A Gorgeous Gorge!
Over the last year and a half, our friends had been telling us about the beauty of Newfoundland, knowing that we were planning a vacation here. We'd also seen video clips online; but we were not prepared for the astonishing vistas which have presented themselves to us - even on these first few days. Just when it seems that we have seen something spectacular, we turn a corner and another view leaves us breathless!
Last Sunday was no exception!
Mark had booked us onto a boat tour of Western Brook Pond, billed as a landlocked fjord in Gros Morne National Park.
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| Gros Morne National Park is probably the best known one in Newfoundland |
We had to drive for half an hour from our cabin, in Rocky Harbour, to the parking lot. The coastal drive was awesome, with the Gulf of St. Lawrence on our left, and the mountains on our right.
From there, we had a 45 minute walk to the dock where the boat was moored, ready for the first of its two tours.
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| The 45 minute trail winded its way through bush and small bodies of water |
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| Our first view of the gorge up close |
The walk, itself, was interesting as we followed the gravel trail. We noticed so many of the bushes had been windswept and Mark told me that he had looked them up and that they were called, tuckamore trees. (It's so good to be continually learning new things about the world in which we live).
We ate our picnic overlooking the 'pond', and the opening to the gorge beyond a spit. While waiting for the call to board, we got chatting with a group of people from B.C., and compared our traveling experiences.
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| The ferry was docked at the end of the pier |
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| We arrived at the dock area a good hour before the boat tour was due to start |
Once on board, we found a seat on the upper deck and got ourselves ready for the trip. We had been advised to wear warm clothing but, at the beginning, it was quite warm before we got out onto the open lake.
The scenery was magnificent and we marveled at how the treed mountain-sides seemed to plunge directly into the water. The highest peaks reach 2000 feet.
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| I noticed the reflection almost creating the letter X (marking the spot!) |
Carter, our guide, explained about rockslides and how they had affected the terrain.
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| You can see this sleeping man facing the 11:00 o'clock corner of the photo |
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| Just to the left of the centre, you can see the 'Tin Man'! |
He also told us how the lake was only fed by melting surface ice and snow, even though there were numerous waterfalls in the surrounding gorge.
The captain took the boat in very close to these first falls - so much so, that the passengers on the lower deck found themselves showered by the spray - much to their delight as was evidenced by squeals and laughter that emanated from below!
Carter informed us that, technically, this was not a true fjord because a fjord is comprised of salt water, and this body of water got cut off from the sea when the land re-emerged after the glaciers melted. The remaining salt water was flushed from the fjord and it is now completely constituted by fresh water, thus defining it, more accurately, as a gorge. This fact did not minimize its dramatic landscape!
Almost at the innermost part of the gorge, the so-called, 'Pissing Mare Falls' were a sight to behold!
(N.B. to watch video clips on full screen mode, click the small square at the bottom left of the clip).
After an hour and a half, the boat was turned and we made our way back to this impressive entrance to the gorge.
On the way back, they started to pipe some music over the loudspeaker - of course, it was traditional Newfoundlander songs - some of which we had heard, but there were many new ones.
After a while, Carter took to the helm and led the singing, accompanying with spoons and tambourine, which he shared among some of those whom he 'voluntold' to participate! It was a a wonderful way to finish the tour.
It was an awesome day, in all respects!
Wow! Makes me want to go there even more than I already did!
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