7/2 At last, a day of sun and 75 F. We did the Irish loop drive of near 200 miles S from St Johns. Filled the car with gas...$73!
First stop, Cape Spear, the easternmost point of North America. As we rounded the last curve there was our first dramatically lovely scene of clear blue water, waves crashing whitely on the rocky shore, a treeless windswept hill with 2 lighthouses.
...bay. Lunch stop was a great find. A blue bldg on the left side of the port. A tour bus was just leaving as we arrived. The dining room on the upper floor had a good view and the food sublime.
As we drove downcoast there were numerous small rocky bays, each with a fishing port and village. 2 of them had resident icebergs! Another had an archeological dig of the first town on the island. Here we found a pod of 20 or more small whales feeding near shore.
The houses tend to be boxy with shallow roofs and are called biscuit houses, often brightly colored. Firewood can be harvested for personal use from provincial forests so rather large stacks are seen next to most rural homes. One memorable stack was bent around the garage as a fence. In front of that house was a river stone berm wall brightly painted. And then, next door we saw a red fox statue stationed beside a small pond...till it moved!
As we drive along, there have been several roadside displays of local craftwork: 3 ft high sailing ships in the Gaspe, 2 ft long fishing boats in New Brunswick, bird houses in Nova Scotia. On today's drive we saw one collection of a dozen 1-2 ft long boats and ships moored in a small pond by the road. 50 miles later there was a complete village along a creek. It even had washing hung out to dry! Next there was a yard filled with brightly painted driftwood figures.
At the south end of our trip we crossed a stretch of treeless tundra dotted with innumerable ponds of all sizes. Caribou can be found here. Fog and cold greeted us at the southernmost seashore. All along the way were warning signs for moose. Luckily we saw none.
7/3 8 AM After worrying and watching out for moose all day, yesterday, A full grown female comes charging down the berm in front of my coach (had to have crossed the major street-Allendale, to get here) and headed across the CG, passing right next to my coach. Terry B got a "butt" shot of her as she headed for the trees.