Burgoyne's Cove Plane Wreck

On March 18, 1953 an American B-36 (#51-13721) out of Rapid City, North Dakota, crashed on a hill top in Smith Sound just north of Random Island in Burgoyne’s Cove killing all 23 men on board. Once you find the trail head, the walk to the wreckage takes less than half an hour, but it is a steep grade. The trail is beautiful bordered by ferns. Part of the fuselage is intact as are several engines and other large parts of the plane. A black monument sits at the highest point overlooking the ocean.

Heading west out of St. John’s, Burgoyne’s Cove is about 30 minutes (35 km) off the Trans Canada through Clarenville on Route 231 and then 232. Heading east you turn north on the 230 towards Bonavista and then south on 230A and then east on 232.

This sign marks the trail head.

Once you arrive in Burgoyne’s Cove famous for its slate), turn left on the paved road marked by signs for Hurley’s Slatework and Stanley’s Storage (stuck on top of a larger Newfoundland slate sign). The pavement ends quickly and after a few hundred metres, you take a right at Hurley’s Slatework. About one km beyond that, turn right at the old slate plant marked now by a sign that says Stanley’s Storage. You then drive about three kilometres on bumpy road to a small sign on the left that says USAF RB-36 Crash Site. Park here and walk up the well-marked trail. 

There is a picnic table up top in case you want to bring a lunch. Although all 23 men lost their lives in the crash, for me the site is not macabre. The monument to the men is respectful, and after the crash the Rapid City Air Force Base was renamed Ellsworth Air Force Base by President Eisenhower in honour of mission commander, Brigadier General Richard E. Ellsworth.

Two days on Fogo Island: October 2016

Day 1: We left St. John’s 6 am and were in Gambo by 9 am. There are several beautiful stops between Gambo and Farewell where you take the ferry to Fogo (and Change Islands), but you have to make sure you arrive in plenty of time for the ferry because once the crew closes the gate - even if the ferry doors are still open - they ignore all pleas to board once that gate closes. 

Rest stops: 1. Dover Fault.

2. Newtown, the so-called Venice of Newfoundland, for lunch in restaurant

Church and Barbour Living Heritage Village, Newtown

Cape Freels for walk out to the beach (half hour return) 

Lumsden for stroll along the beach.

The new spotless Veteran ferry was on the route between Farewell and Fogo. The crossing is as smooth as silk and only takes 45 minutes. (The older ferry Galatea was on the Change Islands route.) There are several combined runs that stop at both islands. When you land on Change Island or Fogo, the communities are a considerable distance away so don’t think you can just hop on the ferry and leave your car at Farewell and expect to get around without a bicycle or taxi.

Ferry times and distances:
Farewell to Fogo Island (13 km): 45 minutes (direct), 1 hour and 15 minutes (combined)
Farewell to Change Islands (6 km): 20 minutes

We booked two nights in the community of Fogo with Eileen Freake at Peg`s B and B - a six-bedroom house with a great view of the harbour and within walking distance of Brimstone Head and Fogo Head hiking trails.
60 Main St., Fogo A0G 2B0
(709) 266-7130 or 266-2392
efreake@hotmail.com
Rooms $100-$115 including continental breakfast

Brimstone Head, one of the four corners of the world according to the Flat Earth Society – is only a short but steep hike up to platform overlooking Change Island. Distance signs tell you how far away you are from major cities. You can descend Brimstone Head, walk through the west side of Fogo and ascend Fogo Head, returning to your starting point over the tops of the hills.

A nicer and more strenuous hike however is Lion’s Den on the other side of Fogo Harbour (turn right after you cross the bridge and park at the Marconi Interpretation Centre, a stunning building visible from Peg’s front windows. The exhibit is excellent and the interpreter is so accommodating, she offered to leave her post and accompany us to one of the churches near Peg’s for which she had a key.

Marconi Interpretation Centre

The 5.4 km Lion’s Den loop takes a couple of hours if you decide to take advantage of all the side trails. The views are superb, the viewpoints so windy the day we were up, my glasses were shaking on my face. It is a perfect hike to introduce Fogo to new comers.

After the Lion’s Den, we drove to Shoal Harbour to visit Herring Cove Art owned by quilter Linda and painter Winston Osmond. Besides magnificent quilts made from recycled fabrics and framed paintings of fish flakes and cod fish, the shop offers small wooden salt box Christmas tree decorations and key chains, pickles and jams. Winston had just shot his caribou a short stroll over the barrens from his home and was busy tending to the hide when we were visiting. The art gallery is just a few hundred metres up the coast from the Tower artist studio.

