Newfoundland – Day 3, Bonavista

Drove up to Bonavista – 3 hour drive. However, being Thanksgiving Monday, nothing was open. Even the Visitor Information booth was locked up. I also planned to go to Cape Bonavista with the Lighthouse then to Dungeon Provincial Park. The Interpretive Centre at the lighthouse was closed but there were great views of the ocean.

In 1755 there was an earthquake in Lisbon, Portugal. The resulting tsunami was so big it could be viewed from this point after it travelled 3500 km.

You can see Bonavista’s harbour was formed differently. Instead of the high rock on either side like St. John’s harbour – this is open and flat.

A replica of John Cabot’s ship, The Mathew, is located inside this building. It was closed for the holiday.

John Cabot was an Italian. His real name was Giovanni Caboto. This was probably the beginning of Immigration’s tendency to Anglicize the names of newcomers. My grandfather’s Ukrainian name was changed to Michaels.

Cape Bonavista. The Interpretive Centre was closed so we just walked around a bit. Surprising number of cars came up but turned back when they saw it was closed.

Drove over to Dungeon Provincial Park. The road is grave/dirt and full of pot holes – but I had a jeep. A viewing planform of the rocks. There was no one else around.

The rocks are 600 million years old. it’s the combination of soft sedimentary – formed by sand and mud layering. Then there is the hard igneous rock formed by lava.

The waves pound away at the sedimentary rock. They form a crack, then a tunnel then a cave. What surprised me is there is no guard rail around the area. I kept a tight hold on the leashes.

Someone remarked that it reminded them of Scotland. I found out that this mountainous geography is part of the same that runs from the Scottish Highlands, through Newfoundland and down through Appalachian mountains before the continents were separated.

Cape Bonavista lighthouse in the far background.

There were some amazing fall colours with the ocean in the background. But there was no place to pull over. Finally found a driveway area at a water pump station.

The pugs were pretty tired after all that (although they slept a lot on the drive back). After dinner they fell asleep I went to the Yellow Belly Brew Pub. It was reconstructed, using stone, brick and masonry, after the fire of 1846.

Its construction proved worth as it was left standing after the Great Fire of 1892. The “Yellowbellies” were an Irish faction hailing from County Wexford who once famously tied strips of yellow cloth around their middles in a hurling match against the Cornish champions. Following their victory, King George III was heard to remark, “Well done the Yellowbellies!”

One of the best seafood chowders I’ve ever had.

When I got back, there were tail wags all around. They both got a short evening walk, followed with a treat. Raisin was ready for bed.