Natalie the Explorer

Ward’s Island Summer Getaways

September 23, 2022September 14, 2022Natalie68 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 38 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #88. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

With Autumn officially arrived on September 22 in the Northern Hemisphere, I want to wrap up my summer 2022 with a post about a few getaways that I made to the Toronto Islands. The Toronto Islands have been my go-to destination for quick getaways and vitamin N (Nature) for many years.

I wrote about Ward’s Island and some of its historic landmarks here. This summer I explored Ward’s Island on foot, by bike and kayak on different trips. Here are some of the highlights of my getaways in pictures.

Getting there

By ferry or water taxi. From Toronto mainland to Centre Island or Ward’s Island, the ferry ride takes about 12 minutes.

Getting around

By bike or on foot. Only authorized vehicles are allowed on Toronto Islands. You can bring your own bike or rent a bike in the summer. Without traffic noise and nature all around, the islands are tranquil and beautiful to experience.

Ward’s Island has a long boardwalk with panoramic views of Lake Ontario. Sandy pathways at the east end of the island lead to Ward’s Island Beach. Ward’s Island Beach has earned blue flag certification. Its calm water makes it ideal for swimming.

*From top left, clockwise*: Ward’s Island boardwalk looking east; Ward’s Island boardwalk looking west; A trail; Ward’s Island Beach.

Exploring by kayak

The calm waters in the lagoons of the islands offer adventure around every corner, great views of the city and wildlife abound. Paddling around Toronto Islands has a seductive power that I enjoy.

There’s a calming effect revealed while I’m isolated and floating on the water, and it’s only broken by splashing cormorants, gulls calling from above, turtles getting on and off tree logs, dragonflies dancing across my kayak, and herons or egrets taking off.

From Centre Island to Ward’s Island, I kayak by a few floating homes and under three bridges. The first bridge connects Ward’s Island with Snug Harbour, the second bridge connects Ward’s Island with Snake Island and the third bridge connects Ward’s Island with Algonquin Island.

The sights of blue sky, white fluffy clouds, green trees, brown soil, clear water that expose aquatic plants, reflections on water, and the smell of summer air make me feel like Mother Nature is pampering me with the best natural spa experience.

Every time I go to the Toronto Islands, I come home feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. I will be back.

Hawthorne Cottage and Brigus

September 16, 2022September 19, 2022Natalie73 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 37 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #87. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

The beautiful town of Brigus is situated on the Avalon Peninsula, about 70km (43 miles) from the capital city of St. John’s, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Brigus was founded in 1612. The name “Brigus” is derived from “Brickhouse”, an old English town.

While in Brigus, I completed a self-guided tour of Hawthorne Cottage, a National Historic Site of Canada, then took a leisurely hike around charming streets sloping up into green cliffs to explore the town. Brigus’ well-kept old-style architecture, rustic stone walls, lush green gardens, and winding narrow lanes are reflective of its English, Irish, and Welsh heritage.

Here are my pictures of historic structures and scenery in Brigus. Except for the first two pictures, I grouped the rest of my pictures into three galleries. Click on any image in the gallery to see its bigger version and caption.

Hawthorne Cottage National Historic Site

Built in 1830, this charming cottage was the former home of Arctic explorer Capta i n Bob Bartlett, who took American explorer Robert Peary to the North Pole in 1909. I highly recommend the tour of the cottage. Many artifacts commemorate the family and Bartlett’s achievements as the greatest ice navigator of the 20th century.

During the more than 50 years of his seafaring life, Captain Robert (Bob) Abram Bartlett skippered some of the most famous, dangerous, and controversial exploratory expeditions to the Arctic. He travelled further north than almost any other living person, was shipwrecked at least 12 times, survived for months in the inhospitable Arctic after sea ice crushed his ship, and journeyed hundreds of miles by dogsled to reach civilization. Despite these hardships, Bartlett returned to the Arctic whenever circumstance allowed and almost always came back with photographs, film reels, and scientific data that greatly contributed to the world’s understanding of the north.
Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage web site

View of Hawthorne Cottage from its gardens

Historic structures built in the 1800s

From top left, clockwise: St. George’s Heritage church built in 1876; Stonewalls line the river; The Tunnel bored through solid rock on Brigus waterfront in 1860; Pinkston’s Forge built in 1889; The Leamon Museum: Ye Olde Stone Barn built in the 1820s.

