This morning we decided to hike the Phillips Garden trail along the Port au Choix coast. This is an excellent fishing area and formerly was also home to walruses and large seal colonies. Prior to the first French settlers, this area was occupied four different times by groups including paleo Eskimos. After a brief stop in the visitor center and lighthouse at the national historic site, we set off heading south down the coast. Weather was much better than the last time we drove this way and we made good time. The route passes right through the northern part of Gros Morne, so we couldn’t resist stopping for one last hike and chose a trail leading to the mouth of Western Brook. We were amazed by the evidence of the tectonic forces that folded the land here. Parts of the seabed have been pushed upward so that they form vertical sheets that read like a book of time as you walk further down the beach. All throughout these layers are various fossils which we excitedly searched for. This landscape of Newfoundland was the place that gave birth to the ideas that formed Wegener’s theory of plate tectonics, and looking around the island it is hard to not notice evidence of tectonics in action at every turn.
We then sadly departed Gros Morne and set out for the Cape Anguille Lighthouse on the southwestern corner of the island. This was our stop for the night as we managed to arrange a stay in one of four rooms available in the former lightkeepers quarters. It was a very beautiful setting with mountains in the backdrop, lighthouse right out our window, and a view that opened out to the sea. We enjoyed a beautiful and peaceful sunset (around 10pm). Sara took MANY pictures including some really cool after dark photos of the lighthouse.
It was a fun, but bittersweet day, as it is our last full day on this island that we have both grown very attached to. I have no doubt that we will return someday, as we have only managed to explore a small portion of this beautiful place.
~Shawn
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