We chose Vanessa’s in Joe Batt’s Arm for a delicious lunch. We were happy we did as Nicole’s was closed the next day, Sunday, and we wouldn’t have wanted to miss it. Excellent soups, fish and burgers.

As soon as you approach Joe Batt’s Arm, the Fogo Island Inn dominates the landscape. The Inn is visible from almost everywhere, especially from the hike to the Greak Auk on the north side of the harbour. 

View of Fogo Island Inn from Great Auk Trail

If you drive all the way around Joe Batt’s Arm through the fish plant lot and park at the ball field, you will experience an unforgettable one-hour blustery coastal walk to a six-foot high statue of the extinct great auk. 

As part of his Lost Bird Project, American artist, Todd McGrain, has a second Great Auk on the Reykjanes Peninsula not far from Keflavík International Airport in Iceland who looks south towards his Fogo Island counterpart.

This hike continues on to a small light station before turning back and returning the same way. The trail also takes hikers right past the Long House artist studio which is worth walking behind to look straight through the long house at the wild ocean beyond.

Long House Artist Studio, Joe Batt's Arm

Great Auk Hike, Joe Batt's Arm

After a windy afternoon on the coast, treat yourself to a drink in the internationally-acclaimed Fogo Island Inn bar and look out over the moody seas. If the inn is not full, outside guests can reserve for lunch 72 hours in advance (658-3444, dining@fogoislandinn.ca). They were operating at full capacity while we were there, so we just visited the library and art exhibit before heading back to Peg’s in Fogo.

Library at Fogo Island Inn

 Day 2: Tilting

After preparing our own soft-boiled eggs at Peg’s, we drove through Joe Batt’s Arm to Tilting where we toured Lane House, a quaint museum with a wonderful interpreter who attempted to rescue us from the far end of a hike later in the day. We hitch hiked no problem however and made it back safely to our car in jigg’s time.

Stairway in Lane House

Squish Artist Studio, Turpin Trail East

The Turpin Trail east starts directly behind Lane House and takes hikers past the Squish artist studio, up, over and around several headlands until Sandy Cove beach in Tilting. 

Sandy Cove Beach, Tilting

From here you can either turn back to walk back the way you came to your vehicle or walk around the beach near the road to the start of Turpin’s Cove West Trail on Farm Road. This is a loop and not quite as stunning as Turpin’s Cove East. Hikers do pass through Seal Cove and around several headlands before returning to Farm Road via a stretch of boreal forest.

Conne River

 Friday, July 8: Drove from Harbour Breton to Conne River to check out the Pow wow grounds, which are alongside Conne River itself. New school being constructed right next to the site with playground and flies.

Harbour Breton

Thursday, July 7: Overland from Hermitage to Harbour Breton (34 km SW of Pools Cove, Population: 1,877)

As soon as you enter Harbour Breton, you’ll see a Mary Brown’s on your left. We booked two two-bedroom Efficiency Units on, 30 Canada Drive, right around the corner from the Mary Brown’s for $109 plus tax (885-3177). We actually went to the Mary Brown’s counter to check in. The efficiency units were brand new and beautiful with full kitchens so we could cook our own supper.

After settling in, we headed to the Sunny Cottage Heritage Centre, located on the north side of the community, across the bridge, where we met Pansy who answered all our questions. Light lunches are available here.

Sunny Cottage Heritage Centre and guides

Harbour Breton is billed as Newfoundland’s Walking Town and the first hike we chose was up Gun Hill for a magnificent view of the whole community. Steep but very short.

View from Gun Hill

We also visited a second interpretation centre which served tea and dessert. Nice story panels about Newman’s Port.

Spent the afternoon at Deadman’s Cove. Only two other people there besides us. Simply amazing.

Ran up Witch Hazel Hill trail in the evening. Inland with no great views like the first trail but a good workout. Other trails include a 9-km loop called Connaigre Head Trails and Mile Pond which links to Deadman’s Cove.

Newfoundland South Coast: McCallum

Tuesday, July 5: Ferry from Gaultois to McCallum at 8 am and returning to Gaultois 5:30 pm, sleeping again at the Gaultois Inn.

Because there was no place to sleep in McCallum, we decided to spend the day – eight hours to be exact. It was raining when the boat docked at the wharf so we took refuge in the store to get our bearings. We were told we were welcome to come in the store anytime to take shelter and use the washroom.

The store on the wharf in McCallum is a welcome haven to vistors

McCallum from above

We hiked up the hill at the end of the boardwalk on the far side of the harbour from the ferry wharf and had a lovely view of the community. We came down off the hill near the church and were able to go inside and have a rest. We were told we could use the church for this purpose. Luckily the rain stopped while we were in there and we made our way up to a paved play court next to the school where we stuck our clothes through the chain link fence to dry. We left our things there and wandered as far as the incinerator – a requisite stop in all the South Coast communities on our itinerary.  

