The Irish Loop to Ferryland and Back to St. John's - Sept 11 - 13

After a quick bite to eat, yogurt, fruit and muffin, we left the Murray Premises Hotel, after packing all of our belongings back in the car. We are definitely going to need some reorganizing before taking the plane on Monday to Halifax.

On the road by 8:45 am. First stop is Tor Cove ... nothing to take a picture of. Back on the road we stopped at Mistaken Point. 

Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the southeastern tip of Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula in Canada, famous for holding some of the oldest fossils of large, complex multicellular life on Earth. 

Age of Fossils: 565 to 580 million years old, from the Ediacaran period.

Location: Near the community of Portugal Cove South, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Significance: Preserves an ancient deep-ocean floor covered in over 10,000 delicate extinct life-forms known as Ediacara biota. Whatever that means lol

Bathroom break and an interesting film. They had a wall transfer of some of the fossils that have been found. The hike to see them is 6 km so we opted out and just took pictures from their wall.

Further down the road is a small place called Trespassy. We expected to have lunch there, but the restaurant didn't open until 4:30 pm. The other restaurant at Mistaken Point is also closed for the season. Good thing we have some fruit and granola bars in the car. :)

At Trespassy, there's a road to another viewpoint and lighthouse. Off we went. The road to get there crossed a causeway and you can see that it sometimes would be underwater and covered with debris. Huge gravel piles and fences to try and keep the road clear.

First stop is an old battery, very well maintained.

Yes it was very breezy up there!

Back in the car for several more kilometeres to the lighthouse. Someone lives in the house beside it to maintain it. This is called the Powles Head Lighthouse. 

Time to head back and go to Cape Race Lighthouse and the Marconi Wireless Station. The road starts near the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve. Most of the cliffs and shale are restricted to enter so as to not damage the fossils. This road is 17km to the lighthouse, only 7 km paved and the rest a really good dirt road.

These are all the shale that has the fossils in it. Signs everywhere to keep back, restricted area. So you're telling me the hike is 6 km when one can drive right to the site??

This is part of the paved secrion of the road.

A lot of nothingness for miles.

And finally the Cape Race Lighthouse.

The wind is really brisk, almost blew me over. You can hardly see me against the lighthouse. That's how big it is.

After walking around for a few pictures of the lighthouse we went into the :

The Myrick Wireless Interpretation Centre

Long before cellphones and Wi-fi were around, news bulletins from Europe would be received from boats and transmitted by the New York Associated Press’ landline telegraph station – right here at the Myrick Wireless Interpretation Centre.

The first system to collect and disperse European news from incoming ships at Cape Race was put in place by Daniel H. Craig.

Here, small wooden rowboats would brave the lurching North Atlantic to pluck AP news parcels from the water. Once ashore, news packets would be relayed to Boston for telegraph via pigeon and pony.

Named for the Myrick family, who lived and worked at Cape Race from 1872 until 2007, the replica building is home to artifacts and exhibits that immerse you in the story of early telegraphy and wireless communications and marine radio in Newfoundland.

On that fateful night the Titanic met its tragic end, Jack Phillips – the ship’s wireless operator – was conversing with Cape Race Marconi Officer (and good friend) Walter Gray. Phillips spoke cheerfully of the vessel’s magnificence, and of “the wonderful group of passengers and the good time being had by all”.

Bidding his friend goodnight, Gray turned the headphones over to the regular operator and left the station to attend to some administrative duties.

Before finishing work for the evening, Walter Gray returned to the Marconi station on his way home for ‘a look around’. At 11:55PM, the second operator burst through the door exclaiming “My God, Mr. Gray, the Titanic has struck an iceberg and is calling CQD!”- setting in motion one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history.

Back to the Cape Race Lighthouse History:

The Cape Race Light Station, a designated National Historic Site, is located on the southeastern tip of Newfoundland. Built in 1907, it houses one of the most powerful lighthouse beams in the world, visible for over 50 nautical miles. For many ships crossing the Atlantic, it is the first or last light seen as they approach or leave North America. Cape Race has played a vital role in maritime navigation for over a century and remains one of the few lighthouses still staffed year-round.

History of the Lighthouse

The first lighthouse at Cape Race – a cast iron tower with a coal oil lamp that turned by clockwork – was built in 1856 by the British Government’s Trinity House. In 1872 Patrick Myrick would take over the watch, and the Myrick family would continue to operate the lighthouse for more than 130 years!

