One More Day in St. Anthony

 Further exploring St. Anthony today took us to the fish processing plant where we stuffed our freezer with fresh–frozen shrimp.

 As we passed through the harbor, we came upon these fishermen repairing their nets.

 Later we watched this boat being unloaded of it’s cargo of iceburg ice.

This was taken to the nearby bottling plant, where we were given fresh bottles of iceburg ice.

 We stopped at the Dr. Grenfell information center.  Dr. Grenfell was one of the earliest pioneers to bring medical care to the fishermen who first seasonally lived in Labrador and northern Newfoundland, and later to the communities which developed there and also to the local Indian communities. 

Fresh out of medical school, he first arrived on a medical ship from England and stayed to establish things like orphanages and co-ops as well and developed a huge medical and social network, which is still in operation today.

                                   Many original artifacts of his and others are on display.

Today, many modern hospitals and remote clinics attribute their beginning to him.

                                    We ended the day at the Great Viking Feast.

                      It is held in the only sod-covered restaurant in North America.

 We sat next to two lovely wildlife biology graduate students who are researching caribou habitat.  What an interesting story they have to tell!

Judy was called to the front to present a complaint she had to the Viking Court.  Her problem is that I keep her awake at night with my snoring.

I was given an opportunity to defend myself, but to no avail, as I was found to be guilty and punishment was to consist of having my mouth taped shut with a grey, sticky tape.

St Anthony Area

 Camp last night was overlooking the small community of Englee, primarily a fishing and logging center. 

                   This is one of the prettiest villages we have been to so far on this trip. 

 Snow patches in Newfoundland dot the mountain sides until late July and clouds hang low with mountaintops protruding above.

There are some very crafty animal-proof garbage containers along the road sides.

 Logging in many areas of Newfoundland has created primary moose habitat and we are seeing that now.

    We also are beginning to see many gardens and wood piles along the road, far from any towns. 

 This couple has been gardening this plot for years.  They have rhubarb, onions, cabbage, lettuce , potatoes, and other cold weather crops.

Fuel is expensive here and wood is everywhere so each family is allowed to cut firewood to heat their homes. 

 Wood is cut in winter when mosquitoes and flies are gone and it is easier to haul it out with a snow machine and sled. 

Wood is piled along the roads to dry for as much as two years until it is needed and then hauled home to town in trucks.  These sleds and snow machines are left with the wood and rarely is anything missing.

North of the town of Roddickton we stopped at the Underground Salmon Pool.

Here geology and time have allowed this river to flow underground with Atlantic Salmon swimming right through it for quite a distance to spawn.

  This area has some of the world’s best Atlantic Salmon fishing rivers.

We are at Fishing Point tonight in the town of St Anthony, where the salmon fishermen told us to eat at the Light House Restaurant, the former residence of the keeper of the Fishing Point Light. 
  

                                       The fish chowder was excellent--

 --as was the Atlantic Cod and Bacalao cakes, a salt cod  Newfoundland classic pan fried golden brown.

 The restaurant was excellent with a great view, just as they and Frommer’s said it would be.

 We saw many whales and our first iceburgs right outside the window.
  

This is one of the best places to see iceburgs, which come here on a 18-24 month journey from Greenland. This 'burg' is big enough to land a small plane on.  Notice the large fishing vessel on the right in this photo.

 Another perfect, picturesque night spot, and the restaurant owner actually asked us to stay for the night.

Where else can you eat world-class seafood in a lightkeeper’s  house and watch iceburgs and whales all under a rainbow with the ocean waves crashing below?

Arches Provincial Park

The drive  today on the Viking Trail took us north of Gros Morne and along the wind-swept coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 

 
 We stopped at Arches Provincial park for another geology lesson before continuing to our night camp overlooking the Bay.