Visit to Round Harbor

Round Harbour is a small community located on the Baie Verte Peninsula 11 km off route 414, settled in the mid 1800's. It was always a fishing settlement with a population from about 50 - 150, but as a result of the shutdown of the fishery today only 6 people are still living in Round Harbour.

On our way in we saw this iceberg in a neighboring bay.

This was our first view of the town itself

Like many of the small bays here the side hills are quite steep making building difficult

There is still fishing done here

As the church was open we visited it. Surprisingly, with only 6 or 7 part time resident families, it seems to be in use. This is a magnificent old building with amazing woodworking.

Tom

Wildflowers

It’s been a cool wet spring so the wildflowers are later than normal this year. Instead of seeing them at the beginning of our visit we’re enjoying them near the end of our stay.

Lupine

Ladyslipper

Buttercup

Wild Iris

Tom

Dory

While the fishing sheds are somewhat of an anachronism, the dory is still very much in use as the essential boat of the near shore fishers.

Tom

Fishing sheds

When fishing was an individual business, you not only needed your boat but a place to store your associated gear. The Newfoundland coast is dotted with these small buildings. A few are still in use. Many are very picturesque.

Tom

Lighthouses

Where there are exposed rocky coastlines you usually find lighthouses and Newfoundland is no exception. Many of these are relatively inaccessible but we did visit a few.

This is Bonavista Light

Long Point Light

Miniature lighthouse

Tom

Atlantic Surf

Where the North Atlantic meets the rock that is Newfoundland the surf often runs high.

Tom

Churches

In many of the towns we visited the most imposing structure was the church. Here are some examples.

King’s Cove Catholic Church

Bonavista United Church'

Trinity Anglican Church

Placentia Catholic Church

Tom

Gannets

I’m not really into photographing birds though if one gets in front of my lens I’ll photograph it… Cape St Mary’s Ecological site is the largest Gannet nesting ground in the world.

They were apparently still building nests as this one has a beak full of vegetation.

Sometimes I got two in one image

It was difficult to get them in front of the cliffs because the camera  really wanted to focus on the cliff rather than the bird.

Tom