Day 7 - My First Day in Newfoundland

The Ferry Ride and the Waterpik Disaster

The ferry ride was coming to an end. The camera captured the first glimpse of Newfoundland via the port window in my cabin. After one last quick shower, I packed everything up and was ready to disembark. But not without a final hiccup: my poor Waterpik! As soon as I plugged it in last night, it started to smoke like a fire-breathing dragon. I’m still not sure what happened—maybe the ship runs on 220 volts while my trusty Waterpik was made for 120 volts? Either way, it’s now sitting in a garbage bin, and I’m left to mourn its loss.

Steele... Where Are You?!

Holy cow! For a moment, I thought I lost Steele, my trusty car, forever. The cars and trucks on the ferry were packed tighter than sardines, and at times I couldn’t even squeeze between them to find where I parked. It felt like a scene from a bad reality show. But after some maneuvering, I found Steele, and we were finally ready to roll off the ferry and head into the great unknown of Newfoundland.

The Age Gap on the Ferry

Just an observation: it seemed like 50 to 60% of the passengers were truck drivers, and almost everyone else was 50 and up. Let’s just say it wasn’t the wild crowd I expected. The ferry ride wasn’t exactly a millennial hotspot!

Cold Start

As soon as I fired up Steele, I noticed the temperature—a chilling 46°F. That’s basically freezing compared to the lovely 80s and 90s from yesterday. Welcome to Newfoundland mornings, where you need to bundle up like it’s winter in July.

Madgaree Outfitters Boat Ramp

You know my thing for boat ramps. It’s like a compulsion—I see one, and I have to check it out. So, when I spotted a small boat ramp at Madgaree Outfitters on the map, I took a detour. Was it spectacular? Not really. But Steele got his daily dose of boat ramp action, so I’m calling it a win.

Exploring Fox Roost Neighborhood

Newfoundland has a ton of small, isolated neighborhoods, and today I found myself in Fox Roost. I saw a yellow house with a matching yellow car sitting right by the ocean, with grass sloping down to the water. It was picturesque and peaceful. The locals are definitely lucky—well, at least until winter rolls in. From what I hear, living here during the winter is no walk in the park.

Diamond Cove - Where Old Engines Meet Scenic Views

Diamond Cove—what a spot. Another one of those charming dead-end roads that leads straight to the ocean. Beautiful views, mesmerizing rocks, and... old rusting car engines strewn across the rocks like they belonged there. At first, I thought they were boulders, but nope, just old engine blocks. It’s an odd sight but somehow adds character to the place.

And as I was leaving, I saw these two ancient, rusty chairs zip-tied to a pole. They’ve been there for so long they look like they could fall apart any minute, but the view from those chairs? Spectacular. I can just imagine people sitting there for decades, watching sunsets and soaking in the beauty.

View from the chairs

The Town of Rose Blanche

Beautiful places just don’t stop coming in Newfoundland. Rose Blanche was another stunner. The rocks reflecting off the water were too lovely to pass by without snapping a picture. And here’s a fun one for you—there’s a tiny toy lighthouse, maybe 12 inches tall, that looks deceptively large in the picture. It’s the Newfoundland version of forced perspective!

The Rose Blanche Lighthouse and Meeting Phyllis & Frank

The Rose Blanche Lighthouse was the main goal of my day. Getting there involved navigating a hidden dirt road, but it was worth the effort. I met two wonderful volunteers, Phyllis and Frank, who live nearby and spend their time maintaining the lighthouse.

We chatted about real estate (because of course), and they told me homes used to go for $12,000. Now, a two-story home will run you $35,000 to $75,000. Still a steal compared to Dallas, where a million bucks won’t get you an ocean view. Phyllis even offered me some granola bars, and I promised to make them espresso the next time I passed by. That’s the Newfoundland way!

The Shopping Adventure

After leaving Rose Blanche, I retraced my steps and stopped at a Foodland store attached to a mall. I was on a mission for basic food supplies and a new Waterpik. Spoiler: no Waterpik to be found. Apparently, only Walmart carries them. Yes, Newfoundland has Walmarts! The mall itself was like a time capsule from the '60s, which I found charming. The people were incredibly friendly, and honestly, who needs fancy malls when you have good folks?