Brigus Bay and Bishop’s Beach

From top left, clockwise: Steel Sails Monument erected at Bishop’s Beach in 1972 commemorating Captain Bartlett; Directional signs in Brigus; Blue bench at Payne Family Park; View of Brigus Bay; Stone table and bench at Bishop’s Beach.

Brigus Homes and Town Hall

From top left, clockwise: Brigus Town Hall in a beautiful blue; Brigus winding lanes; Birdhouses on a post; Side door at the Baldwin’s; Door with green trimmings; A house in Brigus.

My visit to Hawthorne Cottage and Brigus was informative and enjoyable. I hope to take you on an idyllic island getaway next week.

Shared with #ThursdayDoors, PPAC#64, Jo’s Monday Walk.

The Charming Town of Trinity

September 9, 2022September 13, 2022Natalie100 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 36 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #86. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

Trinity is a small town located on Trinity Bay on the Bonavista peninsula in Newfoundland, about 3 hours by road from the capital city, St. John’s.

The harbour at Trinity was first used by fishing ships around the 16th century. The Portuguese explorer Gaspar Corte-Real named the location “Trinity” as he arrived on Trinity Sunday, 1501.

Before 1700, Trinity Harbour was mainly a summer station used by merchants and shipowners. After 1700, several major merchant houses from Poole, England selected Trinity as their headquarters and under their patronage Trinity developed as one of the main Newfoundland trading centres in the English fishery.

The waterfront area on which once stood the commercial and fishery buildings of the Taverners, Lesters, Garlands and Lester-Garlands during the period 1700-1906 and in the twentieth century Ryan Brothers is named the Lester-Garland Provincial Historic Site. Some of the buildings were restored or reconstructed and are open for visitors.

The Lester-Garland Provincial Historic Site in Trinity

I picked up a map from Trinity’s Visitor Centre and explored on my own. A walk along Trinity’s scenic harbour and winding lanes lead to houses, museums, art galleries, and other historic buildings preserved from the 19th century. Information boards posted at the historic sites give helpful explanatory notes.

I created an image gallery of some of the historic sites and community buildings that I visited in Trinity below. For more history details on the buildings, check out the Town of Trinity website here. Click on the top left image and use the arrow to move through the gallery. Brief captions are included.

I thoroughly enjoyed my walk in the charming and historic town of Trinity. I found out after my visit that Trinity was named one of the 12 best small towns in Canada by Travel + Leisure magazine in 2021. I hope to take you to another scenic town next week.

Shared with #ThursdayDoors, PPAC#63, #SundayStills, #WW&P.

Prime Berth in Twillingate

September 2, 2022September 4, 2022Natalie74 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 35 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #85. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

Before reaching St. John’s, the capital city of Newfoundland and Labrador, from Western Newfoundland, I passed through many small fishing communities and headed north to the town of Twillingate, located on the Twillingate Islands on the north east coast of Newfoundland.

Twillingate gets its name from the French word “Toulinquet,” given to the islands by French fishermen, who compared it to a group of islands off the French coast near Brest also called Toulinquet. Twillingate is known for icebergs, whales, ocean experiences and outdoor adventures. It was a historic fishing community (since the 1500s), but because of the decline of the fishing industry, its economy now relies more on tourism.

One of the attractions in Twillingate is the Prime Berth Fishing Heritage Centre. It is a private interpretive fishing center and craft studio created by David Boyd, with the support of his wife Christine, as a tribute to his fisher forefathers. Captain Dave also runs boat tours for iceberg viewing and whale watching.

Prime Berth refers to the age old practice of each spring holding a draw, or lottery of sorts, to determine the place, or “berth” where fishermen would set their cod traps during the coming summer. Everyone hoped and prayed that they would be lucky enough to draw the best spot, or “Prime Berth”, as it was called. In David’s case this was personal and special as all the fishermen gathered in his father’s kitchen each May for the annual cod trap draw. In honour of this tradition, and as a tribute to proud people so dear to his heart, David decided to call his heritage centre – “Prime Berth”- meaning literally -“the best spot!”
Prime Berth Fishing Heritage Centre

The following two slideshows highlight some of the displays that I found interesting at Prime Berth. Click on the arrows or swipe to move through the slides.

Buildings and Doors

These brightly painted buildings house fishing artifacts and tools. There are hundreds of items on display in the buildings and on or above the doors. The last picture shows the jaw bone of a fin whale found at Trinity Bay in the 1950s.

