Saturday, July 12, 2008

L'Anse Amour to Battle Harbour
























































After warm hugs all round, we took our leave of Rita, Cecil, and Grannie. First we went for a short walk along the beach/cliffs to see the wreck, or what remains of it, of the HMS Raleigh. Then we walked back along the rocky beach and up the cliffs to a lookout beside the lighthouse. Here we watched the whales flolicking in the waves a short distance off the shore through the telescope at the lookout positioned there for that purpose. They are huge, magnificent animals. We met a chap at the lookout who was staying in one of the cottages at the lighthouse while gathering material for “first person interpretation” coaching. He is preparing to stage a scene depicting the death and subsequent wake of one of the lighthouse keepers, and the hand over of his responsibilities to his son. I am amazed by the number of interesting and creative people we have met on our trip. I understand that this “first person Interpretation” has become very popular in Europe and Newfoundland has had British experts over here training them in the use of it. The idea is to teach the interpreters at the various historic sites to “act” the part of a living person from the era the site is depicting. We experienced the results of this training at Ryan Premises and it is very effective.

Next we went into the Point Amour lighthouse and climbed the 100 plus steps to the top. It is the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada. The view from the top was stunning and we continued our watching of the huge and elegant whales.

It was a short drive through the rock strewn mountains past small coastal fishing communities to Red Bay, population 200. At Red Bay we learned all about the Basque whalers from the period 1550-1600 when Red Bay was the whaling capital of the new world. We went through the interpretation centre and then took a $2.00 boat ride over to Saddle Island. We walked all around the site and relieved a day in the life of a Basque fisherman. They were tough and courageous people to make their 6 to 7 week journey from France each year to Labrador for 3 months of fishing and then to return to their homeland with their ships full of fish for sale to the Europpean markets.

Part of our walk on this uninhabited island took us through hundreds of seagulls all of whom watched us intently. They warned us off by screeching and cooiong and when we got too close they became quite energetic and flew over us and around us, but never at us! I was quite concerned as I’ve had two situations in my life when birds have come swooping down onm me to chase me off. Ray however, was confident we would be fine so long as we kept to the path.

The next stage of our journey indtroduced us to what is to follow!@ The paved road ended at Red Bay and we set out through the rocky wilderness on a red dirt, freshly graveled, road – maximum spped 70 km, to Mary’s Harbour where we got the ferry over to Battle Harbour, about an hour and a half.

Along the way, the rain started and it poured for the next 5 hours, including all the way across the sea in the ferry.

Battle Harbour is a unique experience and if you travel to Newfoundland/Labrador it is not to be missed. The Island is position 17 km out of Maqry’s Harbour in the Atlantic Ocean, and is surrounded by many other small islands all of which look like a pudding plate turned upside down and covered with white quartz, and red granite, rock. In between the rocks are bogs of ground hugging juniper creepers and tons of wild flowers that provides a soft cusion that you sink into if you move off the path. Dotted amongst the rocks and the bog are ponds of dark brown peatty water.

One side of the island is completely protected the side of another tall island only metres away providing a safe harbour for ships. The seas around the Island were at one time loaded with cod fish, seals and salmon. There was some flat ground on the protected shore where buildings oculd be erected. The result, was an active salt fishing village which became the hub for the Labrador fishing industry in the period from the 1750s until the early 1900s. The Island was almost deserted after the decline fo the code industry and resettling of the outport in the 1960s. In the early 1990s, The Battle Harbour Historic Trust was formed and many of the buildings on the island have been renovated. Today it is the only intact salt-fishing village left within the the province and its is the only national historice site in Canada where you can stay overnight in designated historic buildings. The ghrill is that its not reconstructed. The buildings have been here since the 1700s and as you look over the sea to the horizon it sends shivers down your spine to think that it is exactly the same view that people in the 1700s, 1800, and 1900s would have seen. Nothing has changed.

Dinner was at 7:30 p.m. We had crabs legs for starters, followed by caribou chile! Delicious. The people staying at Battl eHarbour were an eclectic mixture. There was a tall ship from Maine crewed by a group of 15 or 16 young people all doing a maritime training course. Apparently, one of the kids was swept overboard by a large wave during some rough seas, but fortunately, the quick reaction of the other kids rescued him/her and he was just fine and continued on board. What a story that would be to tell around the kitchen table when he/she gets home! The ship was returning from a 61 trip to Greenland.
There were two small motor launches contain a group of 5 wild Newfies/Labradorians going up the coast and then being hellicoptered into the interior for a 5 day salmon fly fishing trip. There was a Nonesuch yacht with a couple from Rhode Island; another yacht with a couple from Minnesota; and several people like ourselves who arrived by ferry. Also living on the island are some true residents who belong there.

We are staying in the Grenfell House which is at the top of the hill and overlooks the community. This was the Dr.’s cottage until 1904. There are 3 other bedrooms only one of which was occupied by a photographer from Toronto. The house is fully renovated and is complete with kitchen and dining room where you can cook and eat your own food if you don’t want to eat in the communal dining room.

After dinner we had a walk around as far as we could see and then went down to participate in the singing and music in the Salmon Store. It was great to see the interaction between the young kids and the fishing group – as 2 of the kids joined with 2 of the fishers singing and playing the guitar, mandolin, and accordian to entertain the group – oh, and of course, don’t forget the “ugly stick”!

Bed came too soon around midnight! This is quite a unique experience!

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