Eastern Adventures Again!

With the end of summer looming it was time to head out to our favourite part of Canada (well in the summer months anyway) .... the West Coast of Newfoundland or more specifically Benoit's Cove and environs!

Our first eastern foray of the year saw us arrive on a Sunday afternoon late in August loaded with victuals from the St. Lawrence farmer's market in Toronto including many fine cheeses, steak, pork chops, fresh Ontario peaches and much more. With our visits usually being four or five nights we like to provision as much as possible in Toronto to minimize on shopping time and provide an alternative to the more limited foodstuffs available in Corner Brook. 

We hopped into Aare's car and after a quick stop to see his parents, with a light lunch of cheese and tomato toast, we found ourself at Aare's by mid afternoon with a gorgeous blue sky, warm weather and soon beverages in hand. After a couple of drinks (and much chatting) while enjoying the wonderful view over the water it was time to start thinking about dinner.

We had packed food for all four nights but ended up not needing dinner for the first two nights as the Rock provided a bounty in the form of some fresh cod (caught Saturday) for dinner on Sunday and Monday nights. It was, quite simply, the best fish ever! Cooked simply with butter, salt and pepper yet so tender, delicious and delicate. Lisa thinks it has ruined her for "Toronto" fish. Truly a wonderful meal and memory.

After dinner the bonfire was lit and by the end of the evening so were we! Clearly the long absence from Aare had been impacted us and the drinks and conversation went deep into the night until we finally stumbled into bed in the wee hours.

Monday morning it was absolutely gorgeous, with a clear blue sky and temperatures in the mid 20s celsius, so we shook off the drowsiness from the day before and jumped in the car for a drive to Gros Morne! We opted for the wonderful "Lookout" trail behind the discovery centre as it offers stunning views from the peak and we were not disappointed. 

After a good trek up and down, we decided that a second hike in the same day was not in the cards so after a bit of browsing and shopping at the tourist stores we hopped in the car for the hour and forty-five minute drive back to Aare's. 

Dinner was once more fresh cod and other victuals followed by another evening of fireside frivolities set to an amazing summer evening sky and including a cargo boat sighting.

The next day was still lovely but not quite so lovely as the day before as clouds now wandered the sky and the temperature was a bit chillier. 

We opted to stay closer to home but still get out for a hike and so we headed off to the OBIEC area and undertook the Bottle Cove hiking trail. 

Aare had a feeling we might get lucky on the trail and indeed we did as a hillside known for its chanterelles was fruitful and we managed to collect about a pound and a half of fresh ones! 

Once back at the end of the trail, a bit of kiting was attempted but the wind was evasive and so after half an hour we gave up and drove back to Aare's to prepare a dinner of pork chops and chanterelles! 

That evening by the firepit we were joined by a local toad whom we soon named Craig. He spent the entire evening enjoying the heat from the fire and studiously ignoring our boisterous behaviour. We did note at the end of the evening that we appeared to be one beer short and we all agreed that Craig was the likely culprit!

The third day was the worst of the bunch from the weather perspective with some light rain and a chill. Such is to be expected in Newfoundland! 

We opted for a trip into Corner Brook to visit a couple craft brewers (three of five stars for both) and pick up provisions, including a frog shaped solar powered light we took to calling "Green Craig" as he was covered in green plastic fur, before heading back for a low key afternoon of old TV (some A-Team and others) before dinner and another evening, this time a bit bundled up, at the firepit.

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast followed by coffee at the firepit, it was time to head to the airport and we undertook an uneventful flight home.

Our second trip out East was a month later, arriving on a Monday afternoon and leaving Friday afternoon just before Storm Fiona hit the island and wrecked Port Aux Basques. Our flight somehow arrived early and Aare was still half an hour out from the airport by the time we had deplaned! No worries as soon he arrived and we once more popped by Aare's parents' place for lunch, good conversation and of course some gift exchange. 

Once we arrived at Aare's it was down to the firepit for chit chat over drinks before preparing a lovely roast beef dinner (with plenty of left overs for sandwiches!) and then back to the firepit for frivolities into the wee hours.

With a month having passed since our last visit, the weather had turned more autumnal and with the exception of the first 36 hours it was pants, as opposed to shorts, weather.

The first day was full on summer with a clear blue sky and warm weather and we opted to revisit Bottle Cove hoping to find more chanterelles and while there were none, the wonderful hike and a successful kiting expedition made up for the lack of fungi. 

Aare and Lisa managed to catch a good wind on a lovely day so we spent around forty minutes enjoying the peace and quiet of hiking far away from anyone else in the world!

After Bottle Cove we undertook the nearby Cedar Cove trail which offers lovely views of the bay, albeit not from sea level rather than at a elevation, at its end. 

Our second day of the second trip (Wednesday) was a bit more overcast but still decent so we opted for one of our favourites, the Copper Mine Trail.

A good hike up and down, Copper Trail offers wonderful views over the Inner Bay of Islands as well as a great way to spend a few hours! 

Unfortunately, we had a slight challenge this time as Lisa had a bit of a slip (she insists that sandals are for hiking) and managed to pop her toe out on the way down, putting an end to her hiking for this trip!

Still there is always the firepit, good times and late nights!

Our final day saw a visit from Bernard and Corynn (and their dog Jasper) who had been driving east from Ontario for several days and had just made landfall at Port Aux Basques to the south. 

After a pitstop and breakfast they continued on their way to Rocky Harbour.

The next day we were on our way to the airport for the return trip. 

Good thing too as we got out on basically the last plane to Toronto before the Hurricane hit!