The Rock
I tried to come up with a clever name for this post but honestly, nothing is more suitable than ”The Rock”
Our journey doesn’t begin in Newfoundland, it actually begins in Stewiack Nova Scotia.
When we were figuring out how we would get to Newfoundland we weighed out all of our options and each time we did the math along with the days we had, it came down to flying instead of driving and taking a 14 hour ferry ride or a 6 hour ferry with a 10 hour drive. It was half the price to fly but we would have to do something with our truck and tiny home on wheels.
This is where Stewiack NS comes in. While surfing the net I came across Gourley Holdings “Store it Here.” Chris Gourley answered the phone and when I inquired about storing our truck and trailer while we go to Nfld, he said he has people do it all the time. His storage lot is only about 20 mins to the airport so we thought this is perfect. But it gets more perfect. Chris then says for a small fee he will also drop us off and pick us up when we fly back.
So, we drove to Stewiack dropped off the rig and Chris took us to the airport. He asked for our return flight info and sent us on our way. I cannot say enough about how great it was to know our home away from home was secure and we didn’t have to make any other arrangements. This whole trip has been just hours and hours of pouring over maps, making reservations at campgrounds, hotels, ferries and a litany of other details, so the one stop shop was just perfect.
We had booked our flight with Porter airline, a discount airline if I am not mistaken. We were a bit late taking off but we were soon on our way. I was surprised to see them serve free booze and snacks on this short haul flight. We always expect the least when we are on a discount flight.
I am not sure if they give you a drink because they know what the landing is going to be like in St John’s, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt. As we were starting our descent onto the rock, the plane lurched and bumped up and down for what seemed like 30 mins in total.
Now those who know and love me, know that I am not beyond throwing a few “f” bombs out of my mouth every once in a while, but if swearing is a sin then for sure I am going to hell on a first class ticket. That flight scared the crap out of me. Fortunately I was just loud enough for Joe to hear but during a couple of the bumps there were gasps from other passengers so I probably am not the only one going to hell after that flight. Thankfully, the pilot wanted to live another day, so he got us on the ground with one wheel touching down, then the second. It was one of the more difficult flights we’ve had or I have just become a whimp but suffice it to say, I was happy to get my feet onto solid ground.
We had arranged to pick up a rental car at the airport and because it is not a huge airport, we were quickly off in our 2018 Chevy Cruz with 3,010 Kms on the odometer. It was just your basic car but it did have one excellent feature that was fabulously handy...free wifi! Because I drive a 20 year old car and have never owned a new car, I was surprised that my rental car would have such a feature.
We got out the gps and set it for a little town called Musgravetown about 3 hours from St John’s. Our ultimate destination was Twillingate which is in the middle of iceberg alley but we thought it might be a bit far to drive after the already seemingly long day.
We soon came to understand why NFLD is called the rock.
It is beautiful in its own way and I think you can only understand it if you come here to see it in person. For Joe and I there was no debate of whether we would come to the rock or not, we both agreed that in order to make this trip complete we must see all 10 provinces. (I am sorry that we did not get as far north as Labrador but as you will find out soon enough, there was good reason.)
We set out for Musgravetown and other than a large quantity of potholes and one or two other cars on the road, the trip seemed very easy. We were staying in a B&B called Rosie’s garden located in the heart of Musgravetown. When we arrived our host was not home but his daughter showed us our room and gave us our key. As it was nearing 6:00 and we hadn’t eaten since breakfast I inquired about a restaurant close by. She said there was one 8 mins away in Lethbridge. So back to the car we go in search of food. We did eventually find it but it took us about 45 mins instead of the 8 mins she suggested. The closest restaurant to our b&b was called Donrovin, a greasy chicken and fish shack attached to a gas station on the highway outside of Lethbridge.
To say it was not the best meal we have had is an understatement. By the time we got back to our room we were exhausted and went straight to sleep. Next morning we got up and went to the kitchen for breakfast only to find 4 ladies in there nightgowns from Toronto. They apologized for their casual attire as they had been lead to believe they were the only guests for the night. We chatted for a while and I told them we were going to Twillingate to see the icebergs. They said there were icebergs but what would be even better was the Twillingate dinner theatre. Just before we left we met our host who suggested we go to Bonavista because there were many iceberg sightings there but because we had booked a place in Twillingate we decided to check it out on the way back to St John’s. We said our goodbyes and left to be on the road to Twillingate with a stop in Gander to the aviation museum.
