Elliston, Newfoundland is one of the best accessible areas in North America to view Puffin birds from land. It is less than a 5 minute hike to see these beautiful creatures on their own rock about 100 feet away from our cliff edge. While in the area we went out to watch them twice. Puffin breed for life and often do not choose a partner until their 6th year. Many puffins have been together for 20 years or more. In Newfoundland they spend from May - Sept on land laying their one egg and raising that young (male and female share all duties). The rest of the year they spend living on the open seas. When on land they will make a burrow that is approximately 3 feet deep. Here they will raise their young and often will return to their same burrow, year after year. Elliston is thought to have over 2500 pairs living on this one rock in the summer.
Elliston is also said to be the root cellar capital of the world. This small town has over 130 documented root cellars, many having lasted over 200 years. Root cellars were built to keep root vegetables from freezing in the winter months and rotting in the summer months. Most are built on hillsides and most were open to view. more on root cellars
At Bonavista we first visited the Mockbegger's plantation. Mockbegger refers to the type of soil, not the inhabitants. It was originally a 1700's fisherman merchant site. Fisherman would buy their good on credit and repay with their fish at the end of the season. It was a somewhat unfair system as the merchant set the price for the merchandise and also for the fish after the catch. As we visited we were reminded of the song Sixteen Tons (I owe my soul to the company store). In 1939, it became the Gordon Bradely home. Gordon Bradley is known to have lead the confederation movement and was also the first Bonavista Senator after Confederation in 1949.
The Cape Bonavista lighthouse was built in 1843. We would have loved to climb the light house where the seal oil lamps are. The day we went it was raining and the lighthouse was closed due to unforeseen circumstances. But we met a couple that were on their honeymoon (from Toronto) that had hiked to the lighthouse from Dungeon (and it was raining now). We offered them a ride back. They were fun to visit with while we gave them a ride back to Dungeon. We wished them a lifetime of happiness as they left for their auto. By then the rain let up and we took a few pictures out at Dungeon. Of funny note, on the road to Dungeon horses were blocking the road. Bob rolled his window down to say something like shoo and this beautiful house stuck his head in our truck window to say hello. Our Canadian friends thought this was grand.
Elliston is also said to be the root cellar capital of the world. This small town has over 130 documented root cellars, many having lasted over 200 years. Root cellars were built to keep root vegetables from freezing in the winter months and rotting in the summer months. Most are built on hillsides and most were open to view. more on root cellars
At Bonavista we first visited the Mockbegger's plantation. Mockbegger refers to the type of soil, not the inhabitants. It was originally a 1700's fisherman merchant site. Fisherman would buy their good on credit and repay with their fish at the end of the season. It was a somewhat unfair system as the merchant set the price for the merchandise and also for the fish after the catch. As we visited we were reminded of the song Sixteen Tons (I owe my soul to the company store). In 1939, it became the Gordon Bradely home. Gordon Bradley is known to have lead the confederation movement and was also the first Bonavista Senator after Confederation in 1949.
The Cape Bonavista lighthouse was built in 1843. We would have loved to climb the light house where the seal oil lamps are. The day we went it was raining and the lighthouse was closed due to unforeseen circumstances. But we met a couple that were on their honeymoon (from Toronto) that had hiked to the lighthouse from Dungeon (and it was raining now). We offered them a ride back. They were fun to visit with while we gave them a ride back to Dungeon. We wished them a lifetime of happiness as they left for their auto. By then the rain let up and we took a few pictures out at Dungeon. Of funny note, on the road to Dungeon horses were blocking the road. Bob rolled his window down to say something like shoo and this beautiful house stuck his head in our truck window to say hello. Our Canadian friends thought this was grand.
      Elliston, Newfoundland  Newfoundland  Bonavista, Newfoundland  Bonavista, Newfoundland  Near Bonavista, Newfoundland  Near Bonavista, Newfoundland  Near Bonavista, Newfoundland |
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