and we can get a good look at Sydney. Yes he says, and
explains to me exactly what the ferry will do. Then he tells me he
lived here all his life, and his relatives have for many generations,
he was really proud of this I thought. As we start to back out, he
shows me where he lives, and his Moms house, and that he built them
both. He shows me his Grandmas home, and tells me much history of
North Sydney, something I didn’t know, North Sydney was a separate
place, I thought Sydney was all one. As we are underway he describes
the town, and how it was divided in sections by religion, he shows me
where each is, Catholic, United, Presbyterian, and so on, and told of
how the division was. Showed me the height of land and how the area
where he had built was the highest, he was a Ham Radio operator, and
wanted the best reception. He had much information, too much for my
little brain to hold all. I thanked him for the tour from the ship,
and started to take pictures as we were well underway now, and could
see all the town, and all the different areas.
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| Red house centred is this guys Grandmas house |
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| Stern of boat full of trailers leaving Sydney |
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| Graveyard on the cliffs |
Lobster
fishing was in full swing here now, I got a view of so many markers
floats for the traps. Wow I think, how could the make there way
around the floats, there were so many. There were many boats out, and
was such a clear day I got some good pictures of the town, and the
sea. The point just away from town had some buildings at the very
end, would like to go there and check them out, and a graveyard that
I’m sure was divided by religion.
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| Pilot Boat heading out, lobster fisherman in background |
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| Church's are very prominent here in Eastern Canada |
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| Many traps here off the point, all for the lobsters. |
I
talked with a few other photographers, and even exchanged cards with
a couple that are travelling 10 months a year a shooting many
pictures a day, will have to look at there work, they have a website.
They look very professional, huge cameras, and way bigger lenses, out
of my league...
I
then make my way back to Polly but not before I check out he 9th
floor, is a fancy place for special guests as has a deck facing front
that was locked, had to have a card to get in, hmm not for me. They
had a special bar, was not open, but I’m sure when the ferry is
full in summer with kids all around, people fill this place up and
have a quiet place to go. I go down to the 8th floor and
here are the staterooms if you want to have a sleep, more for the
overnights. All in all a pretty nice ferry, quiet, solid feeling, and
can pack many vehicles, and huge trucks. We didn’t eat in the
restaurant this time, maybe on the way back.
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| Fancy Bar, but not staffed today |
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| Seats have signs posted no laying down on benches. |
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| Pretty fancy area to sit while underway |
I
get back and Polly goes for a little wander. When she gets back I
have a snooze, and she reads her book, which as she gets further I
hear about as the chapters go. Nice to get the story without having
to read it myself sometimes. Slowly we make our way across the
channel to Port aux Basques and then I get a few picks as we pull in,
and talk with a man from USA that has been here before, he tells me
of a restaurant in a small town in the far north part of
Newfoundland, L’ Anse aux Meadows. He says looks like a house, and
wouldn’t know it was a restaurant, but has the best local food.
Gotta try it he says...
We
dock and we wait till they open the doors so we can return to our
cars, takes awhile. As we wait I see a group of men, and one woman,
maybe 20, I ask truck drivers? Yep they were the movers and shakers.
Many trucks just loaded there trailers, as trucks would take the
trailers off at the other side, and then move them later, cost was
huge here to get a vehicle across, so they move just what they need
to.
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| Entrance to Port aux Basques looks small for this ferry |
The
doors open and we all shuffle down the stairs this time, we follow
the truckers, they know the best, fastest way. We get to out trailer,
and Polly goes and gets Bosco, he was happy to see us, and she puts
him in the truck no peeing on the ferry. We get the go soon, and we
drive up by a hge rock cut, yep were here I think, and go a few km’s
and stop at the visitors center. Polly goes in I walk Bosco.
We
go up the road a few more, and get to a Provincial Park called J.T.
Cheeseman, and line up with others and get a site for the night. Was
a nice place to stay, power no water to the site, just taps a round,
but good bathrooms. And right on the bay, so nice place to have a
walk which Bosco and I do after we are all set up, black files are
out, and I get a few bites, but not bad. Beauty spot I say, and meet
a family here from Germany, they are really impressed with Canada,
Love the nature here they say. I say we are from B.C. and they say
how much they loved there too, as they had been before. Seasoned
travellers I think, and they have a young daughter. I could never
have afforded to travel like this when our kids were young. They were
drinking Canadian beer, and having a fire, was nice talking with
them.
Polly
has a nice steak dinner ready when I get in, she sure knows how to
make home feel good when you pull into a site.
Loving
it here our first night in Newfoundland...
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