Category: Puffins

Bonavista, and another look at the puffins

After my fabulous hike, I drove the 20 or so km north to Cape Bonavista with its iconic lighthouse.  As I arrived in town, I at first found the settlement rather stark and straggly and utilitarian-looking, with the look and feel of settlements you would see in the Arctic, ranged as it is across flat, barren land.  But, upon a closer look, I loved it.  It is straggling, and somewhat stark, but also incredibly beautiful and historic.

I went first to the lighthouse which was fogged in and the foghorn was so loud!  Jagged, huge boulders the size of apartment buildings are toppled into the sea at crazy angles just below the lighthouse.  Then, I drove all over town, taking photos and enjoying the late afternoon light and warmth away from the fog.

 

The Canada flag at the top of the collection is there because I felt very emotional and proud to be “From Bonavista, to Vancouver Island…This land was made for you and me!”  The stacked firewood at the end is there because in almost every yard I saw a wood pile.  The wood piles came in various forms, arrangments, and sizes but each one brought to mind that I’m here in the summer but the residents are in it for the long haul through cold long winters.

I’m afraid that my pictures do not justice to Bonavista, and I would have loved to spend more time there, and probably should have, but I was hoping that I could see the puffins at closer range so I headed back to Elliston, hungry, but forgoing supper in the hopes of a lucky viewing.  No such luck was to be had, but I did have the pleasure of meeting a professional nature photographer from Toronto, Megan Lorenz.  Wow!  Her equipment was impressive!  She had a little stuffed puffin that she set up on the cliff edge to lure any curious bachelors to come close (puffin bachelors that is).  None came by as we chatted, and despite my great reluctance to leave, hunger, happy fatigue, and a reluctance to drive home in moosey darkness urged me to say goodnight and head back to Trinity.  Here are a few more puffin pictures I took, but if you want to see real pictures, with incredible sharpness and timing, visit Megan’s site.  Viewing her photos is a pleasure and a gift!

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What a glorious day I had!

Trinity, Elliston puffins and pony, and the Klondike hike

After my wonderful afternoon at Tickle Head and the Random Passage site, I headed 16 km back north to the iconic town of Trinity. You come around a hill, and there it is below you, a colourful array of beautiful historic buildings lovingly restored and hosting happy visitors.  I took many photos of the town and buildings in the early evening light, as well as views of the lighthouse across the bay.  Here are a few of those photos.

 

After a good night’s sleep in my beautiful room at Maidment House (the mustard-yellow house above), I headed up the coast to Elliston to hike the Klondike trail (no, not that one, this one was only 8 km return!) and to see the puffins.  On the drive there, I saw a beautiful iceberg in the bay across from the pretty town of Melrose.  I drove into town and then out towards the farthest point at the north end of the bay, but as I drove I saw a bank of fog moving in.  It was a race!  I grabbed my camera, scrambled over the rocks, quickly changed lenses and lifted my camera just as the fog obliterated the iceberg completely (it’s hiding just to the left of the islands off shore – perfectly camouflaged).  And it stayed stubbornly hidden in that fog all day! I consoled myself by taking a few shots in Melrose.

 

I carried on to Elliston where I visited the puffin site.  I had heard from a friend, and confirmed from research online, that the puffins who nest on the rock just offshore sometimes come onto the headland where hopeful visitors are watching from only meters away.  Alas, I was not lucky enough to have this happen but I contented myself with watching and photographing these iconic Newfoundland birds from some distance away.  They are very difficult to photograph in flight as they are really fast!

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Then, some photos of the very scenic Elliston, famous also as the “root cellar capital of the world”, with over 150 of these cellars dotted around this area.  Stunning coastline, sturdy houses, and one charming pony.

 

After viewing the puffins, I headed to the northern end of Elliston to do the Klondike trail.  The first kilometer and a half went through forest and a beautiful bog where I took pictutes of the rather amazing-looking pitcher plant.

 

Then, the trail opened up and followed the clifftop around Spillars Cove to a rise from which I could see way far away across to the Cape Bonavista lighthouse.  I wanted to keep on walking all the way there!  As well, far to the west, across the peninsula, I could see 1, 2, 3, 4, icebergs far off in the distance.  Tiny, but there!  It was a glorious hike, so quiet.  I met only a few other hikers for a brief hello, but mostly it was just me and the wind and the birds, flowers, and view.  I was very happy!

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Next, on to Bonavista!