It took two days to drive back across Newfoundland to get to the puffin colonies, but it was worth it.
I broke it up by stopping along the coast in Gros Morne at sights we missed on the way up: the wreck of the SS Ettie, where large blocks of the engine still peek out from the rocks, and the Salmond Interpretation Center, where you can see the fish swim up a channel around a large hydroelectric dam.
Then I stayed at another well maintained Provincial Park, Sir Richard Squires on the banks of the Humber River. I had a quick dinner while wearing my bug net; the no-see-ums are much worse when you’re far from the coastal breeze, and then to a restful sleep in my tiny tent.
Drove another eight hours from there to Bonavista along the Trans-Canada highway. I stopped in Gander to see the airplane exhibit, at several gas stations with varying qualities of food, and an excellent farm stand where I finally found some fresh vegetables.
I arrived in Bonavista just before sunset, so took myself on a quick photo walk of the harbour during golden light, and then to dinner at the Skipper’s Restaurant. I sat at the bar and devoured giant crab legs, while some other tourists got “screeched in” by a man in a rubber yellow hat.
I went to the lighthouse to try and capture the moonrise, and got decent shots of the hazy full orb. I find it quite peaceful being outside alone in the dark; it’s definitely something I have grown into loving about astrophotography.
Then I crawled into bed at the very comfortable Ellis House AirBnB, where I slept for a few hours until just before sunrise. Finally, it’s time for puffins.
I drove over to Elliston, where there is a colony that’s accessible from the cliff tops. There were a few other folks there with big lenses, including a tour that stayed at the same BnB, so I must be in the right place.
The birds will come right up to you, so it was hard to obey the many posted signs warning humans to stay back. I was glad I had my big 150-450 lens, and had some fun trying to get shots of the birds dropping off the cliff towards the sea. It was easier as the light increased, but some of my favorite shots are from the first few minutes, when the sea turned gold with the rising sun.
After a few hours of the birds, I went back to the bnb, had a hearty breakfast and was back on the road. It’s a long way to Deer Lake, but my flight is at 5am and I need to go see about that dog.
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