Two Sore Backs

It was a soggy Sunday morning when we departed Hadleyville and headed north to North Sydney NS. We would be on a ferry to Newfoundland by 5:30pm.

Newfoundland is our 10th province on this trip. As it turns out this was also Day 50 of our cross Canada adventure.

While familiar with ferries, the ferry to Argentia is longer than most – about 18 hours from port to port. Much like the Magdelan ferry – you arrive hours before departure as loading is complicated.

Once aboard, we located two recliner chairs in a sleeping / quiet area and deposited our stuff (pillows, jackets….). Then we headed to the lounge. We didn’t have a cabin (sold out when we booked the ferry back in April).

To celebrate 50 days into our trip, a beverage was in order. I ordered a Dark and Dirty (screech rum) and Pat ordered a Caesar.

We met some wonderful people in the lounge. Needless to say we had a few rounds of drinks as well as some chicken wings.

The night section of the voyage, in the recliner chairs, was not wonderful. I woke at one point to switch positions and almost stepped on Pat. He had decided that sleeping on the floor between the rows of chairs would be more comfortable than the recliner chair.

Pat gave up on sleep quite early and toured around the boat. He was intrigued with all the sleeping strategies employed by those without a cabin – he described it as bodies scattered all around. So if there is ever a next time for this trip we’ll go to the lounge and park ourselves for the duration. The lounge seats allow for stretching out. Getting a cabin seems like an indulgence. Hmmm ….

We had a buffet breakfast and lots of coffee. I was starting to feel human again and we’d disembark soon. Unfortunately we depart the ferry into a fog bank. Driving in that fog added to the disorientation we were already experiencing.

Thankfully there is Castle Hill National Historic Site just a short drive away in Placentia. That was our first stop!

The French and British battled it out throughout Newfoundland – both wanting the lucrative and plentiful fishing grounds. The original fort was built by the French and it changed hands a few times and was reconfigured as well.

Wandering around the grounds looking at the remnants of the fort was just what we needed to clear our heads.

Here are a few photos from our foggy visit.

As we were leaving the parking lot we couldn’t help but stop and marvel at this RV – a retrofitted Swiss or Austrian mountain rescue truck. That is RVing in style.

Then it was off to Terra Nova National Park and an easy day and early bedtime.