Canada

Goose Cove

On Monday, May 11 I left with regret the soft heat of Viking B&B after a copious English breakfast. Some snowflakes fell whereas I visited the tiny village of Raleigh then the Onion Cape. On the way I stopped in St Antony for purchases of food before joining the target of the day, Goose Cove where the only possible bivouac was the pontoon above the ice what is not the ideal place to heat the atmosphere. Though at the beginning of afternoon of the sun rays bored the sealed sky timidly. The outside temperature was about 5°C.

Name of the route 430

Cape Onion

Raleigh village	Cape Onion

Goose Cove & Ant Island at 6:30 am

Goose Cove at 6:30 am -3°C

Grandios

In daybreak at 6:30 the outside temperature was -3°C and interior 0.0°C. Fortunately the sky was limpid and the sun had risen to heat the atmosphere and the interior. The temperature went up quickly to 8°C. But as of 10:00 the sky was covered and become opaque. From Goose Cove I was going to see and not to visit French Shore because obviously all would be closed. From 16th century up to the beginning of the 20th century French fishermen came on the Newfoundland coasts for fishing cod. They were called the Newfoundland fishers. For further information go to the site: French Shore. At this season the spot is bleak, without activity.

Oui mais en saison, Ok but in season

	Bivouac

	Grandios(e) !

Conche

On Wednesday, May 13 I continued the exploration of French Shore with a fine snowfall, the outside temperature was -1°C. I stopped in Conche on the port to lunch because the Bits-n-Pieces Cafe famous for its Cod Cake was obviously closed. I had gotten information with the post woman with whom I exchanged information from France… but in English because afterseveral tests on French Shore nobody does not speak French. The French Newfoundland fishers were pared Island by the English at the time of the treaty of Utrecht in 1713, even if they continued to come to fish cod until 1904.

	Bivouac

Bits-n-Pieces Cafe, closed

	Harbour

Englee

I carried on my way up to Roddickton then Englee thinking of finding a Public Library with a Wifi connection, que nenni. I bivouacked on Barred Island vis-a-vis a shipyard.

Bivouac

View from the hrabour

St. Barbe

On Thursday morning the sun was resplendent. Alas on Barred Island I was leant behind a hill, my truck was in the shade. I could not profit from the heat of the sun rays. In Englee and Roddickton I looked for an accessible Wifi connection without password vainly, nothing. I went my way until Plum Point, even report. In St. Barbe I presented myself at the Ferry Terminal because I had booked a reservation since Viking Village B&B. The employee made me understand that the ticket will be delivered the following day between 8:30 and 9:30 the departure being at 10:30. I had noted on my cabin laptop that there is a Wifi connection with a password that I asked and obtained, Hurrah. I remained on the carpark to make the publications ofmy website.

	bivouac

Labrador

Labrador, integrated into the province of Newfoundland, is called “Big Land” with its 294.00 sq km extending to north to the Arctic Circle. Before the European's arrival it was populated by Inuit and Innu. From the Sixties the exploitation of the gold and iron ores involved an economic boom. But nature remains in a primitive state; this is why I decided to spend a few days there. The strait of Belle-Isle of 28 km is ideal to go there in ferry from St Barbe to Blanc-Sablon. Only the asphalt road from Blanc-Sablon to Red Bay is open all the year. Then a unpaved route leads to Cartwright then to Labrador City, but it was not my project. From Blanc-Sablon, Quebec, a tarred road goes to the south towards Vieux-Fort, its current terminus.

Blanc-Sablon

I was at 8:30 at the counter of the Ferry Terminal to withdraw my ticket of loading. There was already a Anglo-Saxon queue people discussing joyfully in an incomprehensible English pidgin. Then I installed my truck on the dispatching platform which took place as from 10:30. The ferry spent 1:25 to traverse the 28 km from St Barbe to Blanc-Sablon.

Ferry at St. Barbe in Newfoundland	Blanc-Sablon harbour, QC, in Labrador

L'Anse au Clair

A light drizzle fell on arrival then disappeared at the beginning of afternoon. The sun made a timid appearance around 15:00. The landscape is hardly different from that of Newfoundland. I found a bivouac close to the cemetery, place of rest, at the edge of the sand beach where I can read an informative panel.

Interpretation signpost

Bivouac

Trekking

On Saturday morning a light fog covered the landscape & the Strait of Belle Isle, and the barometer was at sunny. I expected the appearance of the sun around 10h00 to undertake an excursion on the arrow path. Provided with a GPS eTrek, a walk sticks and by +1°C I left on the path alas still covered with snow except the bridge spanning a torrent. I walked on approximately 1.5 km then I gave up in front of the difficulty in deep snow. Back to my truck I lunched on the spot before going at the following point.

Tracklog, 1.5 km	Torrent

Point Amour Lighthouse

I had thrown my reserved on the Point Amour Lighthouse at approximately 25 km, what happiness it was open and worth visiting. I was accommodated by two charming ladies speaking the local Volapuk. The house of the light keeper is transformed into museum with many photographs of time and panels telling the story of Breton and Basque fishermen on the Labrador coasts. The day was sunny and cold, the temperature was +6°C at the zenith of the sun.

Point Amour Lighthouse

	Bivouac

The Light	The Fresnel lens by Sautter & Lemonier Paris France

Red Bay

As the day before the fog extended its coat on the landscape, no visibility. I expected the warming of the atmosphere with the appearance of the sun around 10:00 to go on the road again. I spent the time by reading again Les Misérables by Victor Hugo. The landscape quasi desert is made of brown & black rocks with a thin vegetation. In this second fortnight of May the ground was still partially covered with snow. Indeed in the night the temperature was always negative. The village of Red Bay counts approximately 200 inhabitants. The bay closed by Saddle Island was a natural port for the Basque hunters of whales int the 16th century. The asphalted road finishes here. Alas the centers of interest are closed until the beginning of June. I did not find a bivouac at the edge of water, I had to satisfy me with a carpark between the church and the center of exhibits, closed.

Paysage du Labrador en mai 2015

L'Anse au Clair

Monday, May 18 was the last day on coast-north-east of Labrador vis-a-vis the Strait of Belle-Isle. Indeed the following day I took again the ferry to St. Barbe. The day was sunny with a temperature of 11°C. It remained still much of snow before the beginning of the tourist season in June. I went as far as Blanc-Sablon to make supply in food at Barney's where I got informed me to fill the truck tank with water. Staff indicated to me Northern Light In at L'anse au Clairt. Alas information was erroneous, to find water was a problem! I took again the bivouac at the time of the arrival in Labrador on May 15th.

Last landscapes of Labrador

View from the interior of the body