It was only a short hour and a half drive to Gander. I was excited to stop here as last February we went to New York City and saw the play Come From Away. Which is the story of all the planes that landed in Gander during 9/11. We loved the play and the aviation museum was a tribute to that fateful week.
We thoroughly enjoyed the museum and recommend anyone going to Newfoundland make it part of their itinerary. Next stop Twillingate.
Because it was iceberg season it was actually difficult to find a place to stay and unfortunately most of the icebergs had moved south so although we spotted one far off in the distance we thought perhaps we had wasted our time coming this far north.
But I was so wrong. We took the Toronto ladies” advice and got 2 of the last seats for the dinner theatre for that evening. I am so glad we did! It was a variety show all things Newfoundland. Laugh out loud funny and the music was fantastic. The one man plays 18 instruments in all and we probably saw him play 12 of them including the ugly stick.
And of course, the lobster dinner.
It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
Next morning we got it the car and while Joe drove, I searched the internet for a place to stay in Bonavista. (Did I mention I really liked the wifi in the car!) We found a lovely place at the Bonavista Home Hotel, in the Captain Room. Our host was a lady name Johanna who we instantly fell in love with. She was so incredible warm and welcoming it felt like we had been friends for years...and for that matter, I hope we will be!
Her home was close to the docks so she suggested a place for a late lunch on the water where they serve great fish and chips. After lunch we went for a drive to see if we could spot some icebergs and were not disappointed.
We also went to a provincial park in Bonavista that you can drive through. It was absolutely stunning with 600 million year old rock formations.
On our way through the park a local man in a pickup truck flagged us down. Joe slowly rolled down his window to ask what he wanted and he excitedly started to point at some rocks in the field just beside the road. He said, that little lady has been sitting there for the last week. Maybe making a nest...
What are the chances of seeing a snowy owl...just sitting there!
Wow wow wow.
Johanna had told us that after dinner we could drive a quick 15 mins from Bonavista to Elliston where we could also see puffins. I have always wanted to see these crazy birds and Elliston was the perfect place. There were hundreds of them.
But what made it even more impressive was the fact the icebergs were just sitting off shore of the puffins. I have to say, this is my favourite shot so far...
We sat and watched the puffins until the sun set. It was just a perfect day.
Next morning Johanna asked if we were ready for breakfast. We said yes and as she cooked we learned about our new friend. She told us she was an author of a book called Ryan’s Commander, which is about her 2 brothers that died in a shipwreck off the coast of Cape Bonavista. A tale that would be all too familiar to a lot of fishing families in Newfoundland. I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet but knowing how Johanna can tell a story, I am sure it will be a great read.
For breakfast she made a Newfoundland staple...Toutins with molasses and partridge berry jam and moose patties. Toutins are a cross between a pancake and bread, fried up in butter until fluffy. More dense than a pancake and flavourful like bread. Let’s just called them delicious and be done with it.
After breakfast we said our goodbyes and promised to see each other again some day. I sincerely hope that is true.
We had a wet and rotten weather drive back to St John’s but found our place to stay without much problem. A lovely boutique hotel called Bannermans Suite hotel. Conveniently located close to downtown and on a couple of blocks away from where our good friend Colin grew up. After checking in we wandered down the street to Colin’s family home across from the river where he used to play and catch fish with his dad. There is a commemorative bench in the park for his parents where we sat and got a sense of the idealic childhood he often talks about. I am really glad we were able to get here. I know it made Colin happy. After the park we went into town for a bite to eat at the Yellow Belly pub, where we met Sarah and Ian from Vancouver. (Actually Burnaby but when meeting people on the other side of the country you start by saying Vancouver)
After a few minutes of chatting they told us they were going to Christian’s Bar to be Screeched In which is exactly what we had planned for the evening. We told them we would meet them at Christians later and headed off to Mile Zero and the Terry Fox Memorial plaque and statue. When we were driving through northern Ontario we often commented on how we couldn’t imagine anyone running to Thunder Bay from Newfoundland and it seemed even more incredible after having driven all that way. Terry Fox is a national hero and even more so for Joe and I after having driven along his path across Canada.
So there you go, Mile 0 to mile zero, the epic journey reaches the half way point.
