We Love Thee Newfoundland

[spa]

So just this past week I had the good fortune of being able to travel to Canada's newest province, Newfoundland (joined confederation 1949). Newfoundland includes part of mainland North America known as Labrador but few people go there and few live there. My trip was confined to the island of Newfoundland. Newfoundland is one of the oldest settled places in North America and was a happening spot because of the cod fishery. The land is rugged with little soil and the climate can be summed up with the letters RDF (rain, drizzle and fog). RDF isn't entirely accurate... an S is really needed for the huge piles of snow that fall in the winter! A rich fishery, harsh climate and infertile land meant settlements spread out around the rugged coast wherever there was a sheltered bay or harbour and a relatively flat bit of land that could accommodate a couple of houses and a church. These scattered villages were frequently only accessible by boat and are called outports. Newfoundland's largest city and provincial capital, St. John's, is frequently referred to as the largest outport. Newfoundland was a quasi-independent country and functioned as a dominion (like Canada, South Africa, Australia etc) until it was bankrupted by the Great Depression. The British ruled by commission until a series of referendums resulted in Newfoundland, narrowly, joining confederation in 1949. Newfoundlanders were motivated by the promise of social programs. Since Confederation Newfoundland has endured successive economic failures sparked by ill-conceived government intervention and mismanagement. The worst disaster was the 1992 cod moratorium, which is still in effect today because the overfished cod have not rebounded. Today the future looks brighter for Newfoundland as a rapidly expanding tourist trade is bringing more visitors and the development of offshore oil fields fills the province's coffers. However, the province is aging rapidly as the young move away and the population is declining. Anyway, that's Newfoundland now it's time for some pictures.

My first destination in NFLD was business related way down the Burin Peninsula to the Grand Bank Government of Canada Building (A substantial drive from St. Johns). Here's a picture of the Southern Barren that surrounded me for most of the drive. The Southern Barren was once forested, but settlers plus wildfires took care of that. What little soils there were blew away and now it's a landscape of blueberries and shrubs.

Not everything in NFLD is pretty as the Grand Bank GOCB demonstrates. Good incentive to finish my business and get out!

The Grand Bank waterfront. Grand Bank was once upon a time a very important community. The boats that left from there were legendary.

Grand Bank's nearest neighbour is the Town of Fortune. The two communities are separated by a single hill and feature rolling barren coastline.

I had a little bit of time on my return trip so I got off the Burin Peninsula Highway and headed off to some of the more remote outports along Fortune Bay.
First stop St. Bernard-Jacques Fontaine.

The easterly section of road ended here in Jacques-Fontaine

Next Little Harbour East.

Looking down Fortune Bay

The outport of Harbour Mille is a ways off the beaten track and almost looks like a place time forgot. The community is wedged on a relatively flat piece of land between a small harbour and Fortune Bay. Harbour Mille is the end of the road unless you have a boat.

The vegetation, like Newfoundlanders themselves, is hardy and will cling to any cliff no matter the soil conditions.

Finally, on my way back, I stopped at a little beach at the head of Fortune Bay. You can't see it from the road but there was the most incredible rock and tree there. I don't think you could have a more iconic symbol for Newfoundland.


So that was the first leg of my trip. If there is interest I'll post some more pictures later of St. John's and the surrounding area. Don't worry there is plenty spectacular left to show in Newfoundland.

[kwakelaar]

Great looking photos Sam, I love this kind of barren landscape and the last picture with the rock and tree...

[mattb325]

Great shots - that last picture looks almost like a bonsai

[thundercrack83]

Well, Newfoundland has just been added to the list of places I must see! Beautiful pictures, spa!

[Colyn]

Great shots and thank you for sharing.

[flame1396]

Isn't Nanavut the newest Canadian province???

[thundercrack83]

Isn't Nanavut the newest Canadian province???

I could be wrong, but I think Nunavut is a territory, not a province.

[flame1396]

Oh yeah....   

[spa]

Thanks everyone. I really did fine Newfoundland a really beautiful special place. I meant to update this thread a lot sooner but I'll share a few pictures from St. John's, Newfoundland's largest city and provincial capital.

The area known is the Battery is a small neighbourhood perched below Signal Hill. Like Quidi Vidi it was once a separate community. It survived the Great Fire of 1892 and today it's becoming a favourite location for artists, writers and other folk in the cultural business. A must see for any trip to St. John's.

Water Street is St. John's main street. It is home to many buildings including the Newfoundland Supreme Court (castle like structure) and the bank towers. Unlike the rest of the city, most of it is built from stone and brick. This came about after the second great fire in 1846 when the rebuilding act required Water Street merchants to rebuild with fire resistant materials. It didn't do them any good since they were burned out in 1892, but the regulations forever changed the look of St. John's.

There are new buildings in St. John's too and there will likely be many more as the offshore boom fuels the city's growth. Cabot Place on New Gower is located to the West of Water Street and may just be a future bat of mine.

The war memorial is a neat little monument. In World War One Newfoundland suffered more losses than any country on per capita basis (Newfoundland's small contribution was way beyond it's small population). Newfoundlanders suffered terrible casulalties at the Somme, Gallipoli and Beaumont Hamel. Newfoundland's contribution has been immortalized in the Great Big Sea song, Recruiting Sargeant.

As in times gone by St. John's still depends on its harbour for its economic life. On this particularly foggy day the coast guard was returning to port.

Newfies sure love colour. Maybe it comes as a response to living in a climate that is frequently grey. Whatever the reason, the old wooden buildings above Water Street in Old St. John's are just beautiful. These are renovated commercial properties on Duckworth Street.

Some Jellybean rowhouses just off Duckworth Street.

More Jellybean rowhouses. This style became common after the 1892 fire burned almost all of Old St. John's. Due to its hilly setting, St. John's has had to get creative in managing the terrain.

Newfoundlanders have always had a storng sense of their own identity. Newfoundland nationalism has been rekindled in recent years through fights with Ottawa and a sense that the province hasn't gotten a fair deal out of joining Canada. The Republic of Newfoundland flag can be found all over the province including this giant one on a hill on the far side of St. John's harbour.


Images from Signal Hill and Ferryland still to come.

[Serkanner]

Wonderful pictures Sam. 

New Foundland indeed looks like a rough and barren island; emphasizing its beauty in my opinion. I am not surprised to see that the "character" of the New Foundlander resembles his surroundings ... you really need to in order to survive such an environment.

[thundercrack83]

I must say that Newfoundland is a beautiful place! Hopefully, I'll get there one day! Thanks for posting these pictures, my friend!

[sebes]

IT's indeed a very nice looking place with a great character 

The image of Fortune Bay is very beautiful !!

[tcx]

great pics, The last one of the first post is my favorite.