Maritimes Tidbits for RV’ers 2010

Fuel-$1.03-$1.10

Propane-price never posted. Ours ran between $32.00-$39.00 to fill one 7 gal. tank

Sales Tax 13%-15%

 

Weather-Newfoundland usually ran between 68-73 degrees. The norm was 2 days of sunshine

then 1 maybe 2 days of rain, mist or drizzle. 

 

Ferry price for our truck camper 25ft. was $210.37 from N. Sydney to Port aux Basques one way.

You can change your ferry reservation up to 48 before departure with no fee. Afterwards $25.00.

 

Interprovincial Ferries very inexpensive. It was $16.25 for Change & Fogo Isl. RT

 

Verizon’s National & Canadian plan worked pretty good most places. Like anywhere the more

remote the less service. You do have to give up your current plan to add Canada.

You have to dial a 1 before each number with no long distance charge.

 

Wireless- Libraries the best place also visitor centers.  On Newfoundland go to the first library and register, you

put in a password. Good to go anywhere you see a CAP sign.

 

Stamps- $1.00 to send to USA for regular size envelopes & postcards.

If thicker or oversized like Birthday cards have them weighed first.

 

Post cards-.60-$1.00 each

 

National Parks & Historic Pass- for 2 seniors $115.00. It is a combination pass now.

Camping in Nat’l Parks extra.

 

Provincial Parks Pass-Is $20.00 no additional fees for dump & water. Camping extra

 

Boondocking in Newfoundland is never a problem.

Dumping somewhat easier than finding water. Not all dump sites offered water.

Sometimes we would look for fuel stations with a hose. Ask for water then

fuel up there. We always managed to find D/W before it was ever a problem.

 

Food- The one thing we found very hard to find is a dense bread. Throughout

the Maritimes the favorite is a baked loaf of white bread.

Alcohol- Beer-12pack of bottled beer runs about $23.00.

              Vodka-between $22.00-55.00 a fifth

              Wine-didn’t buy but don’t believe I saw a bottle under $10.00

                       certainly no two buck chuck here!

WESTWARD BOUND FOR PORT AUX BASQUE NL

 

We are now heading back West to Port aux Basque to catch the ferry next week. We chose to drive  886   Km back for the

six hour ferry ride versus taking the fifteen hour  ferry from the Avalon Peninsula. Price wise it’s probably a wash as the

longer ferry is more expensive. My reason? If I were to get seasick I’d die waiting fifteen hours. Oh well I’d probably

feel that way in six hours also, but really six hours is long enough for me on a ferry.

 

LITTLE HEARTS EASE-Now what better name for a town when you meet two of the nicest people!

This is Mil & Wilf who invited us to their home. Not only did we have a grand time sitting on the

back porch for a happy hour, Mil made us supper. We had told her all the local foods we have

tried so she came up with one we hadn’t had. Rabbit! Yep we ate bottled bunny. It was great!

The hospitality goes on , they offered us the washer for laundry, plug in for the RV, and if

that weren’t enough the spare bedroom. And when we said oh no thank you, we have a big

queen size bed Mil up and offers us her BED!

Jim, Diane, Mil & Wilf in their back yard. Saying goodbyes after a breakfast of toast with rhubarb jam &

coffee & tea. We left with gifts of bottle rabbit, fresh cherries Mil just picked and a nice plaque, which

I can hardly wait to put it up in my home. Can’t thank you enough Mil and Wilf!!!!!!

If you are reading this don’t forget, Come see us! 

GLOVERTOWN-taken from the Huff & Puff lookout at the Ken Diamond Memorial Park & Trail.

We enjoyed the flat 3.5Km walk. We boondocked in the parking lot and the next morning

Jim found blueberries for us to pick.

 

RV tidbit-There is a dump at the Lion’s Club  in Glovertown

TRITON- Off Hwy 380 is the Maple Ridge Hiking Trail, mostly boardwalk and steps.

RV tidbit-huge parking lot , camping allowed, Gazebo, swimming pool all free!

BISHOP FALLS-It was such a warm beautiful day we stopped at Bishop Falls, it’s a generated

falls but still nice. We got out our chairs & books and stayed until after dinner. There was no

camping allowed so we headed on staying  the night at Walmart in Grand Falls-Windsor.

 

Turned out to be a good idea. We got a knock on the door and there was Tom Healey a Newfie

we had met in Twillingate!  He lives in Grand Falls-Windsor. Can’t believe he would remember

our rig. He tells us Newfoundlanders never forget. We had a great visit, exchanged emails &

vowed to stay in touch. Tom travels a great deal maybe he’ll come visit us one day. 