We also toured around downtown St John’s with its wonky roads going every which way and construction on just about every corner just to get a feel for the place. We both agree, it will be a place we return to at some point.
At 4:30 we entered Christians Pub and were soon joined up with Sarah and Ian. We had a drink while we waited for the Screeching In ceremony to begin promptly at 5:00 pm. They actually close the pub for the half hour it takes in order that the ceremony not be disrupted. The bartender asked each one of our names in order that they could write out our certificates. We were duly impressed when he was able to call each and everyone of us by name, 20 in total without looking at the sheet we had written our names on. Before he started the actual screeching in, he told us that he was saddened by the news of his friend Anthony Bordain’s suicide. He had had the pleasure of screeching him in a couple of years ago and they had spent the evening chatting about the industry they both loved. He said Anthony had signed his copy of Kitchen Confidential and to this day, it is one of his most prized possession. I must add a funny coincidence at this point...remember the 4 ladies from Toronto we met in Musgravetown? Well, as we were walking out of the bar, they were on their way in for the next screech ceremony. The world is a small place that is for sure. It was a memorable evening and it feels great to be honourary Newfoundlanders!!
We ended up hanging out with Sarah and Ian for the rest of the night going to Dukes on Duckworth and the UnderBelly scotch bar far below ground in a building that was one of the few that survived the great fire of 1892.
The next day we decided to go to Cape Spear, the most easterly place in North America. Unfortunately the weather had turned from rotten to down right nasty. The fog had blown in and the temperature dipped to a chilly -2 degrees C. And the seas were just wild. We could see firsthand how tough the sailors must be if there dared to go out on that ocean.
By the time we got back to our hotel, I told Joe I was just cold and tired and wanted to hang out in our apartment for the rest of the day. I have to say, it wasn’t a shabby place to spend a rainy day in.
This was our anniversary gift to each other, and after living in 120 sq ft trailer for the last 2 months, this 850 sq ft apt seemed more than just a little luxurious!
The next day we were flying back to Halifax around 5 pm so we had a bit of time to kill. Because the sun was shining we decided to go back to Cape Spear so we could actually see it and visit Signal Hill in all its’ glory. St John’s is such a beautiful city!
We were sad to leave Newfoundland. We felt we could and should have stayed another month. But after 4 days and 1500 kms on the car, it was time to head back to the mainland. (In a faux pas moment, I actually said to Joe “its time to go back to Canada”, not to say Newfoundland wasn’t a part of Canada but more to say it just has a character unto itself and if you go there, you will know what I mean.) Which is why the “Rock” got a blog all of it’s own.
Our journey doesn’t begin in Newfoundland, it actually begins in Stewiack Nova Scotia.
When we were figuring out how we would get to Newfoundland we weighed out all of our options and each time we did the math along with the days we had, it came down to flying instead of driving and taking a 14 hour ferry ride or a 6 hour ferry with a 10 hour drive. It was half the price to fly but we would have to do something with our truck and tiny home on wheels.
This is where Stewiack NS comes in. While surfing the net I came across Gourley Holdings “Store it Here.” Chris Gourley answered the phone and when I inquired about storing our truck and trailer while we go to Nfld, he said he has people do it all the time. His storage lot is only about 20 mins to the airport so we thought this is perfect. But it gets more perfect. Chris then says for a small fee he will also drop us off and pick us up when we fly back.
So, we drove to Stewiack dropped off the rig and Chris took us to the airport. He asked for our return flight info and sent us on our way. I cannot say enough about how great it was to know our home away from home was secure and we didn’t have to make any other arrangements. This whole trip has been just hours and hours of pouring over maps, making reservations at campgrounds, hotels, ferries and a litany of other details, so the one stop shop was just perfect.
We had booked our flight with Porter airline, a discount airline if I am not mistaken. We were a bit late taking off but we were soon on our way. I was surprised to see them serve free booze and snacks on this short haul flight. We always expect the least when we are on a discount flight.
I am not sure if they give you a drink because they know what the landing is going to be like in St John’s, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt. As we were starting our descent onto the rock, the plane lurched and bumped up and down for what seemed like 30 mins in total.
