Thursday July 25

We’re up and are on the road after breakfast with the same destination as planned yesterday, Fogo Island. Fogo Island is worth looking up if you have never heard of it. It supported around a half dozen fishing villages that thrived. For many years the cod were so thick that one could lower a basket into the water and pull up fish. Over time the cod depleted. In the 1992 Canada closed cod fishing which decimated fishing villages all over Newfoundland.

Zita Cobb, one of Canada’s richest woman, grew up on Fogo Island and wanted to give something back to help the communities survive and thrive. She built in 2013 the Fogo Island Inn a luxury hotel designed by a world famous architect. It quickly has become an “in place” to go. There are 29 suites with huge windows and spectacular views all yours for over $1,000 a night with a three night minimum. She started the Fogo Islands Arts, an arts program including studio space for artists from around the world and an artist in residence program. Both efforts are highly successful. Continuing on about Fogo Island is the Flat Earth Society declared Fogo Island as one of the four corners of the world.

We travel slowly on the bumpy roads heading towards the Fogo Island Ferry. We could damage our Airstream if we buzzed along. About an hour before we reach the ferry site we stop for groceries. We hop out of the truck and we are greeted with a friendly hi by a locale, Sue. She and her husband have a travel trailer about the same size as ours. She tells us a bit about the local area and gives a few suggestions. She also invites us to her home for coffee which we will pass on our way to the ferry. This time we decide to pass on her offer but we do have her contact information. A delightful encounter.

As we get close to the ferry dock and check the schedule. We are about 15 minutes late for the ferry. The next ferry runs in about three hours. C’est la vie. There are two ferries here. One runs directly to Fogo Island while the other first goes to Change Islands then on to Fogo Island. Change Islands is smaller and few services. Only a bit more that 100 people live year round on the island. It’s name comes from the people lived on the north end of the island in the warmer months then moved to the south end of the island for the wintertime, thus “Change” Island. As we approach the ferry area we see there is a ferry still loading. We can make it and not wait three hours for the next ferry! We pull into the line area where one purchases tickets. There’s a red light with a sign stating remain there until the light changes green. The light remains red as we see the last of the cars and trucks loaded so we’ve missed the boat. As the last truck is loaded the person in the ticket booth jumps out and waves us forward. He was there all along and had not noticed us. We pay and proceed forward. At first the loading crew looks at us then at the space remaining, then at us again. Is there room? The decision is made and they squeeze us on. This ferry stops at Change Islands first then on to Fogo Island. Most of the ferry unloads at Change with a truck, three cars and us continue onto Fogo. We unload then head to the visitor center. There is an RV park at Brimstone Head near the village of Fogo. We set up and decide to explore the possibilities on the island. First stop is for a late lunch in the village. Wells loves it from the get go since all the menu islands are based on puns while Marsha is thrilled with the cloth napkins. Our lunch is great! Next it’s time to drive across the island to get the lay of the land. In the village of Joe Batts Arm we spot the Fogo Island Inn on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Next we see Growlers Ice Cream shop and we stop. It’s filled with tourists enjoying this specialty ice cream.  It’s off the beaten trail yet busy. This island, unlike where we traveled the past few days, has tourism as a major income source. The island appears thriving. We continue east to the eastern most village, Tilting. The town is neat and appears to be doing well economically. Zita Cobb’s island investment in the economic livelihood appears to be flourishing. We have yet to see any Flat Earth kooks but we will continue to look.