Now this is definitely the most interesting yard art we have seen!

Now look very close. It is a big bulldozer. You just never know. We thought we had found

a quiet spot for the night. Almost a dead end street with a wide turn around area at the

head of a trail head. The trail was pretty busy up until dark then everything was quiet.

UNTIL 6:00am BANG BANG BANG CRASH CRASH CRASH, they were tearing a house down

across the street! So much for any quiet ordinance. The picture is so tiny because by the

time we remembered to take a picture we were out on the trail for a morning walk.

Sunset on the cliffs at Frenchman’s Cove, another boondocking spot.

A beware of Moose sign along the Trans Canadian Hwy 1

Along Hwy 403, yes another boondocking spot 

Took this picture along 404. There is very little farming in the   province this was the

first we’ve seen.

                                                           It’s Herbie

Cape Anguille Lighthouse & Chap’s Museum along Hwy 407, places we see driving along

the back roads.

 

               ROSE BLANCHE LIGHTHOUSE

 

HWY 470- Is a MUST SEE! Again pictures from a small camera never does it justice, I would recommend the big rigs park in town,

& take their toad. Smaller rigs OK. It’s about 45km. Right outside Channel-Port-aux Basques. The ride out to the  rose Blanche is

beautiful. The Rose Blanche  lighthouse is a granite stone structure now restored overlooks the resting places of untold numbers of shipwrecks.

The 10 minute walk to the lighthouse is breathtaking,

Afterwards drive into Rose Blanche where the streets are so narrow it’s a one way loop. You won’t be disappointed taking a peek

at the towns off this Hwy. If you want to stretch your legs the George Harvey Trail in Isle aux Morts is a 2.5 km walk on an easy

path with some of the most spectacular views in the province!

 

We leave this wonderful Province in the morning after 52 days. It’s truly a special place, you won’t see anything like this anywhere

else in North America. Again we can’t stress enough the kindness & helpfulness of the Newfoundlanders. Before coming we had

been told this many times, not only are the small towns unique, the vistas spectacular but the people make the trip. We

couldn’t agree more!

THE REST OF AVALON PENINSULA

   

BAY ROBERTS-Mad Rock Point, a spectacular view point! We accidently met up again with Joyce and Larry Space.

It was already 6:00pm by the time we arrived but we felt it was only proper to have a happy hour. The next day was so

perfect all of us couldn’t tear ourselves away until 3:00pm. This is a spot not to miss. And I should mention to any of you

out there that will be coming here, right at the beginning of the road out to the point is a small restaurant, four people

from different area’s told us we should have eaten there.(unfortunately we didn’t know at the time).

Mad Rock-We meet the nicest people. This is a father and son from Ontario. The father was originally from

Newfoundland and for his 85th Birthday his son brought him back for a week’s vacation.

 

      Spirit of Harbour Grace                                                                                       SS Kyle built in 1913

GRACE HARBOUR- Going North on 70 we found a marina to boondock at. It had a dump, water and 15amp power—free!

 

CARBONEAR-This is Natasha with one of her fish. She was so excited she had caught the

largest ones of their limit for the day! (which is 15 per boat).  She lives in Vancouver BC, but visits her grandparents

in Newfoundland every summer. The whole family was there to share in the fun. And they

were so generous as to give us a bagful of cod. Oh you know what we had for dinner!

 

BAY DE VERTE-Yes not one but two whales. Our good friends Joyce and Larry who were a day ahead of us

called to tell us  Bay de Verte  had a fantastic view and whales were in the cove. We were so excited that

the whales were still there by 3:00pm when we arrived, we boondocked right on the breakwater and watched them until dark.

BAY DE VERTE- From the breakwater looking back at the town. Second photo, on top of hill looking

down on town.

No pictures but worth a mention is the Heritage house in Bay de Verte, included with your $4.00 entrance

fee you also get tea & biscuits in the dining room. We sat with four Newfies and had such fun they

needed to tell us it was closing time.

CRATES COVE-Driving Hwy 80 down the Western side of the peninsula we stopped in Crates Cove National

Site to see the rock walls. Stretching for several Km they were built between 1700 and 1900 to keep

livestock away from 160 acres of crops. Above town there is a boardwalk with a lookout.

CHAPEL ARM-Odd but in front of the cemetery was trail head parking. Well again it was the end of

the day, nice quite spot so we stayed overnight.

 

This Peninsula had towns with such lovely names, Bristol’s cove, Cupids, Hopeall, Hearts Desire, Heart’s Delight to

name a few. But I ask you WHAT WERE THEY THINKING--------DILDO??????