Now those who know and love me, know that I am not beyond throwing a few “f” bombs out of my mouth every once in a while, but if swearing is a sin then for sure I am going to hell on a first class ticket. That flight scared the crap out of me. Fortunately I was just loud enough for Joe to hear but during a couple of the bumps there were gasps from other passengers so I probably am not the only one going to hell after that flight. Thankfully, the pilot wanted to live another day, so he got us on the ground with one wheel touching down, then the second. It was one of the more difficult flights we’ve had or I have just become a whimp but suffice it to say, I was happy to get my feet onto solid ground.
We had arranged to pick up a rental car at the airport and because it is not a huge airport, we were quickly off in our 2018 Chevy Cruz with 3,010 Kms on the odometer. It was just your basic car but it did have one excellent feature that was fabulously handy...free wifi! Because I drive a 20 year old car and have never owned a new car, I was surprised that my rental car would have such a feature.
We got out the gps and set it for a little town called Musgravetown about 3 hours from St John’s. Our ultimate destination was Twillingate which is in the middle of iceberg alley but we thought it might be a bit far to drive after the already seemingly long day.
We soon came to understand why NFLD is called the rock.
We set out for Musgravetown and other than a large quantity of potholes and one or two other cars on the road, the trip seemed very easy. We were staying in a B&B called Rosie’s garden located in the heart of Musgravetown. When we arrived our host was not home but his daughter showed us our room and gave us our key. As it was nearing 6:00 and we hadn’t eaten since breakfast I inquired about a restaurant close by. She said there was one 8 mins away in Lethbridge. So back to the car we go in search of food. We did eventually find it but it took us about 45 mins instead of the 8 mins she suggested. The closest restaurant to our b&b was called Donrovin, a greasy chicken and fish shack attached to a gas station on the highway outside of Lethbridge.
To say it was not the best meal we have had is an understatement. By the time we got back to our room we were exhausted and went straight to sleep. Next morning we got up and went to the kitchen for breakfast only to find 4 ladies in there nightgowns from Toronto. They apologized for their casual attire as they had been lead to believe they were the only guests for the night. We chatted for a while and I told them we were going to Twillingate to see the icebergs. They said there were icebergs but what would be even better was the Twillingate dinner theatre. Just before we left we met our host who suggested we go to Bonavista because there were many iceberg sightings there but because we had booked a place in Twillingate we decided to check it out on the way back to St John’s. We said our goodbyes and left to be on the road to Twillingate with a stop in Gander to the aviation museum.
It was only a short hour and a half drive to Gander. I was excited to stop here as last February we went to New York City and saw the play Come From Away. Which is the story of all the planes that landed in Gander during 9/11. We loved the play and the aviation museum was a tribute to that fateful week.
We thoroughly enjoyed the museum and recommend anyone going to Newfoundland make it part of their itinerary. Next stop Twillingate.
Because it was iceberg season it was actually difficult to find a place to stay and unfortunately most of the icebergs had moved south so although we spotted one far off in the distance we thought perhaps we had wasted our time coming this far north.
But I was so wrong. We took the Toronto ladies” advice and got 2 of the last seats for the dinner theatre for that evening. I am so glad we did! It was a variety show all things Newfoundland. Laugh out loud funny and the music was fantastic. The one man plays 18 instruments in all and we probably saw him play 12 of them including the ugly stick.
It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
Next morning we got it the car and while Joe drove, I searched the internet for a place to stay in Bonavista. (Did I mention I really liked the wifi in the car!) We found a lovely place at the Bonavista Home Hotel, in the Captain Room. Our host was a lady name Johanna who we instantly fell in love with. She was so incredible warm and welcoming it felt like we had been friends for years...and for that matter, I hope we will be!
Her home was close to the docks so she suggested a place for a late lunch on the water where they serve great fish and chips. After lunch we went for a drive to see if we could spot some icebergs and were not disappointed.
We also went to a provincial park in Bonavista that you can drive through. It was absolutely stunning with 600 million year old rock formations.
On our way through the park a local man in a pickup truck flagged us down. Joe slowly rolled down his window to ask what he wanted and he excitedly started to point at some rocks in the field just beside the road. He said, that little lady has been sitting there for the last week. Maybe making a nest...
What are the chances of seeing a snowy owl...just sitting there!
Wow wow wow.
Johanna had told us that after dinner we could drive a quick 15 mins from Bonavista to Elliston where we could also see puffins. I have always wanted to see these crazy birds and Elliston was the perfect place. There were hundreds of them.
But what made it even more impressive was the fact the icebergs were just sitting off shore of the puffins. I have to say, this is my favourite shot so far...
