Monday July 22

Up early to break camp and we are off to the ferry by 6:30. It was in the forties overnight with rain. We are loaded onto the ferry after all the cars and pickups. We pull into the hull of the ferry where the cars and pickups are not to be found. They are loaded onto another deck level so we end up near the front of the ferry.

On deck we find a table near the bow of the ship. We want a good vantage point for spotting icebergs and whales. A family with three kids sits near us and Wells engages them with conversation. The weather continues to not be great for spending time outside so we are all looking for icebergs and whales. Visibility improves and degrades as we push towards Newfoundland though the weather. It’s a two hour crossing and the kids continually spot whales that none of the adults can see. Maybe one was a whale but the rest we think are white caps. Finally, we see a very small iceberg and the nine-year-old yells, ‘’An iceberg!” Being so small Wells insists it’s and ice cube and the girl retorts with, “it’s an ice cube berg.” It was a fun crossing with the kids while their parent enjoyed their break from kid interaction being exhausted from getting up at 3:30am to do their longer drive to the ferry dock.

The ferry docks and we head down to our rig where we are the second vehicle unloaded. Our goal for today is to get to the Corner Brook area about 200 miles south to purchase a new RV battery. As we drive south along the route known as the Viking Trail we recall exploring many of these places two years ago on our last trip to Newfoundland. The road passes along the coast through fishing villages and Gros Morne National Park. A mountainous area with spectacular fiords.

We arrive at the place to purchase a battery then get groceries. Now it’s time to head to an area where we have not explored on our last trip. Baie Verte is where we head. Newfoundland’s north shore is a series of peninsulas sticking up from this huge island. They vary in length from maybe fifty miles to 300 miles. This creates a coastline worth exploring for the culture, history, and beauty. We set up our camp in the middle of Baie Vert where we can readily explore in all directions.