NORTHERN AVALON PENINSULA

 

Moving along on Hwy 20 we came Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto in Pouch Cove. Blessed by

Pope John Paul II , it is the largest religious grotto east of Montreal.

 

PORTULGAL COVE- Ferry landing for Bell’s Island.  

BELL ISLAND-We took an underground mine tour where you can see the iron ore bed that fed the

World War II effort. Bell Island was the only place in North America that was attacked by the Germans during

the war. Later on in the day we actually met a man who remembered the bombing when he was just a

small boy, said it took him almost ten years to get over it.

  

BRIGUS-Oh doesn’t this just make your mouth water! It was so good I wanted to

lick the bowl. We went to lunch with Larry and Joyce Space, at The Country Corner

in Brigus for the special, Cod Chowder and Blueberry Crisp.

 

We had been in Brigus for a few days waiting out bad weather and for the

Blueberry Festival to begin. Went for a walk and ran into Larry and Joyce Space

again. What fun, we had a great lunch, then at 7:30 went to the Church for

a performance of classical music but on by the Tuckamore Festival, a wonderfully

talented group of young people.

                           VIEW  FROM OUR CAMPSITE IN BRIGUS

 

Afterwards we headed over to the Canadian Legion Hall for Newfie Night for  dancing

and the Screech In. Larry and Joyce got Screeched in along with about 30 people.

Fantastically funny, first you say the oath, which is in Newfie talk and doesn’t make

sense to us so it’s so hard to remember and try to repeat.  As best as I can remember

it goes like this, they yell “Are you a Newfie?) and you say “tis I is, me old cock and may

your long jib draw.” Now when you don’t see it in print it is very hard to remember and

it is just amazing what comes out of peoples mouths! It’s one of those You had to be

there things!

Anyway after laughing ourselves silly, once the oath is repeated you kiss a cod then down

your Screech(rum). Now you are an honorary Newfie!

Joyce kissing the cod.                                             Larry kissing the cod.

ST. JOHN’S AVALON PENINSULA NL

ST. JOHN’S-Gower St. is a delightful array of colorful row houses. We had our map and GPS but the streets are unbelievably hard to navigate.

It seems as there was no plan for the city it just grew every which way. St. John’s  is the largest city in Newfoundland. 

But we were on a mission. Looking for the Brewery!

QUIDI VIDI-(pronounced kitty videe) is tucked into a very small corner of St. Johns. It was the first fishing

village here and the building the Brewery is in was a fish processing plant. We had a good time on the tour,

sampled 5 beers and received a free bottle of our choice at the end.

Next morning we visited the MUM’S Botanical Gardens. A 110-acre nature reserve and garden featuring flower gardens,

nature trails, and display room. 

DOWNTOWN ST. JOHN’S-This weekend is The Annual Downtown Busker Festival. We saw The Dan

Show, he literally dislocates both his shoulders. Ouch it was  painful to watch. Then the Puppet Tamer.

Very entertaining, shows are scheduled every 30 minutes in several locations throughout town.

CAPE SPEAR-The most Easterly point in North America.This is a National Historic Site. The Lighthouse

is the oldest surviving lighthouse in the province. It’s a bit foggy today.

BLACKHEAD-Small town just outside of St. John’s. This is a one room schoolhouse, 1879.

 

ST. JOHN’S-view from Signal Hill National Historic Site. Another fortification site to protect the town and harbour in the

1800’s. The British and French fought long and hard over occupation.

 

Cabot Tower on top of Signal Hill.

 

Basilica Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist, a beautiful Romanesque Cathedral,1855.

The Happy Newlyweds!! Having their pictures taken in the street as we drove by.

So we snapped one.

Commissariat House a Provincial Historic Site. This is where the British Commissariat supplied the city’s garrison.

Built in 1818. It was very modern with an indoor water pump. The commode was cleverly hidden in this

beautiful cabinet.

  

We also visited the Lt. Governor’s home. This is the back yard.

Diane with Newfoundland dog and Labrador dog at the

Johnson Geo Park. We hiked around here and ate wild

blueberries.

We’re NEWFIES!!! Went to the Jighouse and got screeched in. We are now

honorary Newfies. This was done by kissing a puffin’s butt, well a stuffed

puffin, traditionally one kisses a cod. So I think we lucked out. Then you

repeat some Newfie phrases, which we can’t even remember. I do recall

quit a bit of laughing going on. Then you drink a shot of Screech, a rum.

And you get a certificate stated you have been officially screeched in.

After spending four days in St. John’s we now headed north. Found this nice

look out in Middle Cove to boondock at.  To our delight there were whales in the cove that we

watched until the sun went down.