Day 71 Deer Lake to Gros Morne Sunday 28th June 2015
By Mel
Our first bus day – 24 on the bus, plus Al our driver, and Tony Oxford – our trusty guide.
The day began as most would with Tony giving us a run-down on history, geology or whatever was pertinent to the day with a huge dollop of local knowledge (he had grown up a fisherman’s son in Newfoundland). A useful alternative view to the history books. A Newfoundland word of the day was added and often a local song.
The day also began with the dreaded ‘menu choice’ a regular but increasingly humorous event as we tried with a show of hands to select the dishes we desired for a day or two ahead. The calculation rarely tallied. We would then mostly forget our choice when we came to the meal and chaos would ensue.
Today heading for Gros Morne where we are promised a walk on the earth’s mantle – this was the main purpose of the trip for some. I had not heard about it, but it sounded like I should have.
Chris, our Parks guide from Gros Morne, was an enthusiastic gem. She began by taking us around the interpretive centre – we mainly focussed on the model demonstrating tectonic plates and the formation of earth as we know it today.
Chris F was keen for Chris (our interpreter) to include the formation of Gondwanna land being of equal importance to the formation of North America.
It did make me think that movement of the earth is not something we can control and major catastrophes created by that movement are inevitable.
I also spoke with a Parks person who was pretty passionate about moose – his show piece was a set of antlers that had been shed – incredibly heavy.
Also learned Caribou will abandon (often for good) their babies if danger presents itself, Moose will stay and protect their young. This being a potential reason for the increase in Moose herd size, and diminishing Caribou numbers.
Before heading out to the park we stopped for lunch at Trout River a lovely little fishing village with a waterfront restaurant. And the first of our menu choosing meals! It was also the first of many delicious seafood chowders – less cream, more potato and seafood. We were all still relatively well behaved at this point so it went smoothly enough.
As we ate Jenny the owner gave us a quick introduction to the Blue Whale group that had been formed after 2 whales beached and died.
After lunch Chris (guide) walked us along a trail in the park to the place where the earth’s mantel and earth’s crust are side by side and on the surface.
At one point she demonstrated Tectonic plates and the earth’s mantel by placing a rock on my head, and crashing Chris and I together.
Having done her Masters on Tectonic plates she had a deep knowledge, and presented it with great humour. This also included a model of insect catching plants.
On to Plum Point Motel and our room, right on the seafront. Headed for the bar where while debating beer choice a local man gave me a taste of his beer. After a chat we discovered he had been to Australia working – a familiar story across Canada. Charles and Marcelle joined us for a fun pre-dinner drink or two.
After dinner, a real treat –we walked next door to a lovely little theatre where a group of young performers as part of the Gros Morne Theatre group performed a play “With Cruel Times Inbetween” using the work of a local Newfoundland poet, Al Pittman.
Funny, sad, nostalgic vignettes of Newfoundland life. “We demonstrate the culture of island life, threatened by technology, but remaining as true to our spirit as the salt in our breeze”.
We were much more able to understand the humour and conversation following Tony’s previous introduction to the history of Newfoundland history, life and Cod fishing.
The night – bar, beer, tour-mates – no tales!
