On the road again…….

Hello again my friends, well its been a busy few days since I last written. With the arrival of even more family on the Island and trying to see every one else who was already there one last time before leaving, its been hectec to say the least. However I did take the time for one last hike, this time I trekked down to the end of Joe Batt’s Arm point with my cousin Tammy in tow to see the statue of the Great Auk.
The Great Auk was a flightless bird that stood about 30 inches and weighed approximatley 5 lbs. They were found every where from Europe, north of Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland and even down the eastern seaboard of the United States. The Funk Islands seemed to be their breeding ground though. They were hunted as a meal source by indigenous people of North America as well as early explorers in Europe. The last sighting of a Great Auk was documented on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland in 1852. Now several of these statues commemerating these birds have been placed throughout the world, one such place being in Joe Batt’s Arm. It is a little bit of a trek to get out there but it is worth it in my opinion. You also pass one of the artist studios on the way and that is also an architectural marvel you should stop and admire.
As I forementioned, a few more family members and friends arrived on the Island so it was great to see them and catch up. There was also the saying good bye to the others which is never an easy task, especially since you know that it will probably be years before seeing some of them again. There was also one last meal of wedgies from the Shoreline Take out to be had. A local grease pit that makes by far the best potato wedges in the world. Although I am very careful of my grease intake these days, this was something that needed to be had. I will deal with the consequences later!
Yesterday (Sunday) morning I awoke early and boarded the Ferry for the first crossing. Although I did not have to leave Fogo Island yet, there are a bunch of other things on the agenda that I did not want to sacrifice for the sake of a couple extra days. I climbed the stairs to the outer deck of the Ferry, watch the workers squeeze the last of the vehicles on and then put up the ramp. No sooner was the ramp up that we were cruising away from the dock. There it was, trip home done! For a year I had been anticipating going home and now I had been there and leaving again already. Where had the time gone…. how is it possible that I was leaving….. did I not just get there???? As Fogo Island quickly slipped into the fog, I walked inside and sat at the front of the passenger lounge, my way of looking forward instead of dwelling on what I was leaving behind once again. I was lucky enough to say that I had zero complaints with the trip home. There has been a lot of changes on the island, especially in my home town of Joe Batt’s Arm and I am the first to admit that I am not a fan of them all, however we must all be flexible to change and open our minds to the possibilities of the future. One can not deny the profound affect said changes have had on the travel industry. I have never seen so much tourist traffic in my 19 years living there and my 15 years visiting from away. Onward and upward!
On my way to St. John’s, I detoured off the highway and visited a couple towns in which I never been before yet heard so much about. The first stop was scenic Trinity. Incorporated in 1969 and with a population of approximately 191 (2006 census), Trinity is a colorful and historic gem that sits on the coast of Trinity Bay. First used as a fishing destination in the 16th century, it was named by the Portuguese explorer Gaspar Corte-Real because of his arrival there in 1501. It was later settled by merchants from Poole England in the 18th century. The town is still abundant with historic buildings, play houses and churches from that era. I have only ever heard good things about Trinity and I have to say, I now agree with what i’ve heard. I reccomend this town as a stop on any travelers itinerary.
From Trinity, I head north to Bonavista, the very town where John Cabot (Giovanni Cabato) first discovered Newfoundland in 1497 on his ship the “Matthew”. Upon arriving from Bristol England, he was reputed to have said “O Buon Vista” which means “Oh happy site” giving rise to what is now named Cape Bonavista. There is now a statue erected of John Cabot in that area as well as a beautiful old light house and scenery second to none. There is a replica of the Matthew docked in Bonavista now but unfortunatly it is in need of repair so is inside the marina and not out for all to see. I did however take a tour of the ship but because of its location, could not get a good picture of it. You will have to take my word when I say it is a beautiful ship. Bonavista now has a population of approximatley 3700 and is worth the hour drive off the Trans Canada Highway.
After taking in some more of the picturesque scenery around Bonavista, I left for the journey to St. John’s, the capital city of Newfoundland Labrador. A 3 hour drive from Bonavista. As some of you may know, St. John’s is North America’s oldest city. With a population of 197,000, it is my favorite city. Although I only lived in St. John’s 4 months before moving to Ontario, I had spent my childhood going there and to this day it still feels like home to me. I am now writing this from a friends house in CBS (outskirts of town). I am heading out shortly to begin my day. I will check in later. Cheers!