Day 9 - The Long and Winding Road

!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HILA !!!!!

Leaving SEA RIVER Resort

Woke up pretty early this morning to catch the sunrise. Rob (the owner) told me to drive out by the bridge for the best view. Only problem? I didn’t remember exactly which bridge. So, there I was, driving back and forth, playing “find the sunrise.” After not finding it, I gave up and watched from my room instead. Oh well... I really should have paid more attention and marked it on a map.

Next, I began my daily sandwich-making ritual, packed everything up, and said goodbye—especially to the beautiful dog that was wandering around. Then, it was off to Seals Cove.

The drive was a bit intense. A thick fog had rolled in and wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon, so we crawled along at a snail’s pace.

Filled up on gas near Seals Cove and even washed Steele (his first bath of the month!). He got pretty dirty playing in the mud over the last 10 days.

Just so you can see the cold morning temperature

Seals Cove

Seals Cove was beautiful, with picturesque little houses on the water. Unfortunately, there were no seals—none at all. If I’d been here just a month earlier, the place would have been swarming with them. But, alas, no dice for now.

So, what’s a guy to do? I had to imagine seals, imagining them slapping their flippers and making their little seal noises.

At one point, I thought I spotted one far away on the beach. I zoomed in with the Samsung S23 (Samsung, are you reading this? Sponsorship, anyone?). At 100x zoom, it turned out to be... a dead tire. I guess that counts as some kind of seal, right?

Also, interestingly, this was the first place I arrived at with zero human beings in sight. I mean, I looked around carefully—no one. It was kind of eerie, actually.

BTW - when you see signs in Newfoundland warning about POTHOLES (and there are many) then do pay attention. They look more like SINKHOLES

Driving to Twillingate

The drive to Twillingate was long. Very long. The road was quite windy, which didn’t help.

The roads here in Newfoundland are unique. There’s a Highway 1, which does a kind of half-loop around the island. From there, you have arteries branching out to different coves and towns, and each of those has even smaller roads leading to tiny communities. If you check out the GPS screenshot, you’ll see what I mean.

Today wasn’t about visiting lots of places. It just takes so long to reach each destination.

Of course, I had to stop and snap some pics along the way, simply because the scenery was too pretty not to.

HAHA - Figured out the Viking Boat Ramp Method

So remember that there are no asphalt or cement boat ramps going into the water here in

Newfoundland? They lower the boats by hand, There are tied and an angle and you release the rope and gravity does the rest.

Still - that does not explain how they get it up on the ramp - especially if it is a very heavy boat, AND how do they place the boats on their car trailers?

Long Point Lighthouse & Twillingate Lighthouse

After about four hours, I finally arrived. I was sitting in the car, looking at maps and figuring out where to go next when I saw a biker packing up his gear. Naturally, I had to say hello.

His name was Ivan, and he was riding a beautiful Harley-Davidson. Ivan’s been a biker for 50 years and loves hitting the open road, especially in nature, with the fresh ocean air. He's retired, and with his wife still working, he gets to travel solo—kind of like me!

We had a lot in common: both solo travelers, both love quiet places with beautiful views, and we both ride in style. I prefer my car though, because unlike Ivan, I wasn’t freezing in the 37°F morning air.

In just 10 minutes, Ivan shared so much knowledge about the area. I actually joked and asked if he was a teacher!

He recommended Fogo Island, Buena Vista, and Trinity, all places we’ll check out in the next few days. He also mentioned the Skerwink Trail in the same area.

Bon voyage, Ivan! It was a pleasure meeting you, and I hope you have a fantastic trip.

After we parted ways with Ivan, I hiked around the lighthouse. We are taling about a 100 meter hike - very easy. The lighthouses sit on a very tall cliff and the ocean waves below are big, loud, foamy and mesmerizing.

IVAN

IVAN - again ;-)

The Natural Arch

After chatting with Ivan, I still had some daylight left, so I decided to check out one more spot: The Natural Arch.

Finding the entrance was a challenge. The GPS took me to a parking lot, which led to a narrow, winding road. It didn’t look promising, but I trusted the GPS. (Note to self: I really should’ve had my Tremor or Tungsten.)

The road quickly turned treacherous, and even with my vehicle raised, I couldn’t make it. I had to reverse a few hundred feet and park near a tiny red house. I knocked on the door, and a very nice elderly woman answered. She told me the trail had deteriorated over the years and is now only accessible by truck. I should hike it instead—she said it’s only a 10-minute walk.

So, I’m hiking it. Spoiler: It wasn’t 10 minutes.

It was more like a mile and a half, maybe two. Lots of steep inclines and declines. I was racing against time as darkness was setting in. I didn’t want to get lost, and I also wanted to prove to myself I could do this intense hike.

After about 35-40 minutes, I finally made it. And wow, THE ARCH is stunning. The setting sun only made it more magical.

The Lifesaver: Jason

On my way back, exhausted and with darkness closing in, I was barely moving. I started to get a little concerned—deep in the woods, legs like jelly. Then, I heard a sound...

A young guy came roaring by on an ATV. What are the odds? Middle of nowhere, off-season, just as I needed help!

His name was Jason. I flagged him down, and he kindly offered me a ride back to my car. I grabbed on tight as we zoomed back—turns out I had walked a lot farther than I realized. Jason was a lifesaver. I gave him one of my Hidden Trails Expedition cards so he could read all about how he saved the day.

By the way, Jason’s single, lives in town, and is a heavy equipment operator. Ladies, if you're in the area, he’s quite the catch!

Whispering Winds Cove Cottage

Before all the craziness, I had already reserved a cottage at Whispering Winds Cove. The owners were out to dinner, so they left it unlocked for me.

Funny story: This cottage is right on the road I passed earlier when I first drove into town. I even stopped and took a picture of their pier, completely unaware that I’d be staying there later.

The cottage sits on a beautiful lake, and it’s absolutely exquisite. I snapped some pictures to show you all. I’ve been so lucky the past three nights with finding absolute gems of places to stay.

SUMMARY:

What a day! From foggy drives to no seals, a chance encounter with Ivan, a mad dash up a mountain, and being rescued by an ATV-riding Jason, Newfoundland continues to be full of surprises.