Andi & Anne's Newfoundland Adventures
We returned to the Harbour after sunset. What a welcome sight are the lights of St. John’s when you are out in the blackest night on the ocean. I know a little now how the sailors felt coming home. What a relief to see the lights of civilization. The Narrows being only 33 meters wide and 10 meters deep, the ships have these range markers to line themselves up with. Modern navigation is a blessing. If it had been in the 1800’s we would have had to lay anchor in the bay and wait till morning.

When we got back, I called Jim to tell him we wouldn’t be able to dine with him this evening as we got back so late. I think the Captain had us out a little longer than usual. Everyone was enjoying themselves so much. We ate at Pasta Plus and had the nicest waiter. After dinner we went for a drive around town looking for a certain street we had passed earlier. Kept passing Rawlins Cross. LOL! It was funny how many times we ended up making it thru that intersection. Love the band – hate the intersection. I tried to take a photo of the beginning of the TCH. I forgot last time and should have this time. Photo is awful but at least I have it. Never got the chance to do that in Vancouver last year.
Thursday, August 22, 2002

After driving around all day showing Andi the sights, I was dog-tired so Andi volunteered to drive to Argentia. Unfortunately for us, we left after 12:30 AM. Got to Argentia about a half hour late. The Ferry Terminal was closed except for the bathrooms and it was deader than dead. At least in North Sydney and in Port aux Basques the terminals are open 24 hours a day. NOTHING was open in Argentia. There wasn’t even anyone at the ticket booths. So we pulled over and tried to sleep. Tradition prevailed and I got not much sleep. Andi slept. But I finally just got up, went to the washroom and freshened up, rifled thru the music books I bought at Fred’s in St. John’s, wrote in my journal and read the local paper and spoke to others who couldn’t sleep. I was asked what part of Newfoundland I was from again – turns out I have once again picked up a little of the local dialect. LOL! I can’t tell, but other CFA’s think I sound like a Newfoundlander I thought a lot about Jane and how I miss jamming with her. We must do the guitar/fiddle thing soon. I miss playing the fiddle and bodhran everyday. Haven’t had an opportunity to do it since we left Cape Breton. Hope I haven’t forgotten everything.
Center lights are the entrance to St. John's Harbour at night. Quidi Vidi is the group of lights at the right.
Loved the name of this street  Hill O'Chips!
Sorry we could not have spent more time with Jim Fidler. What a classy, creative, fascinating man!
The terminal finally opened at 6 AM and they called us to get on at 7 AM. The cars all got washed before getting on the ferry because of some bacteria in the soil of Newfoundland that Cape Breton doesn’t want to infect its soil. That poor van really did need the wash, too. Andi wanted to drive on the ferry again.

Had gotten dormitory sleepers on the long 13-hour ride “home” to Cape Breton. Boy was THAT a good idea! They are in groups of four beds to a cubicle and the room is nice and dark. A pillow and blanket are provided. I was so beat that I went almost immediately to sleep. Slept for 3 hours and then got up for lunch. After lunch, Andi and I went back on deck and I worked on my cross-stitch quilt square for the 9/11 Memorial quilt. Beautiful day till we were about 2/3 across then the wind picked up and the waves were higher. The ride over all was very smooth – very different from my ferry ride to NFLD 2 years ago when we followed a gale across the Strait. A couple times they announced that there were Humpback or Minke whales alongside the ship but I didn’t see any.
Green lights are the range markers
The Joseph & Clara Smallwood at sunrise in Argentia
We passed the islands of St. Pierre and St. Miquleon during the early afternoon hours. They are French possesions in North America.  You can get there by boat leaving from Fortune on the Burin Peninsula. Waved to Jenny on the Burin when I thought we'd be passing Lawn. I don't suppose she could see me!  Those islands are much bigger than I thought they'd be. The map makes them seem so small! Well, compared to Newfoundland they ARE small, but they are sizeble.
Went back inside at dinnertime and had the worst meatball sub I have ever eaten! Ate 2 bites and decided that the minestrone soup and a roll would have to satisfy me tonight. Debated with myself whether to sleep or not. I think I had better. The boat feels like it is hitting speedbumps. Must be the stabilizers – the wind and waves have kicked up considerably but the ride is still fairly smooth. Won’t keep me awake though – I am dead to the world. We left at 8 AM and will sail into North Sydney at 10:30 PM if we are lucky. A hotel room in Sydney is sounding like a good idea. Maybe we can pop into the Gaelic College for porridge in the morning! No spectacular sunset this evening – cloudy and yucky-looking.
Parting view of the Newfoundland mainland - Argentia
Islands between the Avalon and Burin Peninsulas -
all kinds of places for smugglers to hide
Don't know whether this is St. Pierre or Miquelon
Don't know which one this is either
We were roused too soon from our reverie and told to report to our automobiles and prepare to depart. Andi drove off the ferry and we made it to Antigonish before we needed to crash. We passed thru the Gaelic College and left a message for Sandy McIntyre to see if we could get his book and ask him to recommend a fiddle instructor near Buffalo for Andi. Had to take a photo of the best-named river on the trip – "River Inhabitants" near Wycobah, Cape Breton. And true to tradition, there were people walking around Wycobah at 12 midnight.

We are already missing Cape Breton.