7/15/14 – Continuation. We have plenty of time before needing to arrive at the terminal, so we decide to head to Sydney to explore a bit. We drive by the waterfront, then circle around and up to George St. This turned out to be a great place to leave the rig, as there are level curbside spots in this neighborhood wide enough for the rig between curb and bike lane, and it is in the historic area. A short walk takes us to two small historic house tours and a walking tour of the neighborhood. We end up back down at the wharf where the cruise ships dock, at a restaurant – Flavor on the Water -  for a late lunch. The special was lobster roll, and a gluten-free bun was available, so we decided on that. There was plenty of lobster, and the buns were good, but they were not of the caliber of what we had at the Rusty Anchor!

Back to North Sydney and a last gas tank fill before lining up for the ferry. About 4:30 pm we turned off propane, drove on board, folded the mirrors, gave Hans his medicine, and left food, water, and ventilation for the cats before heading up to the passenger decks. The ship pulled out about 6:30 p.m. We brought a few snacks along, but I wanted more for dinner. They have a snack bar with pre-packaged sandwiches and a few salads, pizza slices, hot dogs, etc. Also a complete dining area and buffet, Nancy opted for the former, I the latter, and we sat in the dining area. The ship’s décor is similar to a small cruise ship, rather than a typical ferry, with two decks of cabins, reclining lounge chairs in a quiet area near the front of the ship, and a large lounge with lots of chairs and couch areas, a bar, and entertainment during the first part of the trip, spanning the rear of the main deck. We dozed a little…

7/16/14 -  OMG! It’s pitch dark at 00:30 am as we drive off the ferry, and POURING RAIN! Having great difficulty locating the road leaving the wharf, and once on that, seeing the road surface, direction signs, anything  - except the prominent ‘Watch for Moose’ warning. Creeping down Trans Canadian Highway 1 at 40 km/h we finally see through the sheets of rain the sign for the turnoff to J.T. Cheeseman Provincial Park at our left, and head down the park road. Once in the campground, we see roads leading off to the various loops, and manage to edge back into a vacant site for the night. It’s level. Phewwww! Our cats weathered being alone for the crossing without a hitch, and our freezer and fridge, turned off at 4:30 pm Tuesday at –5.3 & 38.8 F respectively, extra ice in both and fridge on high for a couple hours, now read 26.1 & 47.8 F, as I turned the propane and fridge back on. Now to catch up on sleep….of course, the rain has stopped.

Morning now, overcast and drizzly. We move to a new site and pay for 2 nites, giving us time to explore the park and plan a few days ahead. We asked about trails, and the somewhat laconic young temp hire at the gate said there was just a 2 km road to the beach. Turns out there actually was a really neat trail there, too, as well as a short one to a waterfall. We took both. Our first steps through Newfoundland!

7/17/14 – Overcast this morning, some drizzle. We decided to aim for Twillingate on the northeast coast, in order to see the icebergs before they disappear, stopping little to sightsee in the intervening 630 km or so – we would do that on the return trip. The intent was that we would find interesting spots to stop for the nights, assuming the trip would take several days, due to slow travel. It turns out that barring a few spots of potholes and road construction, highway 1 (TCH) has little traffic, smooth, wide lanes, and easily supports my 58 mph cruise while consuming the miles of green, green, mountainous and mysterious countryside.

We stopped just a few times, including Corner Brook for grocery restocking, and ended up late afternoon in Bishop’s Falls, at the hydro dam and municipal campground on the Exploits River, 492 km towards our destination. Enroute we stopped at an information center to call ahead and book two nights at Peyton’s Woods RV Camp near Twillingate,since it was obvious we’d arrive early the next day. Tonite we took a no-service site, which was on a circular field down by the river, next to the plant and the downstream side of the dam spillway (the falls). The perimeter next to the river was filled with fly fishermen and their pickups, either from the rocky shore or in small boats, salmon fishing. We set up on the opposite side, and relaxed after a long day’s drive.

7/18/14 – A fitful night’s sleep. Apparently this spot is THE place to be for fishing the salmon run. By 4 am, they are already arriving, pickup after pickup, some towing a small boat too, despite intermittent light rain. We got up slowly and took our time hitting the road, back on TCH east. Shortly we exited at Notre Dame Provincial Park to check out this likely stop when we head on to St. Johns or back to the ferry. Got a wealth of information from the friendly lady ranger at the booth about Twillingate and surrounding towns / islands. Weather clearing and blue sky, we then headed out on the 340 and wound around until we reached the town, then the campground. The icebergs are right there! You can see them in the bays and coves while driving in, and from the campground. The hills and land formations around town are fantastic! We walked down to the beach and watched as one of the bergs split with a loud crack, then slowly re-oriented. We hiked up a promontory offering a 360 degree panorama, bergs in all directions, another sharp report as a new one calved off a chunk. We see why Twillingate calls itself iceberg capital of the world!