July 18:
Our campsite
at Dildo Run was just about perfect in the style of State/Provincial parks. Our
spot was shady, spacious, and over-run with mosquitoes. I felt right at home! We had 20 amps electric but no potable water. It also had only one vacancy and
that was for only one night. So off to Twillingate the next morning to another
drive-in movie style place. Payton Woods RV Park was hosting a Fantasy Caravan
of 20 + monster rigs so we little guys were put in the back in what looked like
a recently cleared gravel guarry. The sites
were so narrow that you had to keep you elbows at your sides when you went
outside.
Twillingate
is famous for being located on Iceberg Alley and for whale watching. We had
reservations for an afternoon boat trip but it was cancelled due to rain. The
next day was little better but we did get out in the afternoon to see the lighthouse
and to buy some groceries. That night we went to the Twillingate Dinner Theater
for lobster and entertainment. I am always amazed at the talent hiding in
little towns. Local folks who do ordinary jobs during the day and turn into
first class musicians at night. The skits were a little hokey but the actors
clearly enjoyed themselves so much that the audience had to join in.
Leaving
Twillingate we took the longer coast road back to the TCH. This eastern coast faces directly on the
North Atlantic with no barrier islands and is noted for its long, sandy
beaches. The huge boulders along the shore have been so worn by the surf that
they are as smooth as pebbles. The shoreline is covered with low growing gorse
and is full of wildflowers. We saw a lot of dispersed camping in this region
with travel trailers just sitting out in the dunes. The sand is treacherous
though, just like at home.
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| Opps! |
We stopped at the community of Dover to climb the overlook to see the Dover Fault. It looks just like any other narrow inlet and it is hard to believe that one side of it was what is now Europe, the other side South America. (That is a very simplistic description of course.) In 1929 there was a 7+ magnitude earthquake there that caused tsunami’s as far away as Cape Breton Island.
We spent the night at a 300+ site campground right off the TCH called Jakes Pond. Our
expectations were low so we had a pleasant surprise. This CG is spread along
the shore of a lovely “pond” (e.g. lake).
There were some campers in small loops, but for the most part everybody
had a waterfront site. Ours was right beside the water and we had great
neighbors.
From Jakes Pond, located at Arnold's Harbor, we left the TCH and took a
long loop road down the southwest side of the Avalon Peninsular. The scenery
was beyond spectacular. We stopped a lot to explore and to let Bonnie run. We walked on the beach at Gooseberry Cove and we drove
out to the Cape St. Mary’s Ornocological Seabird Ecological Preserve where we
saw thousands of nesting birds.
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| The zillions of white spots are birds. The "snow" on the cliffs are nesting birds. |
We put in a
long day today and learned a valuable lesson. When you ask a Newfy for
information or directions, be sure that you have your map and a pencil handy.
We are truly people separated by a
common language! We became so thoroughly lost that we had to disconnect the
Jeep and scout for a place to park for the night as there were no designated campgrounds in the area.We eventually bedded down in an old
gravel site just outside the village of Mount Carmel on St. Mary’s Bay. No
services, but it was private, quiet…….and cheap! Newfoundland is full of spots to pull off and camp but we don't do it unless absolutely necessary.
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| Boondocking at Mt. Carmel |
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