St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada

Today, we arrived in St. John’s in Newfoundland; the first of our ten planned Canadian ports-of-call.

I climbed of bed at 7:30, went out on deck to check on the weather, and then went for breakfast. I was surprised to discover that, despite being a little overcast, it was quite warm, verging on humid.

After breakfast, I gathered my rucksack, complete with laptop and tablet, and my camera gear, headed for the gangway, to experience my first ever footsteps on Canadian soil.

Before I did any serious exploring, there was a job I needed to do. I’d bought 10 rolls of masking tape with me from home for the watercolour classes, and we’re down to the last two already, so I needed to try and find somewhere where I could buy some. Almost directly opposite the ship’s berth, up one of the side streets, was a small gallery; ‘The Leyton Gallery’. I figured they’d probably be able to help me in there. I was right; the lady who ran it very kindly pointed me in the direction of the nearest hardware store, along the harbour road, only 5 minutes walk away. I would never have found it by myself. Templetons of Harbour Drive, was able to furnish me with 10 rolls of masking tape for $33.79 Canadian Dollars. I have no idea how much that works out at in Sterling, but I’m guessing it’s somewhere in the region of £1.50 to £1.60 per roll; a little more than I’m used to paying at home, but when needs must…

I returned to the ship briefly to desposit the carrier bag full of masking tape in my cabin, and also to change my trousers. I’d initially gone out in long trousers, but it was so warm that I decided I needed to change into something a little shorter.

Newly-attired, and content that I’d managed to sort the masking tape out, I returned to the town. I still had my laptop in my rucksack, with the intention of finding some free wi-fi; possibly do that next, then return to the ship for lunch and perhaps walk a little further afield in the afternoon.

However; it didn’t work out like that (does it ever?). I was told there was a brilliant little cafe behind the war memorial that did free wi-fi… but could I find the war memorial? I was clearly on the wrong street, but it didn’t matter. I meandered, enjoying the nice day and looking at the colourful houses on hilly streets. We were in what they call Downtown St. John’s which meant there were a fair number of gift shops and touristy coffee houses. But I still couldnt find the bloomin’ war memorial.

As I drifted along the length of the town, I realised that I’d travelled quite a distance, towards what they call Signal Hill. I’d earmarked Signal Hill as a good place to head towards after lunch, but my proximity to the road that led up the hill and the fact that someone had mentioned that the weather forcast for the afternoon wasn’t very good, prompted me to make an executive decision and head up the hill.

Signal Hill, the most prominent landmark in St. John’s, is situated near the narrow channel leading into the harbour, and is in an area designated as a National Historic Site.

I followed the road up the hill as far as the visitor centre on Gibbet Hill, where I discovered free wi-fi. After spending about 30 minutes checking emails, uploading and downloading stuff, I continued on my way up a footpath past Deadman’s Lake (where on December the 26th 1869, Frederick Weston Carter lost his life in an unsuccessful endeavour to save two young girls from drowning), to a much steeper footpath that led me, finally, to Cabot Tower which was built in 1897 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Newfoundland’s discovery. Apparently, the inventor Marconi also received his first ever wireless translantic signal on the same spot in 1901, which heralded the birth of the Information Age. So, quite a historic spot, then. Ironic that I couldn’t get a mobile phone signal there.

On my way up, I passed quite a few people on the way down (most people had caught a taxi or a bus up to the top and were walking back down to the town). I learned from a couple that the tour to Puffin Island this morning had been rather spectacular; not only did they see lots of puffins (I’ve been to the Farne Islands – seen thousands of puffins there – which was the main reason I chose not to offer my tour escorting services for that particular trip), but four humpback whales swimming and playing only a few feet away from the boat (ah… didn’t see that at the Farne Islands!… bugga!).

I was happy to finally reach the top of Signal Hill. The views were quite magnificent, both of the town and the harbour, but also of the coastline down the other side.

I briefly glanced in the small gift shop housed in the tower, and then pondered over which way I should return to the ship. I had several options. I could return the way I’d come, or take the road back down to the town. Looking at the map board, I could see that there was a third option; one that someone had said they had rejected on the grounds that it looked rugged and a local had told them that it was quite hairy in places. On the map, it was marked out in red, and labelled ‘Difficult’. It also dropped down to the clliff edge beyond the tower, and skirted round the headland, above the cliffs. No-brainer, then… it just had to be that one.

The walk was excellent. Not quite as rugged or dangerous as the board had suggested, but certainly a little more challenging. The views continued the whole length of the path as I followed it around the head of the harbour and back towards St. Johns. Unfortunately; no sooner had I made my mind up to follow that route, than it started to rain. And it then rained most of the way, letting up on only a couple of occasions, for me to take some photos, so that by the time I did eventually arrive back in the town, and at the ship, I was pretty drenched. I’m pleased I did it, though. The cliffs below were covered in white seabirds, and the views along the coastline were suitably impressive. Once again, as I approached St Johns, I was captivated by the colourful, slightly chaotic buildings that clung to the sides of the harbour. I also, finally, found the war memorial.

Newfoundland was claimed as an English colony in 1583. It was grabbed by the Dutch in 1665 and attacked by the French three times, destroying its settlements in 1689 and 1707 (boooo!). Each time, St. John’s was retaken and refortified (hurrah!), with British forces using its fortifications during the Seven Years’ War in North America, the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. It also served Allied needs in World War Two by providing an air base for the USAAF.

But it was the fishermen of England’s West Country that controlled most of Newfoundland’s east coast in 1620, and as the population grew, with the arrival of more and more migrating fishermen, so its fishing industry boomed. Sadly, St. John’s was hit by the collapse of the Northern cod fishery in the 1990’s, and after a decade of high unemployment, the city has enjoyed a resurgence of population and commercial growth thanks to its proximity to the Hibernia, Terra Nova and White Rose oil fields.

A historically fascinating place then. Unfortunately; I’d missed lunch…

So, after drying out and changing into some dry clothes, I sat in Marco’s, reading and drinking tea until 3:30pm, when Afternoon tea (complete with an assortment of sandwiches) was served.

I liked St. John’s very much, and, despite the rain, I enjoyed my walk up, and aund Signal Hill. At around 5:30pm, we left, and turned towards our next destination; Sydney in Nova Scotia, where we are due to arrive in two days time.