Day 3 (July 11, 2021): Sunshine, Beaches and Mountains

Prior to leaving for this vacation, the weather forecast was looking dismal for the time we would be spending in the Port aux Basques area. To our total surprise, we awoke this morning to another blue sky, not a breath of wind, and a perfect temperature for going around. After breakfast at the St. Christopher's Hotel, we hit the road at 10:15AM. Our modus operandi for the day was to visit the Port aux Basques Railway Heritage Museum, and then work our way north as far as Stephenville, where we had booked accommodation for the night, and to visit as many side routes on the West Coast as possible enroute. 

Newfoundland is not known for its fine sand beaches. So surprise number two for the day was the sheer number and quality of fine sand beaches along the lower West Coast of the province. We were gob-smacked! So you will see a lot of beach photos below. 

And then there was surprise number three: mountains. Everywhere! When we drove from Corner Brook to Port aux Basques yesterday, much of the route was enveloped in drizzle and cloud. We had no idea that, just to the east of the Trans-Canada Highway, the Long Range Mountains present a stunning show when not shrouded in cloud and fog.  Last summer we visited Gros Morne, which was very impressive. But we feel that the mountains extending from the Tablelands (just north of Port aux Basques) to the Codroy Valley, are far more impressive than even Gros Morne. We kept clicking photo after photo - the beauty of the mountains against the blue sky was overwhelming. 

When you finish a day having experienced three such surprises, you feel like your vacation day has been an excellent investment of time. 

We pulled into our Stephenville hotel just before 6PM. After last night's bizarre dinner experience, we were looking forward to a nice meal in the hotel. As we were about to go downstairs, we learned there had just been a grill fire and, due to the use of fire extinguishers, the restaurant had to close immediately.  A Pizza Delight pasta dinner came to the rescue. 

Tomorrow will be an early start, as we drive the long, bumpy road to Burgeo and take the ferry to Francois - which is the location that instigated this entire holiday plan.

The snowplow played an integral role for the Newfoundland Railway.  Especially in places like the Gaffs Topsail on the West Coast, where snow depths of mythical proportions were often encountered by the Newfie Bullet.

The Railway Museum has a passenger car that you can still access.  It was quite a thrill to see the sleeper accommodation of the Newfoundland Railway. 

The Railway Museum also focuses somewhat on the Newfoundland coastal boat history.  One of the more intriguing pieces is this diving equipment from the late 1800s.  We were amazed that such technology existed in that time period.

The beach at Grand Bay, adjacent to Port aux Basques, was the first of many beaches we explored.  We had no idea there was such a rich beach collection in this part of Newfoundland.



Just north of Port aux Basques, J.T. Cheeseman Provincial Park boasts an amazing fine-sand beach and dunes.



We had the entire beach to ourselves!  Where else does that ever happen?

A mischievous finger of fog just offshore quickly drifted in, then back out again, reminding us of how quickly a Newfoundland beach day can end up wearing a chill.

The view of the beach at J.T. Cheeseman from Cape Ray. 

This deluxe outhouse at Cape Ray was being offered up for... FREE!!  David was tempted to put it on top of the car and take it home.

Mountains and more mountains!  These are the Tablelands, just north of Port aux Basques.  The height and length of them is astounding.  In our opinion, they rival Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, which they resemble.

Just north of the Tablelands are twin conical mountains, adding to the variety of the mountainous topography.


The northern end of the Tablelands.


One thing you cannot miss in these parts of Newfoundland is the use of all-terrain vehicles.  They are simply everywhere.  And, to be honest, people drive them on the streets and the highways.  It seems to be a cultural oddity here, and it is definitely not questioned.  When we saw this unlicensed ATV going through the Robin's Donuts Drive-through, we realized just how acceptable the practice is here.  

The Codroy Valley is one of the most fertile regions of Newfoundland.  Fields and water against the backdrop of the Long Range Mountains create a feast for the eyes, especially on a sunny summer's day.


Cape Anguille is the most westerly point on the Island of Newfoundland.  (Cape Spear, just outside St. John's being the most easterly point.) The first lighthouse at Cape Anguille was built in 1871.  This is a concrete edition, completed in 1960.

These mountains provide a backdrop to the lighthouse at Cape Anguille.

 

Codroy Valley Provincial Park has a fine sand beach and dunes.

After leaving the Codroy Valley and heading north on the Trans-Canada Highway, suddenly, a Twin Otter almost buzzed our car, flying at very low altitude.  There is no airstrip in the area, and this was 75km from the Stephenville Airport, so we were worried that it may have been in trouble. 


Our last venture off the Trans-Canada was to see the beach and bluffs at Flat Bay.


The presence of the Mi'kmaw language on signage and this band office sign were clear indications that the Qalipu First Nation is alive and well in this part of the West Coast.

As we drove into Stephenville, the influence of the former US Air Force Base was immediately evident.