Day 21.
The day started with great and sunny view from our room, good breakfast and talk with our host about whale watching. And we are on 7 km high cliff (Boutte du Cap) walk with beautiful views. Watching a few diving gannets, but no whales. Download Piotr’s GPX file
We spent all afternoon driving along the north side of Cape St George (Rte 463 then 460 and 490). Stopped for lunch at Tea By The Sea restaurant. Next stop: Long Point. Parked our car in Blue Beach at the end of the World of easily drivable gravel road. Joanna walked all the way to the very tip of narrow rock bar with sea on both sides, and we scrolled back to our car through grassy peninsula coloured with Alpine Asters. We did not see a person on our walk. Picked-up groceries in Stephenville, home to a former US Air Force base and international airport. We filled-up tank in Stephenville Crossing and shortly after crossing Hwy 1 started looking for a side road to camp as we were driving on Rte 480 toward Burgeo. Stopped at small turn-around on gravel forest road away from “main” road, nice.
Day 22.
The day started with surprise visit by local moose hunters at our campsite (first day of season). Continued south on Rte 480. There was a ferry loading cars at the end of the road in Burgeo. We asked if there was space for us and in no time we were seaborne for Ramea, mysterious behind dense fog. Completly unplanned, spontaneus decission. The island is small – we visited all corners in half a day. Walking slowly on Ramea walking trail (boardwalk) in quite dense fog most of the time, magical. No expansive vistas or whales, but quiet and relaxing. Talked to the man on duty at the lighthouse (fog horn instead of light that day) and had lunch at Eastern Outfitters. We took the ferry back and ended the day at Sandbank Provincial Park campground (only a few visitors there). It was one of the most memorable days of our trip.
Day 23.
We spent the first half of the day walking on endless beaches and wetlands of Sandbank Provincial Park, very peaceful. In the afternoon we were back on Rte 480 and then Hwy 1 to Port aux Basques to catch 7-hour over-night ferry to New Sydney, Nova Scotia. This time we watched time and ticket availability to make sure we do not miss it. We bought reserved, more comfortable seats on the upper deck (9th level) to catch some sleep. Tried to find a place to eat dinner driving narrow streats of Port aux Basques all the way to the tip of the peninsula and Channel Head Lighthouse across water. No luck – settled for food at ferry terminal.
