Snowy Range Pass

Snowy Range Pass

Monday, October 05, 2015

Cape Spear National Historic Site

Cape Spear is the most easterly point in North America.  It has the oldest remaining lighthouse in Newfoundland which was built in 1836.  The lighthouse keepers quarters and the records of the station have been preserved and the quarters are restored to the condition they would have been in 1839.  Here you can learn about what it was like to be a lighthouse keeper in that time period.






During WWII there was fortification to defend the important shipping lane between St John's and Europe.  Many of the ships that were lost to U-boats on the Murmansk run departed from St John's.




Beyond the lighthouse, the rocky coastline and the ocean make for a truly fantastic view of the ocean and the nearby shores including St John's.  This area is famous for the many icebergs that come within sight of the lighthouse in the winter, indeed sometimes the area can be choked with ice.  Whales also frequent the area during their migrations. There were even a few icebergs around in July.  By chance in taking one of my many pictures of icebergs, I captured a whale  blowing on the surface. 








While there, we realized that our youngest daughter was on vacation in Hawaii and we felt a long ways apart.



4 comments:

Paul and Marsha Weaver OCT. 17, 2009 said...

I love lighthouses. I can only image what the people saw and did in this beauty.

My goodness. I didn't know a whale could blow that high. Great photo.

From Hawaii to where you is a very long way.

Wanderin' said...

I love journeys on the coastlines. There's so much to see.

Peter said...

What a great trip out to the "far East" of North America. Light houses have become so popular. We have thousands every summer visiting the Head harbour Light Station on Campobello.

Sherry said...

Just love your header picture of the sweet hours with the laundry on the line. When we lived at the farm, I was the only one I knew who still hung out their wash. I love the sun/wind dried smell. Also love lighthouses. Beautiful pictures of the lighthouse. I was surprised to see icebergs still there. It seems like all the glaciers and I thought icebergs were melting thanks our fixation on fossil fuels. Nice to see it, thanks!