8: 3 August 2018 Western Brook Pond, Gros Morne, Newfoundland

August 3rd Cow Head and Western Brook Pond, Gros Morne National Park

Twenty years ago the tour boat that motors around one of the great glacial masterpieces, Western Brook Pond, dropped me, Dave  and Dunc off at the end of the "pond" where we started our hike.  Western Brook Pond was an old, majestic fjord but over time the ocean entrance was sealed off so now they call this magnificent body of water a pond.  Today Maria and I got on what looked like one of the same tour boats I rode twenty years ago.  The pictures tell it all.

Before heading over to the tour boat, we walked around Cow Head, where we've stayed two nights.  Another fine Newfoundland walk out to a rocky spit.  But as shown below, there was an unusual lighthouse.  

There is a 1.5 mile walk from the tour boat parking lot to the boat and when we showed up at noon to start the walk, people who were returning told us the boat rides had been cancelled due to fog.  There was indeed some fog but not enough, it seem to both of us, to cancel the boat. Since we were there, we decided to take the walk and see what was going on.  When we got to the boat dock, the skies were in great shape,  one boat had just left, and ours was on schedule for 1:30.  The tour was stunning and far exceeded my memory.  On the return trip, the old tour guide who had a wonderfully comedic personality and teased people relentlessly, put on some traditional Newfoundland music, gave kids pairs of spoons for rhythm and had all of us clapping to crazy, corny and very singable songs.  A great touch.  Newfoundland is a fantastic, fabulous place.  The people are flat out wonderful.   The sights rival any place I've ever seen.  

Gotta go back sometime.  Maybe I'll go and open a Chinese restaurant.  The menu will have Sweet and Sour Cod, Kung Pao Cod,  Moshe Cod, Peking Roasted Cod, Cod fried rice, etc., etc.   I loved the Cod and Maria, who does not usually do white fish, also loved the Cod.




Maria found a lighthouse at Cow Head just her size


Distant view of the walls of Western Brook Pond



Approaching Western Brook Pond

Western Brook Pond


Spectacular waterfall


Inside Western Brook Pond

Inside WBP







Approaching end


Dock where Dunc, Dave and I were dropped off 20 years ago for our hike through the Long Range Mountains.

Back in Gloucester, August 4th

Taxi/Limo driver picked us up at Logan in a pretend-Cadillac-bad-ass Chrysler 300!!!  More than just a coincidence???  I think not.  Me and the driver traded superlatives of this admirable monster car.  Maria's worried I might spring for one, but she can relax.

On the way home today I started reading "The Day The World Came to Town" about Gander, Newfoundland, taking in 38 jets, 6,700 people after 9/11.  Gander has a population of 10,000.  I have to stop after every two pages to regain my composure.  It is a very joyous story of amazing Newfoundlander's and what they did for those stranded passengers after 9/11.   Should be required reading for every American who says "American First" or "Make America Great Again".   What the people of Gander and nearby towns did for the people stranded for almost one week gives me faith in the human race after more than two years of bad news.

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