Day 1 (July 9, 2021): Newfoundland - Open for Business!

Would the Atlantic Bubble reopen in summer 2021? Would the Atlantic region open to the rest of Canada in summer 2021? These are questions we had been wondering about for months.  We had tickets to go to western Canada in July.  By April, however, the travel uncertainty led us to hedge our bets that western Canada would likely still be out of bounds for us in July, but that Newfoundland would be open.  So we took a chance and booked a trip to explore Newfoundland's South Coast instead. 

When we booked seats on Provincial Airlines' new route from Halifax to Deer Lake, July 9th seemed a long way off.  But time has a way of sneaking up on a person!  Our friends, Mel and Juliet, picked us up at 10:30AM and drove us to Halifax Stanfield Airport.  With 17 flights a day now running (compared to 200+ flights a day pre-COVID), the Halifax Airport was busier than we had seen it in a long time.  Our flight left on time, arrived early in Deer Lake, and we set off for Corner Brook in the rains that came with the tail end of Tropical Storm Elsa.

It's great to be back on the Rock and to have started our journey towards the South Coast of the Island.

As we drove up to the departures level at Halifax Stanfield, we saw a robotic lawnmower at work.  Inside, on our way to Security, a robotic floor cleaner was at work, too!

Provincial Airlines' Dash 8-300 left  on time and arrived 15 minutes early in Deer Lake.  26 of the 54 seats were taken.  It's great to see Provincial expanding throughout the region, given Air Canada's COVID pull-out from most small airports in Atlantic.

The northeast shore of Deer Lake, on approach to Deer Lake Airport.  Notice the Deer Lake Power Plant from 1925 in the top left-hand of the picture.

We were supposed to land at 2:45PM.  But by 2:45, we were already putting our bags into our brand new Kia Soul, having landed early, deplaned, cleared the Newfoundland COVID procedure, gotten our Hertz rental organized, and picked up our suitcases!  Love it when travel works like that.

 

Deer Lake, looking southwest from Pasadena.

The slopes of Marble Mountain enroute to Corner Brook.

In a mountain face just south of Steady Brook, there is a well-known natural feature: the Man in the Mountain.  Can you see it?



The view of the Bay of Islands and Corner Brook (population 20,000).



The historic Glynmill Inn, built in 1924, burned in 1929, and reopened in 1935.

We stayed at the Glynmill in July 2020, and were impressed at the way they sealed every room after cleaning.  It's an approach they continue.  It gives much confidence in the cleanliness of a hotel room.

The heart of Corner Brook is marked by an incredible urban parkland through which runs the Corner Brook Stream and trail system.  The Glynmill Pond is at its center, with its famous
"mute swans".



The Corner Brook Stream.

Nature is powerful and determined!

The low water levels in the Corner Brook Stream have led Fisheries and Oceans to post a no-fishing order.

The Corner Brook Stream is marked by many unique features, including these yellow irises.

The Corner Brook Tourist Sign at Central and West Streets.

The Railway Society of Newfoundland has a wonderful museum at Humber Mouth, featuring Locomotive 593.  Built in Philadelphia in 1920, it was purchased by the railway for $37,000 and retired in 1957 after travelling 1.5 million miles.

Named for Twillingate, this is a dining car of the Newfie Bullet.

A typcial passenger car from the Newfie Bullet.

Dinner was at the Wine Cellar of the Glynmill Inn, where our friends, Mel and Juliet, had their first date in 1975!



The panko-crusted codfish was incredibly fresh and delicious.