Murals

These murals depict life in a fishing community. Look closely to see fish, icebergs, whales, seabirds, boats, clapboard homes, fishermen and women, the ocean and the rocky coastline. The island of Newfoundland is nicknamed “The Rock” because of its rocky terrain and high cliffs.

I hope to take you on an easy walk in a charming and historic town next week.

Shared with #ThursdayDoors, PPAC#62, #SundayStills.

Loving Life in August 2022

August 26, 2022August 31, 2022Natalie72 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 34 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #84. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

The last weekend in August is a good time for me to reflect on my 2022 focus on Health, Home and Leisure. I was in two cities, Calgary and Toronto, this month. Here’s my monthly update for August.

Health

I continue my wellness routine throughout a hot August. To manage the heat waves in Toronto and Calgary, I drink a lot of water, wear sun protection, and go out earlier in the morning when it’s less hot. While I was in Calgary, I took daily walks on a trail near where I stayed.

In Toronto, most mornings I cycle along the shore of Lake Ontario, stop by a park and enjoy nature. I also go to the beautiful Toronto Islands to kayak and explore the many waterways. I love being enveloped by nature and seeing aquatic plants, waterbirds and turtles from my kayak.

Click on any image in the gallery to see its bigger version and caption.

Home

Family – Home in August is with my family in Calgary and Toronto. Calgary is in the western Canadian province of Alberta, about four hours by plane from Toronto. My flights to and from Calgary were both on time. I traveled with a carry-on so there was no waiting for baggage. It was my first time back in Calgary since the COVID-19 pandemic started and it was joyful to be with my family there.

Friends – After my trip to Calgary, I had some catching up to do in Toronto. My friends and I continued our Tour of Indie Cafés of 2022 and met up at Fahrenheit Coffee. Fahrenheit Coffee is within walking distance to St. James Park so we took our cappuccinos there and enjoyed our coffee chat in the lovely gardens. We hope to meet again in September and will end the tour once the weather gets too cool to sit outside.

Community – In August I volunteered for two events:

The SuperPower race: Funds raised through the SuperPower race go directly to the Holland Bloorview hospital to help kids with disabilities.
The Terry Fox Run: Funds raised through the annual Terry Fox Run support cancer research. Even though the Terry Fox Run is in September, there is work to do before race day. I’m happy to be sharing Terry’s message of hope, courage and determination and giving back to my community.

Leisure

Photography – I discovered many amazing artworks on my walks. Here’s a sampling of some of the colourful murals that I’ve seen. They depict Toronto’s urban wildlife with remarkable details and realism.

Which mural is your favourite?

Another source of joy is summer blooms in public gardens. August blooms include different varieties of bougainvillea, coneflowers, daylilies, dahlias, daisies, hibiscus, hydrangeas, marigolds, moss roses, sunflowers and more. The flowers in my header photo are Trumpet vine flowers. I’m sharing a sampling of some of the gorgeous daylilies below.

Which daylily would you choose for your garden?

Reading – In August, I read four books. Here’s my list by author’s last name:

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
The Recovery Agent by Janet Evanovich
The Chase by Candice Fox
Donut Fall In Love by Jackie Lau

Writing – Before today’s post, I wrote three posts about my experiences in Newfoundland and Labrador. I’ve included the links for August’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up.

Overall

Similar to July, August has been a beautiful and joyful summer month. I’m grateful for time with family and friends in Calgary and Toronto and all the good things that happened in August. Happy September!

Shared with #2022WOTYlinkparty, #PPAC61, #TheChangingSeasons.

Postcard from St. John’s

August 19, 2022August 20, 2022Natalie103 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 33 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #83. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

Today’s post is my postcard from St. John’s. After a long stretch of beautiful sunny days in Newfoundland and Labrador, I finally experienced overcast sky and brief periods of rain, drizzle and fog in St. John’s. I came prepared with my rain gear and took a long walk to explore this historic, artistic and colourful city.

St. John’s (always abbreviated and with an apostrophe) is the most easternly city in North America and Newfoundland and Labrador’s capital. St. John’s is not to be confused with Saint John in New Brunswick, another province in Atlantic Canada.

Art Works

Terry Fox Marathon of Hope Mile 0 Memorial

“I just wish people would realize that anything is possible if you try; dreams are made if people try”
Terry Fox (1958-1981)

If you don’t know who Terry Fox is, please read about him here.

