Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Labrador

This has been a day of seeing cool stuff.


We left for Red Bay which is the site of a 16th century Basque whaling station.  This is one of the Basque galleons which would carry whale oil and baleen back to Europe.  Unfortunately, this one - the San Juan - ran aground and sank.


Nothing rustic about this work...it's all done with fine wool yarn.  Just amazing.  I can't even imagine how long it took to make.


Into the fog, our little boat carries us across to Saddle Island...


where we follow a trail along the shore following the footsteps of those ancient whalers.



This succulent is called Roseroot.  Isn't its bloom amazingly intricate? 



An old ruin of a small boat from which the brave whalers hunted the huge right whales lies bleaching on the tundra.


A trio of whales captured our attention for quite a while.  It was lovely to just stand in the sunshine and watch them fishing.  You'd hear a big blowing snort and this graceful black shape would slowly curve up out of the water and then curve back down.  All, so slowly...these minke whales had all the time in the world.


Unlike us...we flew across the water and back on the road to visit the second tallest lighthouse in Canada - or maybe the world.  I'm not too sure of that.  This one is at Point Amour.


I climbed to the top...132 steps and 125 feet.  The last two sets of steps were actually ship's ladders into the light chamber.  Then I could look down on the beach and the sea.  The square patterned rocks are actually fossilized algae.  And those two block forms are foundations of old buildings.

Another early morning tomorrow as we get on the ferry again and back to the Island.




4 comments:

Mimi said...

This is really a busy holiday for you! The fine wool wallhanging is incredible, the mind does boggle as to how long it took to make.
I would not fancy going across the waves, in the fog, in that little boat..oh no!
Great to get the view from the tallest lighthouse in *wherever*, especially without having to do the climb!

Rudee said...

That wall hanging is absolutely incredible!

I'm loving your journey each day.

Penny McKinlay said...

Thank you for sharing your holiday with us. I'm enjoying seeing Nfld. and Labrador through your eyes.

deb said...

Looked like a great day! The pic down looks more than 132 stairs!

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