Day 49 - free day in Grand Codroy, Newfoundland

It was a dark and stormy morning at the Grand Codroy RV Park in Newfoundland, but we Rv'ers were not deterred as we set off to explore the truly beautiful Codroy Valley, and it's Wetlands Interpretation Center.

Plenty of other folks were out and about too on this blustery day.

First, Norma & Guy Grube, a couple from our own group, waved a wet hello as they headed off to tour the town sights.  Next we spotted Dennis Downey our park owner, corralling a few wind-blown trashcans. Then George got to meet our camping neighbors when he brought back their patio rug that had turned into a sail and relocated itself to our side of the park. 

The craft shop was open and had a colorful selection of unique, hand-made gifts including a beautifully worked wooden jewelry box with drawers shaped like dolphins. A customer bought several jars of "cloud berry" preserves and thick woolen slippers and mittens hand-knitted by local residents. Outside the gift shop a carved wooden cat dangled a mouse, another hand-made item for sale.  

As we left the park, we wondered if the wind (which by now was blowing the rain sideways) would come anywhere near its' legendary speed when it blew a train off the track. According to the story, a railway employee, Lochie MacDonald, was assigned to monitor the winds for impending danger but when he called and told them the speed, they didn't believe him.  The train, with its twenty-two cars was derailed by the high winds.  Afterwards Lochie was nicknamed "The Gale Sniffer".

At the Wetlands Interpretation Center we had a chance to chat with the friendly locals and to view many of Newfoundland's wildlife close up, including a gaggle of geese (on a pond at the center) and to see close up, the elusive Moose we'd only had occasional fleeting glimpses of them from the road.  This time, the stately full-grown beast stood his ground - the perfect moose photo op - abet he was stuffed and beautifully displayed in a natural setting inside the Center with none of the dangers that a live moose encounter might entail.    

Next stop was the Cape Anguille lighthouse and on the road there we did encounter some live animals, including a flock of sheep in a meadow with more on the road; a couple of wild turkeys; and even a lonesome family dog trotting along the highway.

 

At the lighthouse, we learned that a wedding was about to take place nearby with the bride and bridesmaids headed there from the Lighthouse Inn.  While the bride wore the traditional white dress, the bridesmaid’s dresses in red, blue green and yellow to match the wedding's "Jellybean" Theme based on the colorful waterfront houses around St. John's in Halifax.  They even had "Jellybean" wine for the reception.  Happily, the wind and rain had subsided by the time they left for the church in a 1956 Ford driven by the local antique car museum's owner.

We took advantage of the clearing skies to take more photos of the wildly gorgeous Codroy Valley where, within about a five-mile distance, you can drive from modest homes by the sea, mountains to meadows, sand dunes and long beaches to sea cliffs with waves constantly dashing the rocky coastlines.

Once back in the RV park, there was still time to play catch with another camper's cute dog; document the ceremonial hand-over of our group's mascot "Mo-reen" to yet another nice couple, and capture a glimpse of the fiery sunset that promised a good weather day for our journey the next day.

 

The Grand Codroy RV park is one of the most scenic and spacious places (RV parks) we've stayed on this trip - like being in a national park, (which in fact it used to be).  We would have liked to linger, but we knew that down the road, more adventures and friendly Newfoundlanders, (the only kind there is) awaited us.

Submitted by:  George and Winifred Meiser

Adventure #12