Our Newfoundland and Labrador Dogs sculptures by sculptor Luben Boykov — *Our Newfoundland and Labrador Dogs* sculptures by sculptor Luben Boykov

A Time sculpture by sculptor Morgan MacDonald — *A Time* sculpture by sculptor Morgan MacDonald

A Time sculpture — A closer look at *A Time* sculpture

Making Fish sculpture by artist Jim Maunder — *Making Fish* sculpture by artist Jim Maunder

Historic Sites

Cabot Tower at the highest point of Signal Hill National Historic Site of Canada

Km 0 marker outside St. John's City Hall — *Km 0* marker outside St. John’s City Hall

*Km 0* marker of the Trans-Canada Highway that links ten Canadian provinces

Officially opened in 1962, the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) is one of the longest highways in the world. From St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, to Victoria, British Columbia, the TCH covers over 7821 km and crosses six time zones.

Jellybean Houses

There are blocks and blocks of brightly painted houses on the hilly streets that rise from St. John’s harbour.

Colourful houses at St. John's Harbour — Colourful houses at St. John’s Harbour

Pubs and Music

George Street in downtown St. John’s has some of the best pubs and restaurants in Newfoundland, as well as all types of music – Irish, blues, rock n’ roll, dance, country and traditional music.

It was a wonderful discovery walk in St. John’s.

Shared with #PPAC60, #WQW31.

5 Scenic Walks in Western Newfoundland

August 12, 2022September 6, 2022Natalie72 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 32 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #82. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

In my previous post I shared a sampling of the delicious meals that I had in Newfoundland and Labrador. I worked them off by taking as many walks as possible. It was easy to do because the province has 29,000 kilometres of pristine coastline and close to 300 hiking and walking trails.

Here are five scenic walks that I enjoyed in western Newfoundland. As always, click on any image in the galleries to see its bigger version and caption.

1. Corner Brook Stream Trail

I was staying at Glynmill Inn and the Corner Brook Stream Trail was steps from the inn entrance so I did two walks, one in the morning and one in the afternoon in opposite directions. The trails are well defined with minimal elevation.

The morning walk took me along the beautiful trail to the wetlands and into the forest. Pretty wildflowers, bright dandelions and adorable chipmunks were part of a wonderful start to my day.

The afternoon walk took me to another beautiful forest, then a bridge that crosses rushing waters and Glynmill Inn Pond with swans before I returned to Glynmill Inn.

2. Trout River Boardwalk

Trout River is a small rural fishing town located on the southern coastal edge of Gros Morne National Park, near the Tablelands. This town is known for its boardwalk and trails that connect to the National Park. I enjoyed the views over the water and a walk through town.

Trout River was settled in 1815 by George Crocker and his family, who were its only inhabitants until 1880. In 2014, a blue whale carcass washed up along the shore in Trout River which attracted international attention. The skeleton of this whale was later put on display at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

3. Shallow Bay Trail

This 1.3-km loop trail is easy and perfect when short on time. I extended my walk to see St. Mary’s botanical garden, St. Mary’s church, and Dr. Henry N. Payne Museum & Craft Shop (the longest running museum on the West Coast of Newfoundland). I returned to Shallow Bay just in time for a spectacular sunset.

4. The Dorset Trail, Port au Choix

The Dorset Trail winds across limestone barrens and through forest and heathland to coastal archaeological sites dating back 2,800 years. This was one of my favourite trails for the unusual landscape. Although the ground may look bare, when I took a closer look, to my delight, I discovered many plants living and thriving on these barrens.

5. Bottom Brook Trail

Bottom Brook received its name due to its location at the bottom of St. Anthony Harbour. The 1.4-km loop trail is an easy walk on a beautiful morning to start my day. After the walk, I took a boat tour from St. Anthony Harbour to see icebergs, seabirds and whales.

*****

I love the uniqueness of the above walks and their beautiful natural surroundings. They are simple walks that I could fit in first thing in the morning to warm up, or last thing in the evening to wind down. I hope you enjoy the landscape as much as I did.

Shared with Jo’s Monday Walk, Denyse’s WW&P.

