July 11-We have landed!

The ferry landed about 1 a.m., pitch dark, and crazy windy.  Oh boy, where to go now! We took off on Highway #1 from Port aux Basques, and drove looking for a spot to wait and nap until daylight.  We were not wanting to drive in the pitch dark with the reputation of moose in the back of our minds.  Went as far as Cheeseman Provincial park, and drove in until we found a spot to pull off the road.  Unfortunately, the only spot we found was right on the beach, the windiest spot I have ever camped in my life!  It was so bad the bed kept lifting up underneath me with the wind gusts, and I could not sleep, so Rob and I switched spots as he can sleep almost anywhere.  

So rainy and windy-just on the edge of Newfoundland overlooking St Lawrence

 

Got about 4 hours sleep, the sun came up, and off we went.  The guys slept a good hour or so on the way, we worked our way to Stephenville, where we had a fantastic McDonalds breakfast, and I mean that sincerely, hot food, and lots of coffee.  I am sufficiently suffonsified, as my Grandma used to say.  We spent a bit of time in the area looking for a fossil tree that was listed in the tour book, but none of the locals we asked knew anything about it, and we saw nothing on the roads that we tried.  Oh well.  Back out to #1 to head through Deer Lake and up to the park.  We made our way to Rocky Harbour, where we had booked a campsite for 4 nights at the Gros Morne RV campground.  The town is in the middle of the park, so it is easy to access the sights, and the campground was fully serviced so we could enjoy easy cooking and clean up.  Never seen a campground like it though, it was gravel.  Everywhere.  Clean, good bathrooms, handy, nice people, but gravel and more gravel.

This was Gros Morne RV campground.  There was a bit of grass at the back under the trees, we were told not to drive on it at all.  Must have been hard to grow there.

 

After a rest, we drove into the Visitor's Centre and got maps and ideas of things to do.  Back to the trailer for supper, then went to see a show on the local geology in the park.  (350 km, 5 1/2 hours driving)

Fish market in Rocky Harbour

 The shoreline near the fish market at Rocky Harbour

Lighthouse in Rocky Harbour