Signal Hill and Cape Spear

 Originally known as “The Lookout”, Signal Hill had its present name by 1762, when it served as a signaling post. 

It has a commanding view of the sea, the harbor, and present day St. Johns.

Cannons on the hill marked the time of day and warned of the outbreak of fire. 

 Signal flags were used to alert military and commercial interests of the approach of ships.  The flag signalling service continued during the two world wars and ended in 1958.

Signal Hill was at the forefront in the development of modern communications.  In 1901 Guglielmo Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal here at Signal Hill.  A ham radio station is still maintained here.

 We moved on to Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America.

We have been to the most northerly point in North America at Deadhorse in Prudhoe Bay, the most westerly point in North America at Anchor Point in Alaska, very near the most southerly point in North America in southern Chiapas, Mexico, and now to the most easterly point.

The whales put on a good show here and we saw many of them today.