We sat and watched the puffins until the sun set. It was just a perfect day.
Next morning Johanna asked if we were ready for breakfast. We said yes and as she cooked we learned about our new friend. She told us she was an author of a book called Ryan’s Commander, which is about her 2 brothers that died in a shipwreck off the coast of Cape Bonavista. A tale that would be all too familiar to a lot of fishing families in Newfoundland. I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet but knowing how Johanna can tell a story, I am sure it will be a great read.
For breakfast she made a Newfoundland staple...Toutins with molasses and partridge berry jam and moose patties. Toutins are a cross between a pancake and bread, fried up in butter until fluffy. More dense than a pancake and flavourful like bread. Let’s just called them delicious and be done with it.
After breakfast we said our goodbyes and promised to see each other again some day. I sincerely hope that is true.
We had a wet and rotten weather drive back to St John’s but found our place to stay without much problem. A lovely boutique hotel called Bannermans Suite hotel. Conveniently located close to downtown and on a couple of blocks away from where our good friend Colin grew up. After checking in we wandered down the street to Colin’s family home across from the river where he used to play and catch fish with his dad. There is a commemorative bench in the park for his parents where we sat and got a sense of the idealic childhood he often talks about. I am really glad we were able to get here. I know it made Colin happy. After the park we went into town for a bite to eat at the Yellow Belly pub, where we met Sarah and Ian from Vancouver. (Actually Burnaby but when meeting people on the other side of the country you start by saying Vancouver)
After a few minutes of chatting they told us they were going to Christian’s Bar to be Screeched In which is exactly what we had planned for the evening. We told them we would meet them at Christians later and headed off to Mile Zero and the Terry Fox Memorial plaque and statue. When we were driving through northern Ontario we often commented on how we couldn’t imagine anyone running to Thunder Bay from Newfoundland and it seemed even more incredible after having driven all that way. Terry Fox is a national hero and even more so for Joe and I after having driven along his path across Canada.
We also toured around downtown St John’s with its wonky roads going every which way and construction on just about every corner just to get a feel for the place. We both agree, it will be a place we return to at some point.
At 4:30 we entered Christians Pub and were soon joined up with Sarah and Ian. We had a drink while we waited for the Screeching In ceremony to begin promptly at 5:00 pm. They actually close the pub for the half hour it takes in order that the ceremony not be disrupted. The bartender asked each one of our names in order that they could write out our certificates. We were duly impressed when he was able to call each and everyone of us by name, 20 in total without looking at the sheet we had written our names on. Before he started the actual screeching in, he told us that he was saddened by the news of his friend Anthony Bordain’s suicide. He had had the pleasure of screeching him in a couple of years ago and they had spent the evening chatting about the industry they both loved. He said Anthony had signed his copy of Kitchen Confidential and to this day, it is one of his most prized possession. I must add a funny coincidence at this point...remember the 4 ladies from Toronto we met in Musgravetown? Well, as we were walking out of the bar, they were on their way in for the next screech ceremony. The world is a small place that is for sure. It was a memorable evening and it feels great to be honourary Newfoundlanders!!
We ended up hanging out with Sarah and Ian for the rest of the night going to Dukes on Duckworth and the UnderBelly scotch bar far below ground in a building that was one of the few that survived the great fire of 1892.
By the time we got back to our hotel, I told Joe I was just cold and tired and wanted to hang out in our apartment for the rest of the day. I have to say, it wasn’t a shabby place to spend a rainy day in.
This was our anniversary gift to each other, and after living in 120 sq ft trailer for the last 2 months, this 850 sq ft apt seemed more than just a little luxurious!
The next day we were flying back to Halifax around 5 pm so we had a bit of time to kill. Because the sun was shining we decided to go back to Cape Spear so we could actually see it and visit Signal Hill in all its’ glory. St John’s is such a beautiful city!
We were sad to leave Newfoundland. We felt we could and should have stayed another month. But after 4 days and 1500 kms on the car, it was time to head back to the mainland. (In a faux pas moment, I actually said to Joe “its time to go back to Canada”, not to say Newfoundland wasn’t a part of Canada but more to say it just has a character unto itself and if you go there, you will know what I mean.) Which is why the “Rock” got a blog all of it’s own.
I'm cool with the bread pancakes, but whatbthe eff is a moose patty???
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