Day 10 - Can it get any better ??

Goodbye Pat and Wayne from Whispering Wind Cove Cottage

First and most important item of today, Oct 5th, is the family birhtday zoom for our daughter Hila. The entire family from Dallas, NorthBay, Manhattan, Sydney, Binyamina all get together to celebrate. It was nice to see everyones faces.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOT !

Then Sunrise, COFFEE and SANDWICHES.

So, it turns out that last night, as I was doing the blog, Wayne, the owner of the cottage, knocked on my door a few times to get payment and to welcome me.

However, I must have been so focused on working on the videos, pictures, and texts that I just didn't hear it. I was working right next to the door, so maybe Wayne was just knocking very, very softly or I need to have my ears examined. If you ask Ronit, my wife—she will definitely say that I need my ears examined. Hahaha!

Anyway, in the morning after I packed up, I drove up to their main cottage where they live to make the payment.

Both Pat and Wayne were born in the cove and have lived here all their lives. They have owned, maintained, and managed Whispering Wind Cove Cottages for the last 8 years. You can tell they're very passionate about their business because the cottages are so well maintained, and it's a pleasure to stay there. The entire grounds are also beautifully maintained. Way to go, Pat and Wayne.

They both agreed that I must visit Bonavista and Elliston to see the puffins, so that's the direction we are heading today.

PAT and WAYNE

Road Rage Incident

Here I was, driving the speed limit, carefully, and being very courteous to all the drivers around me. I noticed a Dodge Caravan that seemed to be following me. It's possible they also flashed their lights at me, but I wasn’t looking at the rearview mirror all the time. I think in the back corner of my eye, I saw lights being flashed at me.

I was just waiting for the single lane to turn into a double lane so they could pass me, because most of the time it's just one lane in each direction.

Finally, the passing area with two lanes came up, and I quickly moved to the right and slowed down a bit, and the Dodge Caravan slowly started to pass me and then matched my speed, just driving right next to me.

And he kept driving exactly the same speed as me for a while. Eventually, I turned my head, and you'd never believe what I saw…. Never in a million years!!!

I saw an "Ivan."

Yup.

Ivan the biker from yesterday was looking right at me with a large smile, waving, and putting his two fingers up in a peace sign. Once I saw his face, he overtook me and carried on.

I actually had my phone camera pointing at that side of the car just in case, because you never know, right?

So here's the picture to commemorate the "what are the odds of bumping into Ivan the biker on the way to Bonavista ???????"

Come to think of it, when we were talking at the lighthouse, he did mention that he also has a Dodge Caravan that he likes to camp in occasionally.

Ivan the Biker. Again.

Remember Ivan the biker from the lighthouse? And from just now… passing me in his Dodge Caravan??

Well, that same Ivan the biker suggested that when I drive to Bonavista…. I hike the Skerwink Trail. So as I was driving to Bonavista today, there was a sign for Skerwink Trail, and I just did a sudden (but safe) veering right and took the exit to the hiking trail.

Rick, Roxanne, Cooper, and Tremor (the Truck)

It's so funny how everything links together. I've been looking for a vehicle for the past 3 months, and one of my favorite vehicles was the Ford F-150 Tremor truck.

So… when I pulled into the parking lot for the Skerwink Trail, I met a young couple and their pup, and we started talking. And guess what he's driving? Yep… a Tremor. He must have thought I was crazy because the first thing out of my mouth was, "Hey, we need to take a picture of you, your wife, me, and your truck (and Cooper, their pup) for a blog."

I took the picture but missed the pup :( and later explained to him about my blog and what I’m doing.

Rick and Roxanne had just finished hiking the trail—it took them between 90–120 minutes—and Rick said he thought he had lost his phone, but it turns out he left his phone on the truck. It’s a Ford F-150 Tremor, exactly the truck I’ve been dreaming about, but I couldn't find a white one in Texas, so I said I’m going to take a picture and put him in the blog with his truck.

Newfoundland. Understand?

Rick said that if you want to make someone local to Newfoundland happy, then pronounce Newfoundland correctly.

He said you should always think of two words:

"Understand Newfoundland."

And both words should sound and have the same connotation.

Rick also suggested we visit a place called Elliston, just before Bonavista. It's where two ships had been trapped in frozen water, and everyone perished during the days of the seal hunts.

Thanks for the tips, Rick and Roxanne! And you too, Cooper 😁

Skerwink Trail

Where can I start…

This tops the cake! This is the most beautiful place—at least in Newfoundland—that I’ve been to so far. Maybe in the world.

It's right up there with Iceland, New Zealand, South Africa, and Banff and Jasper National Park kind of beauty.

Every step you take, there's a little outlet or viewpoint, and it just gets better and better.

