NEWFOUNDLAND – BACK TO HIGH WINDS & RAIN.
Day 47 – At 7:15 this morning it was 46 degrees with rain & some wind. Both increased during the day. We’re getting so used to this weather, it’s life in Newfoundland. So glad we had that beautifully sunny day yesterday! (Rob is still working on those pictures; so many turned out well.)
The girls are happy to have us here all day, but Java & Pixie are jumpy about the wind – this is with us parked behind a building with some protection from the gusts. We took advantage of the forced time at the RV and did a load of laundry, conveniently located here in the building nearby. We’re also doing some cooking for the days ahead; Shrimp Scampi with Broccoli is on the agenda.
We’re hoping to come back here in a month to six weeks to see the birds again when the eggs have hatched. Today we paid for our four nights here, and the owner said we could come back anytime (and to tell our friends about them). Whether you have an RV, Trailer, Van, or Camper OR are visiting by car, and you want to be close to Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve with the magnificent Seabirds, seriously, this is a very good place to stay. Contact Patrick or Colleen Manning at (709) 337-2450 or www.birdislandresort.com. Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve offers a summer Performance Series, in addition to the chance to see the Seabirds up close. When we come back in July, we’ll be going to a couple of these performances. Cape St. Mary’s info: https://www.newfoundlandlabrador.com/top-destinations/cape-st-marys; (709) 277-1666. The Performance Series: www.capestmarysperformanceseries.ca.
It’s almost 7 p.m. and we’ve finished our cooking and all our chores. I just wanted to quickly comment on the weather right now – this is probably the worse weather that we’ve seen since we got here; very strong wind gusts and lots of rain blowing in sideways. So glad we don’t have to go anywhere.
Bird Island Resort: This is not officially a campground. These kind people allowed us to park at their property. But they said that they’ve allowed other campers to park here on occasion, and they told us to tell people about them & that they could park here (with previous permission, I’m sure). Contact information: 64 Main Road, St. Bride’s, Newfoundland A0B 2Z0; Patrick or Colleen Manning at (709) 337-2450 or (709) 337-2505; website www.birdislandresort.com; e-mail manningpat@hotmail.com. St. Bride’s is the last village on the southwestern end of the Avalon Peninsula. About 15 minutes from the village is Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, We were parked in the lot behind the building which housed 8 rooms on two floors. They had a nice deck overlooking the Placentia Bay and St. Bride’s harbor. There is also a building with 4 rooms. Each building has a room with a washer & dryer for laundry. These buildings are situated on more than 4 acres of rolling manicured lawn away from the road, close to the cliff top with the water below. There is an observations deck with a bench which sits right on the cliff. There’s also a small playground, miniature golf, a building with a convenience store that is also the resort office, a gas station, and picnic tables. The owners & family members live on the premises in several homes that dot the acreage. They’re all extremely friendly & accomodating. We were offered the laundry facilities, the use of the deck & all of the grounds, electric & water hook-ups, and the use of a dump station. Right down the road is the restaurant, Da Birds Eye. We ate there and had the best, fresh Fish & Chips we’d ever had. What more could you want for $20 per night Canadian currency? We will come back again in July if it all works out.