To: n0abe@sio.midco.net

X-Type: Email; Outmail

Subject: Baccalieu Trail

X-Via: KB6YNO

X-Status: Sent

The word Baccalieu means salted Cod. There was a huge economic adjustment in the Maritime Provinces when the Cod Fishing Moritorium went on years back. There has been a good deal of recovery but nothing of the early, glory days. We headed out on the trail and it was cloudy and rainy looking. We got to Dildo Bay and tried to find the Dildo Bay Island Cruise which is run by Gerald Smith based on the recommendation of the folks we met from Ontario at Battle Harbour, Labrador. We found the marina and talked to some of the locals and they showed us where Geralds boat was but nobody was around so then they showed us where he lived so we went on knocked on his door. He and his wife are very nice and invited us in. He said it looked like rain until Monday so we scheduled for Monday. We asked him about sites on the trail and he said there was a great map down at the interpretive center so he took us down and gave us a tour and got the map and showed us some things on it. It probably took 45 minutes so again an example of great hospitality! While at the house he insisted I use their telephone to check on the ferry from Argentia to North Sydney. Bad news the first available booking was August 5th at 11:00 pm at night! That would mean a 5 day wait after we got back from St. Pierre and Miquelon so no we have to decide are we going to stay there longer or are we going to try and get a reservation out of Channel-Port Aux Basque where we came in and drive back the 320 extra miles. Money wise it is cheaper to drive back if you figure fuel cost vs. a much higher ticket out of Argentia. If you figure depreciation on the F-350 which you need to it is about a wash. We decided we had to much to see in August and September to be set back 5 days so we needed to check out the other ferry. They had a reservation available on August 1st which was perfect so we will be driving back. Most of the roads are poor here except TCH#1 is good and we can take it all the way to Channel-Port Aux Basque so it won't be so bad. The ferry ride from Argentia is 14 hours and from Port Aux Basque it is 5 1/2 hours.

We then proceeded on the Baccalieu Trail and it started raining hard and got very foggy so not a good touring day. Here is something cute, we went through Hearts Delight, Hearts Desire and at Hearts Content we toured the site of the North American landing of the Trans-Atlantic cable and cable receiving and transmitting station in 1865 and later years. It was interesting how they stared with two keys, one for a positive voltage and one negative and used a long light for a dash and a short light for a dit. It would take me a long time to copy code that way. The messages cost $5.00 a word in 1865 so they were very expensive. Eventually they got more cables, and could go to international code, used facimile so they could send several signals on one wire and perforated tapes for automatic resending. It got quite sophisticated and they also learned how to find trouble in the cable and fix it. It was discontinued in the 1960's but was the main stay of Trans-Atlantic communication until radio replaced it.

We seen some scenery in the fog but was not a good day for seascape! We are getting to know the guys at Butter Pot pretty well and are still at the Day Use area as they are still full. Apparently they are booked up at the beginning of the summer for the whole season by the locals and that is why they let out of Province people use the day use area as 2 or 3 come in every night with tents or pop ups. We have not seen any full size campers or motor homes yet. We are in a super hole but so far have been able to send and recieve E-mail. Europe is very loud on the radio here but then we are about as close to Europe as South Dakota. It is 2.5 hours difference in time here so a lot of morning when I get up it 3:30 am in South Dakota. The temperature has been getting into the 40's at night and barely into the 60's during the day. It has been raining every night lately so a lot like Alaska for weather.

[MID: 1434_W0SD Sent Via: KB6YNO Date: 2002/07/23 10:32:44]