Hearts Content and Winterton on the Baccalieu Trail, Newfoundland

Woke to overcast skies and 60 degrees.  Spent the morning running grocery shopping - we went to three stores and still couldn't find everything we wanted.  Stores are nice, but small with limited selection.  We tend to buy low fat, low salt, whole wheat options of various foods, but few of those are available here--full fat, lots of salt and mostly white breads.  I especially miss my whole wheat crackers - not because they are healthy, but because I think they taste better.  By the time we were done, it was raining and it is forecast to do so all day.

Lunch and a nap along the coast with the sounds of a soothing light rain on the roof.

We drove up the coast to Harbour Grace, where Amelia Earhart left on her solo flight to Europe.  Spotted this derelict - big ship in a harbor.

Then across to the west side of the peninsula and north to Winterton to tour the Wooden Boat Museum.

They covered the history of wooden boats and then explained the differences in the types of boats that were used in this area - kayaks, canoes, umiaks, schloop, schooner, dory, punt, etc. etc.  I got lost and could not tell the difference between some of the smaller fishing and work boats.  They have a huge workshop where folks can work for a week building a boat using traditional construction techniques.

They also covered the life of local fisher families and the shacks they used for fish processing - a model of which was in the museum and then we saw some adapted for current day use, brightly painted.

We double backed and drove south along the western coast down to Heart's Content were the first transatlantic cable came ashore from Europe.  The cable info was interesting, showing where the cables came in and all the machinery it took to get the signals in and out.  in 1866, they needed a massive ship to lay the cable on the ocean floor and commissioned an old passenger liner that was too large to be economically viable as a cruise ship.

This was a full scale operation with many cable operators.  Western Union provided housing and entertainment in the form of library and billiard room.  By the early 1900's, women were a significant number of the operators.  Although the paternalism that provided good housing, etc., was beneficial, it had its drawbacks - folks had to have permission to marry with the company deciding whether the employee had achieved enough financial stability to support a family.

Where the cable came ashore

Path of the Cable that went directly across the street to the Cable Station

This is what the above sign pointed to - cables coming into building

They ship that laid the cable

Jack reliving his days as a Marine

Billiard table was huge, much larger than a standard pool table, made for snooker and here is the fancy score keeper.

We continued a few more miles south, spotting a few small icebergs.  It continued to rain all afternoon, tapering off by the time we got to a campground.  We parked right next to the office where we could internet.

Weather was pretty miserable today, but we are not complaining as we have enjoyed so much excellent weather so far.  Calling for more rain tomorrow, but Friday is supposed to be nice.