A Litl' Bit of Labrador

The ferry to Labrador leads not to Labrador; the ship arrives in Blanc Sablon, Quebec; but once you exit the ferry and turn right, you are shortly in Labrador. Five kilometres "up" the road is L'Anse-au-Clair and the New Light Inn RV Campground.  Across the highway from the motel, the campground is not a resort; but has all you need for a couple of nights or so, especially since the temperatures were beginning to dip into the 30's (F) at night.

L'Amour Lighthouse, at 109 feet, is the tallest of the Atlantic lighthouses.  120 steps lead to a panoramic view of the Strait of Belle Isle and the rocky landscape of Labrador.  But, that's not all. Looking down into the water reveals a fossil bed, a colony of one-cellular "something's" 450 million years old.  Like an oblong pan of brownies divided evenly in edible morsels  Probably not, but that's what it looks like to me.

A nearby ancient burial site is that of a 12-year-old, dating back some 7500 years.  Goodness!

Our guide grew up in the area, went off to Corner Brook, Newfoundland, and came back home with a degree in English.  Understandably he is looking into graduate school, having few options in the small villages along this shore for work.

Grabbing the geocache here was fairly straightforward, although our efforts were overseen by the local groundhog.  I guess he/she was making sure we didn't mess with her/his stuff.

Despite the rugged and barren land, the small towns along the way are quite well-maintained, almost every home had new siding and roofing.  At one time, Basque whalers developed the first whale oil manufacturing industries here, but that was in the 16th century. Today, fishing is still a major employer.

The paved road ends at Red Bay, our turn-around point.  We were told later that the gravel road across Labrador had recently been plowed, so it might not have been too bad a ride.  However, a semi just exiting the gravel road had mud so thick on the back of the trailer that the signage was completely unreadable. Maybe another trip....

Beyond Red Bay, villages are accessed by ferry.  Many  older residents have been "re-settled" in other areas of Canada in order to have access to social services.  As the youth leave for employment, little is left to provide for those that remain.

Not disappointed, icebergs floating in the Strait were clearly visible despite the heavy overcast skies.

Lunch was at the local Chip Bus in Red Bay.  We then drove back the way we came into Quebec, stopping to buy some lobster at a local fishery.  The man who waited on us tried to sell us fresh, live lobster; but we opted for a couple of frozen, cooked lobster that we could just warm up on our grill. He admonished us: it won't taste the same as fresh.  We could have bought a pot big enough and tried to cook it ourselves.  We'll know better the next time.

A brief sojourn into Labrador, but well worth the effort.