Responsibility for the operation of the lighthouse was transferred to the Dominion of Canada in 1886. When the Marconi Company set up a wireless radio station at the lighthouse in 1904, it became one of the first places in the world to receive radio signals from ships.

In 1907, the cast iron tower was replaced by the current structure – a 29-metre-tall concrete tower, equipped with a massive hyperradiant Fresnel lens (as made by the Chance Brothers in England). Emitting a one million candle power flash, it was one of the most powerful lights in the world at that time (the light was electrified in 1926).

In April 1912, the Marconi Wireless station received a distress call from the legendary Titanic cruise-liner. The lighthouse also played a critical role in communicating with Allied convoys in both World Wars, monitoring for enemy ships or submarine activity.

The original cast iron tower was moved to Cape North in 1907, and later to Ottawa, you can visit it in front of the National Science and Technology Museum.

Science of the Lighthouse

The Cape Race Lighthouse is not only a historical landmark, but also a scientific marvel. The lighthouse contains one of the rarest and largest lenses ever made: a hyperradiant Fresnel lens. A Fresnel lens is a type of lens that uses multiple concentric rings of prisms to focus light into a narrow beam. A hyperradiant Fresnel lens is a very large and powerful version of this lens, designed for long-range visibility.

The lens at Cape Race was manufactured by Chance Brothers in England in 1906, and is one of only 12 hyperradiant Fresnel lenses left in the world. Weighing over four tons and standing over five meters in diameter, only one other remains in operation (at Makapuu Point in Hawaii). With a range of 24 nautical miles (44km), it’s considered a masterpiece of optical engineering and a supremely rare example of maritime heritage.

 

The most interesting part of the tour is the real lighthouse keeper, Dave, is at the Visitor Centre. He is maybe late 20's in age. His Dad was a lighthouse keeper and as he had worked for his Dad and knew his way around lighthouses. They delivered boatloads of supplies to outlying areas where lightkeepers lived.  He was hired as a casual. He has to go up and oil up things and keep the refective prisms clean. There are 104 steep steps or so up this lighthouse, fortunately Dave is short and doesn't bump his head like everyone else. lol 

This is the schematic of the light. The actual light part is like a regular led house bulb but manufactured differently to have a different refraction.

The lens is still balanced in mercury so is easily turned. It was really fascinating. The Lighthouse keepers have to know how to bake bread and apparently in Britain they offer a course in baking as part of lighthouse keeper training. 

The are currently 23 manned lighthouses in Newfoundland and Labrador, 6 of them being on the eastern coast of Newfoundland. Apparently B.C. has 25 manned lighthouses still.

Dave.

Back down the road and back to Ferryland. By this time we were starving! At 3 pm we arrived at the Squid Jigger on Caplin Bay. What a great choice, even if it's the only choice. Everything homemade. Best chicken wings and onion rings EVER! We plan on being back tomorrow. 

We booked into The Inn on Caplin Bay. A very cute B & B. Our room is attached to that balcony.

Saturday morning, after a delicious breakfast, and finishing up my laundry, we headed to the Ferryland Lighthouse for our picnic. The Lighthouse Picnics will be closing for the season after this weekend so it's good I preordered our picnic last night. 

We viewed an episode of Rock Solid Builds, with Randy Spracklin, recently and this lighthouse was what they were refurbishing.

The Ferryland Head Lighthouse was built in 1870–1871 on Ferryland Head, Newfoundland and Labrador, to guide ships safely along the treacherous Southern Shore of the Avalon

The Tower: The 14-metre cylindrical tower was originally made of brick. Because the bricks began cracking from structural fatigue within a decade, the tower was encased in a protective red iron shell in 1892.

Keepers: The station was tended by local keepers—notably members of the Costello family, including William Costello and his descendants, who managed the light across generations until 1970.

Later Years and Revival

Automation: The lighthouse was fully automated in 1970, ending the era of resident lighthouse keepers.
Artists and Abandonment: Prominent Newfoundland artist Gerry Squires lived and hosted art classes in the keeper's dwelling from 1970 until 1983, after which the buildings sat vacant and fell into disrepair. 
Restoration and Tourism: In 2004, the property was restored, paving the way for the popular Lighthouse Picnics venture. Ownership of the lighthouse was officially transferred to the Town of Ferryland in 2012.
Business Lease: Jill Curran owns Lighthouse Picnics, but she leases the buildings from the town to run her food and picnic operations. She is a decendant of the Costello family.
Coast Guard Role: The Canadian Coast Guard continues to operate and maintain the navigational light inside the tower.
From Jill, the owner of Lighthouse Picnics.

