The Vikings discovered Newfoundland five centuries before
Columbus crossed the ocean blue.
It would have taken them a lot longer if they had to use the Atlantic
Marine Ferry like we did; three hours late on a five hour crossing. The Viking
occupation didn’t last and it was French fishermen who settled here. Actually they were Basques, hence the
name Port aux Basques where our ferry eventually docked. But the weather was
good and the seas were wonderfully placid.
Gros Morne is another UNESCO World Heritage Site noted for
its unique geology. The name comes from the French; “Gros” means large and
“Morne” is Creole for a small isolated mountain or it can mean gloomy or
dismal. Either translation is
valid. Gros Morne was created
about 500 million years ago when the African plate force the undersea North
American plate upward raising a fossil filled seabed into the sky.
We have been wandering around, stopping here and there for
photos and enjoying the beauty. Fishing
villages and lighthouses dot the windswept coast. Fjords and forested hills make for many Kodak moments. When the weather is good it’s idyllic
but as the storms roll in you see how rugged this land is.
