Absolutely capital part 1!

 Yes, today, 21st July, is the day we left Lockston Path Provincial Park and moved onto Pippy Park campground located in the capital of Newfoundland, St. John's, a drive of around 260km.

A little south of Goobies we pulled in to the non operational weigh station for coffee and snacks before completing the trip, arriving at Pippy Park by 1.30pm. We hadn't stopped for gas on the trip or during the previous day's touring so by the time we arrived we were pretty low on gas! 

 

Pippy Park pond

Sunset over Pippy Park pond

After setting the trailer and, yes, having a cuppa, we headed into St. John's to find a Canadian Tire where we topped up the car. We also managed to get a 'while you wait' oil change as the car was more than overdue for one. I was expecting to have to go back the next day to get it done but even though it was late afternoon they fitted me in right away. Now we could focus our time on touring rather than get oil changes...

So far on this trip I'd been a bit disappointed in not having swam in the ocean or caught any fish and we were by now at the wrong end of the trip. Seeing adverts for sea kayak tours I called to see if I could book one but, as I am a novice, the person who took the call said novices were not allowed on the sea caves kayak tours but they may be able to fix me up with another company and they would let me know.

Meanwhile we headed to Topsail Beach to explore for an hour ... 

Topsail Beach

Topsail Beach

 .....before exploring the coast which led us to Pouch Cove (pronounced Pooch Cove). Pouch Cove is somewhat off the beaten track but as we'd discovered previously some of these small settlements are really worth taking a detour for. We found a small parking lot and picnic area overlooking the bay both of which we had to ourselves. It was only after well the event that I discovered that perhaps we should have driven a little further north from our picnic spot to Champ's lookout and the Biscayne Trail....next time! After lunch we headed off (not before waving goodbye to a local guy sat on his deck across Main St.) at a leisurely pace to....

  ..... Middle Cove beach overlook (we didn't actually stop at the beach)......

........ on our way to the Ocean Sciences Centre. The Ocean Sciences Centre is a research station but is visited by tourists to see seals that are housed, year round, in outdoor tanks. While watching seals from close up is nice I couldn't help feeling this was not in their best interest however the seals 9of which there are only 2) have been at OSC most, if not all their lives and would be unlikely to survive in the wild at this stage.

 

At some point in the afternoon I was pleased to get a call back from the kayak place who informed me they were OK with me joining their sea cave kayak expedition the next day, whoohoo!

Leaving OSC we went into St. John's to look at the harbour and downtown but from downtown the harbour could not be appreciated as it was fenced off for security and customs reasons.

After ice cream / sorbet downtown it's back to the trailer for supper.

Just like yesterday, the 23rd July promised to be another hot and humid day so we tried to get out early before the heat built up. We drove up Signal Hill in St. John's where the first telegraph wireless message had been received from England by Guglielmo Marconi in December 1901.

Signal Hill is also the site of Cabot Tower, erected to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the discovery journey of John Cabot from England. 

 

Cabot Tower, Signal Hill

The tower construction began in 1898. There is also a Cabot Tower in Bristol, England from where Cabot sailed and as a child I climbed the stairs inside it more than once.

Cabot Tower, Bristol, England

Meanwhile, back in St. John's we enjoyed views of the town (note harbour on the left), harbour entrance and the Signal Hill battery....

St. John's from Signal Hill, harbour on the left

Guarded entrance to St. John's harbour

Channel into the harbour

From Signal Hill we drove to the most easterly point of land in Canada at Cape Spear. It was not cold but it was windy and overcast so we dressed a little more appropriately.

 

Then it was back to the trailer for lunch before heading off to my sea kayak adventure. Surprisingly we did not start kayaking from the dock but, the 6 tourists and two guides, boarded a Zodiac inflatable loaded with three two seater kayaks and one single kayak and sped across the bay towards Bell Island. From there the zodiac cruised along the south side of the island from where we spotted a bald eagle perched in it's classic pose atop a windswept tree. Unfortunately, following advice from the tour company, I had left all my electronics back on shore so could not snap a picture. 

Not 'our' eagle but close!

The kayaks were soon  offloaded from their racks one at a time with two tourists having to clamber over the side of the Zodiac into the kayaks - a bit nerve wracking, especially for a novice. I was paired up in a kayak with a girl who was 'alone' although friendly with or maybe related to another couple on the tour. The final couple of tourists were husband and wife from Laval, QC. One of the guides finally boarded his kayak and the other guide stayed aboard the Zodiac to trail us.

We paddled along and around the western end of Bell Island before continuing along it's northern shore looking at the iron ore mine workings from an age past. The mines were operational from 1895 to 1966.

Due to sea conditions we were only to kayak into one sea cave for which we had to wear our safety helmets in case any loose rocks fell on us. I did think about asking the couple from QC if the cave had been dug out by Quebecers since Quebec is notorious for chunks of concrete falling from highway overpasses on to vehicles below but thought better of it. The cave was spectacular but it was pretty tight in there with waves making it fun as the four kayaks were a little bounced around.

Before getting back into the Zodiac my kayak partner said she wanted to go for a swim but wouldn't go unless anyone else went, hmmmmm! I did say I'd been wanting to go swimming in the ocean so having gotten into the Zodiac the two of us leapt into the ocean where we swam around the Zodiac for several minutes despite not really being dressed for it. 

Here's the video proof someone captured.....

 

My three hour kayak adventure over, I changed into some dry clothes I had brought with me in the car as I had at least expected to get somewhat wet even if not wet through. Then back to the trailer for a well earned supper.