Day Twenty - Part Two - Journey to the Rock

Avid readers will know we decided to journey on to Newfoundland today to escape rotten weather in Nova Scotia.  We figured if it was going to be bad, why not spend our day on the ferry.

So we set out at 9 for our 11:45 sailing - they want you at the ferry at least 2 hours before for loading.  We were a bit awestruck when we saw the size of the ferry, it was more like a cruise-ship but built to take a pounding.  I don't know how many of you have seen that video of the NFLD ferry in rough seas, but I've got to say I was pretty apprehensive about the whole process of securing the bike to the deck.

Turns out the fears were groundless, the crew were great and gave us the best tie downs I have ever used to anchor the bike to the deck in 4 places.

With the bike lashed down we set out to find our cabin - we had decided to take a 2 person sleeping berth for the 6 hour trip as there would be nothing to see (we thought) and we would have somewhere to change from our motorcycle gear or even just take a nap.  We were more than a bit impressed.

Twin beds and a shower and toilet, colour TV, radio, plug outlet - everything you could want. We plan to travel back over night on our way home.  It costs the same or less than a hotel room and it means we don't waste a day on a boat ride.  Food was good, seating is great - this is a well planned ferry system.

And it turns out there was something to see.  We were having lunch in the cafe when I looked out just as a humpback whale breached right alongside the ferry.  I told The what had happened, and where, and just as we looked it did it again!  Very impressive!

A nice afternoon snooze and once we woke we were just an hour out of Channel Port aux Basques. (Basque fisherman started to come here in the 1600's believe it or not).  Bringing the ferry in through the narrow harbour entrance is a real feat of seamanship.  Today was a pretty calm day after all, in different weather it must be a bit of a nailbiter.

We're tucked up snug in a hotel tonight right by the dock. Here is a view of the harbour entrance of what seems like a very Newfoundland scene to us.  It's really cold here, almost looks like ice on some of the ponds still.

Codfish n' Scrunchions for dinner but sadly they had no Partridgeberry pie tonight.

Tomorrow we set off on the last part of the Trans Canada Highway.  It's gonna be chilly - wonder how far we will get?