Welcome to Newfoundland & Labrador!

Backtracking further, I finally got the classic "Welcome to Newfoundland" sign picture and picked up some actual paper maps from the visitor center. Old-school navigation at its finest!

Cape Ray Lighthouse & Meeting Mitch the Hunter

Cape Ray Lighthouse was next, another lighthouse perched at the end of a road. It looked small in the pictures, but in real life, it towers at 50 feet tall. This is where I met Mitch, who was scanning the horizon with binoculars. “Birdwatching?” I asked. “Nope, looking for moose,” he replied. Apparently, it’s moose hunting season. Mitch kindly warned me to be careful while hiking—just in case I get mistaken for a moose!

Mitch is also an expert on local weather, telling me how winter winds here can reach 200 km/h, and the waves crash so high they hit where we were standing, at least 25 feet above sea level. Nature sure packs a punch.

Saint Andrews Church and Codroy Valley Park

On my way to Codroy Valley Park, I drove past the cutest little white church that begged for a photo stop. They even had a mini church-like structure off to the side. Not sure if it’s a confession booth or just hiding some power lines, but it added to the charm.

Codroy Valley Park itself was a dream—white sandy beaches, blue water, and, of course, a beautiful bridge (you know how much I love bridges). I parked next to a giant caravan and made myself some coffee. I’m sure the folks in the caravan were wondering why I parked right next to them in an otherwise empty parking lot. Hey, I needed that picnic table!

Piccadilly Cove

Piccadilly Cove didn’t offer much more than pretty water reaching all the way to the road, but it was a great spot to record a video of where I planned to head next—a thin strip of land that stretched for miles. Naturally, I had to drive to the very tip of it because, well, that’s just what I do.

Driving to Blue Beach

That long, thin landmass eventually led me to Blue Beach. The road there? A bumpy mess of potholes and gravel, but the destination? Worth every jolt. Blue Beach is a mesmerizing, rugged slice of paradise. The wind here was so strong it felt like it might lift my car (okay, maybe not quite lift it, but you get the idea).

Mitch had warned me about the wind earlier, telling me how it can reach 130 mph during the winter, with waves crashing all the way up to where we sat at the lighthouse. What makes this beach so unique are the rock formations on the beach as well as the vast amount of small rocks (instead of sand) of all sizes. Most of them are flat, smooth and shaped like triangles, circles and other wierd shapes. (shhh.... I took one small rock home with me)

Unfortunately, the beauty of Blue Beach was marred by some garbage left behind by careless visitors. If I had a truck, I’d haul it all away. But even with the debris, Blue Beach remains a stunning place that everyone should visit.

Rock Man’s House on the Way Back

On the way back from Blue Beach, I passed by a house surrounded by large, colorful boulders. At first, I thought they were fake, but nope, they were real rocks. The owner had even turned some into tables and benches. His rock collection was incredible—definitely one of the more unique properties I’ve seen on this trip.

Inn at the Cape - My Stay for the Night

I finally made it to my B&B for the night, the Inn at the Cape, run by Peter and Jan, two of the most welcoming people you’ll ever meet. Peter’s been here for 22 years, and Jan hails from Nova Scotia. This hidden gem is nestled in a wind-swept cove with no black flies (thank you, ocean breeze!).

Peter, who was once the leader of Newfoundland’s New Democratic Party and a schoolteacher, even served as mayor of this town for 16 years. He and Jan have created a cozy, beautiful haven for travelers like me.

Their pup is super friendly and cute and their cat ( at least one of them) is very brave as she walks the inn's rooftops.

Inn at the Cape - My Review

Let me tell you, this place has everything: automatic lights as you walk down the stairs, super-clean rooms, powerful showers (none of that weak hotel water pressure!), a piano room, a library room, games, and a view to die for. Breakfast is made to order, and the internet is blazing fast—70-100 Mbps download speed! And best of all, there’s a washer and dryer, which was a lifesaver because I was running out of clothes.

There’s honestly nothing I don’t like about this place. Kudos to Peter and Jan for creating such a wonderful retreat.

Wrapping Up with a Zoom Rosh Hashanah Dinner

After moving my stuff into my room and tossing my laundry in the dryer, I joined my wife and friends in Dallas for a Zoom Rosh Hashanah

Todays Road