Eating Out in Newfoundland and Labrador

August 5, 2022August 5, 2022Natalie79 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 31 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #81. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

When I was in Newfoundland and Labrador in June, I ate out every day. It was a great break from my cooking and cleaning routine at home. Since much of the traditional Newfoundland cuisine includes fish and I enjoy seafood, most of my lunch and dinner orders were seafood! I also tried moose meat which was lean and tasted like beef.

Here’s a sampling of some of the delicious food that was on my plate.

Arctic char (a cold-water fish) with wild rice and vegetables

Cod with coleslaw, baked potato and vegetables

Lobster with coleslaw, baked potato and vegetables on two plates

Fish cakes with chutney, salad and berry dressing

Grilled salmon with potatoes, carrots and broccoli

Cod au Gratin with salad and a slice of bread

For desserts, pudding, cheesecake and mini jam tarts with blueberries, partridgeberries (lingonberries) or squash berries topped with thick cream were common and delicious.

When I was in Newfoundland and Labrador, it was the beginning of tourist season and the first full re-opening in the province since the pandemic started. Some seasonal staff just began their jobs a few days before I arrived and one place was short-staffed. However, at every single place, I received and greatly appreciated the warm hospitality, friendly service and delicious food.

I chatted with two fishermen who were hauling in their catch of the day at Sally’s Cove. They used their truck and a pulley system to bring the boat to land and unload their catch onto their truck; ready to go to the market or restaurants. Good to know how our food gets from farm to table, or in this case from sea to table.

I worked off my meals on several scenic walks. I hope to share a few walks in my next post.

Do you like seafood? Would you try moose meat?

Shared with Donna and Deb‘s #WhatsOnYourPlate, #SundayStills.

Loving Life in July 2022

July 29, 2022August 1, 2022Natalie65 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 30 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #80. Come on in for a coffee or tea and let’s chat.

It’s the last weekend in July and a good time for me to reflect on my 2022 focus. The month started with Canada’s 155th birthday on July 1st and finished with me having lived in two cities (Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario). Here’s my monthly update for July.

Health

July has been a mainly sunny and very warm month. I maintain my wellness routine and pay extra attention to hydration and sun protection when outdoors. The lakefront, tree shades and iced drinks help. When I stayed in Hamilton, I was within walking distance to the Dundurn Stairs (326 steel steps) which lead to nature trails and waterfalls. So I included the stairs to my walks.

Home

Family – I went to Hamilton and stayed for ten days to assist with a family project. Hamilton is 58 kilometers (36 miles) southwest of Toronto. It was joyful to finish the project with my family despite an unexpected full-day Internet service outage and a heat wave.

Friends – It was also joyful to catch up with friends in Hamilton. I haven’t seen them in person since the pandemic began. We met outdoors and took walks several times for iced coffee and conversation. When I returned to Toronto, I continued my Tour of Indie Cafés for 2022 and met up with my friends at Dineen café.

Dineen café is located in the historic Dineen Building, once home to W. and F. Dineen Co., who originally made fur clothing. The building is one of the oldest structures in Toronto, and is listed as a Toronto Heritage Property. This café is on busy Yonge Street and is usually full. We were pleased to get quick service, good coffee and comfortable seats at their outdoor patio.

Leisure

Outings – The rest of July was relaxing summer living with visits to farmers’ markets, music festivals, beaches and parks along the shore of Lake Ontario. I took a self-guided tour on Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship HMCS Glace Bay 701, a Royal Canadian Navy coastal patrol vessel, when she docked in Toronto.

Photography – At this time of year, it is easy for me to spend hours in public gardens to photograph an array of colourful flowers, including different varieties of bee balms, coneflowers, daylilies, roses and more. Bees and butterflies hover to nectar or flit and flutter everywhere. Plenty of berries to pick, too.

Aside from summer’s beautiful bounty, it was delightful to discover new public art. Here’s a sampling in July:

*Thank You Healthcare Heroes* murals by Loridee De Villa

*We See You, We Hear You, We Thank You* murals by Kayla Whitney

Reading – Before this weekend, in July, I read many blogs (more than 110 Weekend Coffee Share blogs alone) and four books. Here’s my book list by author’s last name:

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Paris Is Always A Good idea by Jenn McKinlay
Made In Korea by Sarah Suk

Writing – I’ve been documenting my experiences in Newfoundland and Labrador for me. It’s the icing on the cake when my blog readers enjoy my travel posts and pictures. I’ve included the links for July’s posts in case you missed any and want to catch up.

