HUNKERED DOWN.
Day 113 – OooWee, quite a stormy day today! Major wind gusts, rain and fog all day, visibility zero. We weren’t the only ones who did not leave their campsites today. There wasn’t any driving anywhere at all today. The fishermen didn’t even go out.
In lieu of exploration chatter and campground happenings, here is some information about this area: The peninsula we are now exploring is called the Baie Verte Peninsula, and the area is called the Dorset Trail. Our campground is in La Scie.
The Dorset Trail: “A thousand years before Europeans arrived, the Dorset were quarrying soapstone for cooking pots and lamps at Fleur de Lys near the northern tip of the Baie Verte Peninsula. Dorset Soapstone Quarry National Historic Site is the oldest known mining site in an area known for its complex geology. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the peninsula’s mines produced gold, asbestos, copper, and other minerals, and that history is explored in the Baie Verte Peninsula Miner’s Museum.
The French were fishing these shores well into the 19th century. This heritage can be seen at museums and historic sites throughout the region, like the Outport Museum and Tea Room in La Scie, which offers a glimpse into outport life during this period. There’s also a replica of a 16th century Basque fishing vessel here.
Nearby is Tilt Cove, the smallest town in Canada with a population of four. In 2015 the hit film Ant-Man, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, recruited Tilt Cove to promote the movie with a one-foot-high billboard.
From spring to fall, there are plenty of opportunities for whale watching and iceberg viewing. Some of the best places to see them are from the French Shore Lookout and the Lookout Trail in La Scie, and the Ocean View Hiking Trail in Pacquet. From the French Shore Lookout, in addition to watching for whales and icebergs, enjoy the annual capelin run from Island Cove Town Park & Beach and watch the fishing fleet leaving and returning to scenic La Scie Harbour.” from the Newfoundland/Labrador Traveller’s Guide 2023
(Yeah, right. Not in this weather!)
We kept busy inside the RV, hanging on for dear life. No, not really, but there was some rocking & rolling when the wind was at its worst. And we are bigger and heavier than the other vehicles here. We expected the electricity to go out at any moment. It didn’t. I’m sure they’re used to the winter storms in August here. Grin. The girls are hunkered down, too, but not because of the weather. They are pouting because Mean Old Poppa cut their claws today. Tomorrow, assuming the weather will be calmer, we will explore one more section of this peninsula – the villages & towns south of here.