Friday, 28 July 2006

River of Ponds to Port au Choix (Newfoundland)

I think it started raining at around 5:30 am, and my heart sank at the prospect of another wet day. By 8 am it had eased off so I packed up and set off by 8:30. The sky was an ugly grey, but it was just spitting with rain. It was one of those times when it was difficult to decide whether to wear a rain jacket or not. If you don't, it's colder and possibly wetter, but if you do it can be hot and sweaty (and smelly!) I decided to keep the jacket on as if the roads were as flat as yesterday I shouldn't get too hot. Of course it turned out that the road was hillier - nothing too hard, but a series of undulations. The trend must have been gradually upwards as when I neared Hawke's Bay, I could look down on the town in the distance and there was a great view over Hawke's Bay itself. It would have made a great photo on a nice day.

I stopped at the Irving gas station to ask if there was anywhere open in town for breakfast, and ended up at the Fiddlers Rest Cafe down by the waterfront. The water in the bay reflected the grey of the sky. From Hawkes Bay I cycled round to Port Saunders (had a couple of bad experiences on the way with lorries going past very close) where I just had enough time to do some emails in the library before they closed at noon. Port Saunders is quite a pretty place, stretched out in a line between the sea and a hill behind.

It was only a few more kilometres to Port au Choix. I had a quick Subway Sub, then pitched the tent at the Oceanside RV Park ($10, showers free) and then cycled out to the Visitor Centre at the National Historic Site ($7.15) There is evidence of human habitation here in Port au Choix going back 5,500 years. The first known inhabitants were 'Maritime Archaic' Indians who lived here when the climate was warmer than it is today. They were followed by two distinct cultures of 'palaeoeskimos' when the climate was much colder, between 1300 and 2800 years ago. The most recent Indian inhabitants may have been displaced by the Europeans who began arriving here in search of Cod in the last 500 years. (http://www.pc.ga.ca/portauchoix)

To someone coming from a mild climate, it's easier to comprehend moving into an area as it warms and leaving it if it becomes too cold, but not vice versa. But I guess that eskimos are skilled and adapted to very cold environments. You'd perhaps also think that if the climate changed slowly over generations that people would adapt to the new conditions. It just goes to show how much creatures of habit we are, how we resist change.

From the Visitor Centre I cycled out to Point Riche with its lighthouse. Having been cool and damp all day, it turned into a pleasant evening down by the beach where I was camped. the sun even put in a few brief appearances.

I had found out that the Sea Echo Motel had internet in the lobby which they let me use for free for 20 minutes. When I went back later in the evening there was no-one around to ask, so I just sat down to start updating the blog, and must have been there for nearly 2 hour and got the blog bang up to date. I checked the forecast for tomorrow, which isn't looking good - rain, heavy at times, with a chance of thunderstorms late morning or early afternoon. Doesn't leave much room for optimism.

Distance: 59.3 km
Cycling time: 3:27
Total distance: 4696.8 km