I used to be able to leave comments on all blogs. Recently, I’m unable to leave comments on Blogger blogs that set Sign in with Google as the only option. Some blogs let me comment with Name/ URL or Anonymous. I haven’t been able to resolve this issue with Google yet.

Overall

July has been beautiful and joyful. I’m grateful for time with family and friends in Hamilton and Toronto, and all the good things that happened in July.

Shared with #2022WOTYlinkparty, #PPAC57, #TheChangingSeasons.

5 Notable Lighthouses in Newfoundland

July 22, 2022July 24, 2022Natalie87 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog! I’m glad you’re here. It’s week 29 in 2022 and I’m hosting Weekend Coffee Share linkup #79. Come on in for a coffee or tea, and let’s catch up.

In my previous posts, I wrote about three amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites and my incredible iceberg viewing experience in Newfoundland and Labrador. Today’s post is about my road trip to see lighthouses.

Newfoundland and Labrador has over 29,000 kilometres of twisting coastline, laden with submerged rocks, hidden inlets, and icebergs. The province also has hundreds of lighthouses to guide fishermen and sailing vessels to safety on foggy and stormy nights. To make them easier to spot from a distance, many were painted plain white. Some have red and white stripes.

Lighthouses: A) Point Riche B) Lobster Head Cove C) Long Point D) Cape Bonavista E) Cape Spear

Here are five notable lighthouses that I visited on the island of Newfoundland. As always, click on images in the galleries to see bigger photos and captions.

A) Point Riche Lighthouse

Built in 1892, Point Riche Lighthouse is still active. The structure is 19 metres (62 ft) tall. The white wooden tower is octagonal pyramidal in shape; the entry door and lantern room are painted red. Its location is a windswept landscape with exposed ancient seabeds and expansive ocean views. I saw sea birds and whales here.

B) Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse

In the heart of Gros Morne National Park, Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse has guided ships into Bonne Bay since 1897. The tower is of iron, cast in St. John’s. Iron was fireproof, long-lasting and could be shipped to the site in pieces. The light is from England, built by Chance Brothers. All parts were landed below and hauled uphill by cart-and-oxen, overseen by first keeper Robert Lewis.

The setting of Lobster Cove Head Light was carefully chosen. The view gives the light beam a 180-degree sweep from north to south and out into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In fine weather, it can be seen over 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometres) offshore.

C) Long Point Lighthouse

Long Point Lighthouse, built in 1876, is located on a prominent headland at the entrance to Notre Dame Bay, in Twillingate on the northeast coast of Newfoundland. At more than 300 feet above sea level, its location provides an open view of the islands that dot this section of coast, of shipping activities and of icebergs that drift south in the spring.

Along the cliff trails, tuckamores survive. Tuckamores are trees that have been bent and sculpted by constant strong onshore winds. The salt spray kills exposed buds, so growth only occurs on the tree’s sheltered inland side.

D) Cape Bonavista Lighthouse

Built in 1843, the light at Cape Bonavista is one of the few in the world where you can still climb up the stone tower and see the same seal oil fueled catoptric light apparatus that was used in the 1800s. I took the guided tour to learn about the hard life of the lightkeepers and see their quarters that have been restored to the 1870s.

As the place where John Cabot first made landfall in Newfoundland in 1497, Cape Bonavista Lighthouse is one of the most visited Provincial Historic Sites in the province. This is a prime location to view whales, icebergs and puffins. I was delighted to see hundreds of cute puffins fly from the cliffs and a fox family outside the lighthouse.

E) Cape Spear Lighthouse

Cape Spear, Newfoundland’s oldest surviving lighthouse and a National Historic Site, has served as the chief approach light for St. John’s harbour since 1836. Constructed by local builders, it consists of a stone tower surrounded by a frame residence, a common lighthouse design on Canada’s east coast.

The light mechanism in use in the 19th century came from Inchkeith lighthouse in Scotland. Modern equipment was installed in 1912 and remains in use in the concrete tower built nearby in 1955. Much altered during the 19th century, the old lighthouse has been restored to its original appearance.

On the day of my visit, it was foggy and windy on Cape Spear, a perfect opportunity to see the light flash from the new tower and hear foghorn sound.

Cape Spear is home to the most easterly point of land in North America. In this place on the edge of the continent, you can watch the sun rise first before anyone else in North America. Pretty cool, eh?