Firstly the Lighthouse at Ferryland Head has stood as a beacon to passing ships. At times a stark warning of the dangerous jagged shores, at times a comforting reminder to sailors that they were not alone in the pitch-black night.

The lighthouse is still operational; however it has been automated since 1970. For the 100 years previous, the lighthouse was staffed by families who lived in the two-family dwelling.

The first lightkeeper was the famous Newfoundland ship builder Michael Kearney and the first assistant keeper was William Costello. Over the next 100 years the Costello family would be the primary keepers of the light at Ferryland Head right up until 1970, when Billy and Kathleen Costello were the last family of lighthouse keepers. My family connection to this special place is that my Grandmother Esther Costello (daughter of John Will Costello – Lighthouse keeper from 1905-1927) was born at the lighthouse. Many family stories have been shared about life at the lighthouse.

Jill, picture taken today.

We waited a few minutes for our ride to arrive. Russ takes people in his side by side up from the parking lot to the lighthouse. So glad I arranged for this, as the beginning of the path is incredibly steep and crosses a saddle before going further up to the top. It's a 1.5 km hike straight up the hill first then a slight uphill grade after that!

The first part you can drive up over the causeway and up the hill for half a kilometer to a grass parking lot.

We were well bundled up for the light sprinkles and the wind.

This picture does not show how steep this road is from top to bottom or how steep the sides of the road 

actually are. Our friend Dianne would hate it. lol

Here we go.

Before posting we checked these folks weren't on witness protection!

We made it!

Fascinating striations in the rocks below.

The stryations continue off into the distance

Having our picnic. All the bread is homemade as well as all the cookies and baking and salads. Delicious.

Lots of places to perch and take in the views.

Under the building they have a small dining room for the rainy days.

We were fortunate that we only had a light sprinkle and then the sun came out.

With your picnic you are given a blanket to sit on as well.

 

Back to the car stopping a couple more times down the road

This also had an old battery station.

Ferryland Harbour

At the bottom of the hill is the Colony of Avalon. We did not go in. This is an archeological dig and fairly expensive unless you really have an interest.

Back to the B & B for the afternoon. We need a day of rest as we've been quite busy. Tomorrow back to St. John's and Monday morning we fly to Halifax.

Sunday, we left early at 8:30 am after Kevin fed us breakfast. He has a full house this weekend due to a neice's wedding. 11 for breakfast. We left as soon as we ate to give him more room at the table.

Check in time wasn't until 3 in St. Johns, so we decided to drive around up Signal Hill again for a few pictures and a snack at the Chocolate Cafe.

View of the Jellybean Houses from Signal Hill.

Guns from Signal Hill Battery.

Ray's next pictures are from driving amoungst the Jellybean Houses. There are streets and streets of them downtown.

He also took a video. He's fascinated by all the colours possible.

We still have lots of time before The Rooms opened up at noon, so Ray found a little park. The Rennie's River Trail with a waterfall and a walk about fit our criteria. Gorgeous. We walked about 1 km.

Back in the car we went to The Rooms. It's a modern center with a gallery of local art and a museum dedicated to natural & cultural history. I can see why they called it the rooms as there are many. 

Look at the size of that lobsterclaw!

First Snowmobile

Old Bombardier snowmobile

First mixmaster lol

Hunting implements

That took us about an hour and a half before we ate lunch at their cafe. We actually found the Ryan Premises that we'd seeen in Bonavista better than this museum. But if you didn't go to Bonavista, this definitely is the next best thing.

The views from the balcony along side the cafe are fabulous.

Time to check in at the hotel. We were tired from all the walking at the park and the museum is huge with 4 floors.

As our room wasn't ready they upgraded us to a King Suite for the same $$. Bonus! Took 2 loads on the trolly to get it all into our room! All this pile below has to fit in 4 suitcases and 2 backpacks that already have stuff in them for the flight tomorrow! It took me an hour and a half to get it all sorted. Whew! Time for a drink.

A cool chandelier made from Quidi Vidi beer bottles.

Good night St. John's, the month went so quickly. We can see the airport tower out our window.