On the way we passed Didi’s Repair Shop for outboard motors, ATVs, Snowmobile and other small engines. Did, who is originally from Germany, also does welding and metal cutting, diving and small salvage projects. He encourages people to put their engine on the coastal boat, he will take a look at it and provide them with a quote. 

As there was no restaurant for lunch, we picnicked at the outdoor gym and before heading down to the wharf where the fishermen were unloading their catch of cod, red fish, a dozen crab and an 18-pound Monkfish. One fisherman named Kevin made the monkfish mouth open. It made a schlupping noise and we all jumped.

  

Fish prices summer 2016:

Monkfish .60 per pound

High quality cod: .70 per pound

Lower quality cod: .40 per pound

Kevin loaned us his fishing rod so we could catch some conners off the wharf. Margot caught one right away and we couldn’t get the hook out of its cheek to throw it back. We had to call for assistance.

Then we helped Roy Simms paint the bottom of his boat. Grand fun. He sat back drinking our beer while we got covered in blue paint – just like a scene out of Huckleberry Finn.

We finished our visit by meeting George and Mary Chapman who invited us into their house. Mary told us how she had raised a family on Fogo Island but when she lost her husband, she and two friends placed an ad in the paper looking for companionship. Mary was the only one who got a response. When George wrote, Mary went to McCallum to meet him and has been there ever since. They have been together since 2000. Mary gave us scallop shells as souvenirs to take home and paint. 

George and Mary Chapman

Newfoundland South Coast Adventure: Gaultois

Monday, July 4 – Rencontre East – Pool’s Cove – Hermitage - Gaultois: Ferry from Rencontre East (7 am) to Pool’s Cove, Overland from Pool’s Cove to Hermitage, ferry from Hermitage to Gaultois either 9, 11:15, 4:15, 6 or 7:30

Paul came on his quad to carry our gear and the children down to the ferry even though it was early: 6:30 am. We drove across the peninsula to Hermitage, had a picnic before hopping aboard the Terra Nova for Gaultois.

Gaultois is the largest community on Long Island. It’s only a 20-minute ferry ride from Hermitage and so hidden, you wouldn’t know where to enter the harbour if not for a small light station at the entrance. There’s a small island in the harbour called Whaler’s Island where a small whaling operation sat.

Gaultois has a lovely red and white boardwalk and two stores; one right next to the Inn and the other down at The Bottom, which is an area of town beyond the Inn with a lovely short hike along the water’s edge.

Gaultois has a music festival (in 2016, July 22-23) and the newly renovated Thomas Garland’s store near the dock.

I had booked three double bed rooms for $85 a night each, breakfast in at Gaultois Inn for two nights, with booking.com.  3 Point Road, (709-841-4141, info@gaultoisinn.com

A covered four-seater side by side picked up the children and gear at the ferry while we walked around the harbour to the Inn, which is surprisingly large. 

Susan Hunt and chef Emily took care of us finding us fresh cod and turkey dinners. They had supper waiting for us when we arrived after a long afternoon of hiking the 6 km return to the resettled community of Piccaire (pronounced Pickary), one of four resettled communities on Long Island. Because a black bear had been hanging around garbage boxes in Gaultois, 

Black bear on the highway near Conne River

Bear scat with an undigested plastic bag

Susan was worried about us hiking without bear spray so she arranged four students working for the Conservation Corps to accompany us. Dawn, Matthew, Coby and Noah not only stayed with us all the way to Piccaire and back. Good thing too because we definitely would have gone astray. Hopefully with the work completed by them this summer, the trail will be more clearly marked. 

No sign of Mr. Bear but we did see lots of fresh bear scat, one mound with an undigested plastic bag through it. We did see one black bear a few days later just north of Conne River ambling across the highway. Susan and the four students went above and beyond in making sure we were safe and happy. Dawn even zipped me back to the Inn before we set out to get our already wet hiking boots because she knew how wet the trail would be.

Piccaire (N 47.36.37, W 55.55.58) has a tea room in a house that had been floated back from Gaultois, and if you give notice, someone can be there waiting with tea. 

Piccaire Tea Room

The trail begins just past the library and you pass by Simm’s and Winterhouse Ponds with frogs hopping out of your way as you pass. It is fairly strenuous – you need water and snacks - but you can take a shortcut on your way back past Cluett’s Pond that brings you back to the Gaultois Inn.

There are other hikes to Cluett’s Cove and the Whaler’s Cave.