We got back from our three week trip to NL late Saturday. Thanks to good advise in this thread, especially Norm's, it was easier to decide on where to stay what to see.
The overnight ferry ride was not bad, but the prepaid recliners in the limited access area on the top deck were not worth the money. The seats on the lower deck were just as good. My
Scamp and 4-door short bed Tacoma squeaked by under 30 feet, so I got a refund from what I prepaid. Docking in Port Aux Basques in fog and seeing the barren landscape gave us a hint of what it might be like. The big boats are stabilized and the voyage was smooth. Here is the list of places we stayed overnight:
Burgeo Sandbanks PP was special, worth the trip on a somewhat rough road, swam of the beach, the water was warm!
We stayed mostly in Provincial Parks, $9.50 for seniors with the green parks pass. No connections, but water always nearby, all have a dump station, showers and are meticulously maintained, including hiking trails with boardwalks.
Then Blow Me Down PP.
Dildo Run PP, many hikes in the Twillingate area and a side trip to Gander (North Atlantic Aviation Museum closed unfortunately - Sundays and Labor Day.)
Trout River in the Gros Morne NP, bought the National Park pass, also saved some money that way.
Berry Hill Campground, north side of the bay in the NP, Norris Point Marine Station aquarium has two blue lobsters and one albino lobster. That is two in two million, and one in ten million!
On to the north, stop at Port Aux Choix NHS, very interesting, all the way to Pistolet Bay PP, very interesting area, side trips to L'Anse Aux Meadows, St. Anthony and Conche. The Norseman restaurant and art gallery were great, even the food was a piece of art!
To the St. Barbe ferry one day earlier than reservation, which was forfeited, but only $10. Camped at Pinware River PP, beautiful beaches.
Next day stopped at Red Bay NHS, a Basque whaling exhibit. Start of gravel roads. Had a flat tire, the truck pressure sensor lit up and I stopped before any damage was done and patched it without removing it. Now I am buying one of those sensors for the
Scamp before the next trip! Not enough gravel on this section of the road, the sharp gravel bits are thinly spread on the road bed. Got gas at Port Hope Simpson, the attendant clicked the nozzle once topping it off, but I should have grabbed it and filled up to the real top of the filling neck. The next 243 miles to Goose Bay was gravel, (no flat tires), hilly and head wind, and the last 20 km the gauge was reading EMPTY. I only told my dear copilot when we reached the gas station about it, she would have gone nuts had she known. I was a little nervous myself. Free camping at a defunct camping area Wilburn Bay Camping.
On to Churchill Falls, well paved road, the western end of it is being worked on now (paving). A huge hydro power line is being built here, to take power to Newfoundland. After lunch on to Labrador City, camped at Duley Family Campground. Huge iron mines (quarries) in this area.
Next day snow in the morning, slush on the roads, slow going. Then dry roads and some dirt roads. Manic Cinq (Manicouagan 5) dam is quite impressive, thankfully the 18% grade was short. On to Baie Comeau, Camping de la Mer.
Last day all the way to Vermont, a long day.
Newfoundland and Labrador were beautiful, special, the people were lovely. It would be easy to
fall in love with Newfoundland, or in Newfoundland!
The roads in Labrador are being worked on, so it will get easier to go there in the future. The advantage of traveling so late in the season is that many potholes are being fixed over the summer. Northern Quebec mountains are also spectacular. The weather was changing, a few days of hard wind and pouring rain, but most were beautiful, perfect for hiking and exploring. Traffic was
light, especially after Labor Day. Very few trucks in Labrador and Quebec. No problems finding gas except that one section between Port Hope Simpson and Goose Bay. They need one gas pump at the turn off to Cartwright.
The
Scamp made it well, thanks to many ruggedization projects I have done, most after the trip to Chaco Canyon, NM. Only a few little things on the list now. No
leaks even driving in heavy rain, I guess keeping the window weep holes and channels clean did the trick.