Made it to Newfoundland

A few days ago I made it to Gander, Newfoundland. It was a bit of a long journey, I flew from Phoenix to Toronto, then after a layover flew directly into Gander. I didn’t arrive until after 2am local time, which was a 5.5 hour time zone change.

After a few hours sleep at a Comfort Inn, I woke to a beautiful day with great enthusiasm for what lay ahead. After loading the rental car I headed northwest toward King’s Point where I stopped at the By the Sea Inn and Cafe for some lunch. While in Rome I thought I would try a couple of the local favorites, fish cakes and pan fried cod tongues. The fish cakes were pretty good, but the cod tongues were probably something I would not order again. I think you have to be a local, or acquire the taste. I would soon learn that all aspects of cod, in many forms, are quite popular in Central Newfoundland.

After lunch I noticed a cute little shop/gallery across the street and went in to have a look. The building was not just a local gallery, but also a pottery studio. I met owners Linda and David of King’s Point Pottery who showed me around. The studio represents many different artists working in a variety of mediums. I was quite surprised to find such quality items in such a small fishing village. I ended up spending a fair amount of time at the gallery/studio. Linda even gave me and a few others a pottery demonstration, which she made look pretty easy. A number of years ago I actually took a pottery class, so I had great admiration and respect for what Linda creates.

Later that afternoon I popped into the Humpback Whale Pavilion to check out the display. I was told that this area of Central Newfoundland has the world’s largest concentration of summer humpback whales. While I didn’t see any in the nearby waters, I certainly learned quite a lot while visiting the Pavilion.

Before continuing on I stopped by Rattling Brook Falls, a wonderful little hike to a spectacular waterfall area. The walk/hike is manly atop a series of wooden walkways and flights of stairs to the various observation platforms. I was in heaven listening to the sounds of falling water, and that of the short flowing brook making its way over large rocks and boulders before escaping into the nearby bay.

After the short hike, I made my way to Spingdale where I checked into a boutique place called Riverwood Inn. Nestled among lush trees right on the banks of the Indian River, this inn not only provided sensational views, but also exquisite character and comfort. My accommodations were bold and contemporary, with a deck to sit and take in the views.

I was not so sure I want to leave the fantastic accommodations for camping, but was excited to get to The Gathering the next day. The Gathering is a food, fire and music festival where I will be camping for a couple of nights right on the banks of a bay. Stay tuned for my next road diary update.