During the entire walk, you hear the ocean waves pounding against the rocks. The path is easy, clearly marked, easy to navigate, and there's so much to see. It’s so beautiful—I really hope the pictures do it justice. Really, I do.

Well, just as I said the trail was easy to navigate, there was like a hundred-foot straight incline of stairs and a really steep climb. I’m sooo out of breath, but I did it. Yay! Challenge met!

GET READY FOR MANY PICS and VIDEOS and tons of ADRENALINE

Guess they are waiting for the FISH to wash up

Joshua and Jordan - towards the end of the trail

Towards the end of the trail, I bumped into two young men who had just finished the hike as well.

Both live here. Jordan has done this five times already, and it was Joshua's first time. Even after five hikes, Jordan still says it’s pretty amazing.

I asked them, "What is the next best thing I should visit after this hike that will knock my socks off?"

Here are their recommendations:

• Spillers Cove

• Klondike Trail

• Tickle Cove

• Sea Arch

So tomorrow morning, as we head out to the St. John’s area, we’ll go by those places.

Joshua was wearing the hat, by the way.

Also, while hiking back close to the end of the trail, I finally saw some wildlife… a small brown frog right in my path! Here’s what he looked like:

Mirror images

Hiking Summary

This is my third hike this trip, and I must say all three hikes were quite exhilarating, invigorating, and quite difficult.

The first thing I do when I finish the hike and get to the car is take my wet shirt off, dry myself, and change into a clean shirt—that’s how intense they are that I arrive WET.

Those three were considered, for me, physically extreme, and they're all called "easy" to "moderate" on the AllTrails app—so I guess I'm not going to do any "difficult" level hikes….. Not at this ripe age.

Bonavista Lighthouse

While still on the Skerwink Trail, at the top of the lookout where there was a good strong signal for my phone, I had originally booked a place called "Oceanside Cabins."

However, as I was driving to the Bonavista Lighthouse, I drove right by Oceanside Cabins and it kind of looked too simple, like just a very long caravan cabin that had multiple doors made into multiple rooms.

However… Next to it was an Airbnb sign with a cabin on its own that looked like Little House on the Prairie (but the new very modern version). A yellow cabin with a big private yard around it, facing the ocean. So I took a picture of the sign and will call it later.....

The lighthouse was BIG. The entire grounds around the lighthouse were like something out of The Shire from Lord of the Rings. Short green moss-type grass. All around, you could hear the ocean waves bashing against the rocks.

SUDDENLY—there was this super loud, long HORN sound—like a big ship would make. Turns out it was from the lighthouse. So this lighthouse makes both lights and sounds.

I saw an opening in the fence around the lighthouse and started to walk behind it, and HOLY SMOKES!!! What a view. Totally hidden behind the lighthouse. EXTREME cliffs and roaring sea waves. I took a gazillion pictures for you.

Once again, thank you to my guardian angel ;)

I found some high ground and called the number for the cottage, and Phoebe answered. I talked to Phoebe, paid her by credit card, and the entry keys will be waiting for me, and that's where we're going next….

Yes, I called Oceanside and canceled as well.

Leaving the lighthouse scenery was difficult—it was so beautiful. We should go back in the morning.

East Coast Cottage

This cabin is like flying first class.

Maybe I shouldn't have taken it. Every cabin after this will be compared to this one, and none are going to come even close.

This cabin would score 110 out of 100. It looks like it's brand new and it’s perfection. This cabin defines the word perfection.

I can't explain it, so I just took pictures, and you can judge for yourself.

Ragged Rocks Gastropub

I asked Phoebe, the owner of the cabin, where I should go and get some fish and chips, because I heard the cod fish caught in this area is really good.

Phoebe sent me an address for a restaurant called "Ragged Rocks Gastropub." It’s the last day they're open for the season, so I’m very fortunate to have happened to be here exactly on the right day.

Talking about being "fortunate," I’m sure there's an angel watching over me during these days in Newfoundland….. and I’ll just leave it at that…..

I first drove to the supermarket to get some more groceries for tomorrow's sandwiches and then to the restaurant. Both were minutes away from the cabin.

The waitress started to tell me about what's not available, and I said, "Stop! All I want is fish and chips."

She said, "Well, you're in luck, because we have plenty of that."

I drank a local beer with my fish and chips, and they were really good. The batter was so thin, very tasty, and the fish was thick, juicy, and delicious. I don't usually eat French fries, but I did taste the ones that came with my fish, and they were so good that I probably finished half or a third of them.

God, I wish I could bring those fries to my wife, because she loves good chips that are not oily, crunchy on the outside, soft inside, and have such a good taste.

What a perfect day in Newfoundland!