#23 The Newfoundland Ferry

#23 The Newfoundland Ferry

With great excitement we left the park at 9 AM for our 12:15 crossing.  If you don’t show up by 10:15 you can lose your reservation spot and have to wait for an opening in a later sailing. As it turned out we were nearly first in line.

The biggest ferry unloaded from both the top and bottom ramps.  These ferries transport 200-300 trailers per run.  We noticed that some of the trucks or terminal tractors move trailers onto the ferry and unhook.  Then only the trailer travels, not the truck and driver.

We boarded the Highlander Ferry via the bottom ramp.

Once inside, those of us from Kitsap County, go Yup, Yup…looks like a ferry. We parked right behind the car transport truck down the center.

Not knowing what to expect, we took too much stuff with us to reserved seating.  The reserved seating faced the aft on Level 9.  Our seating placed us directly in front of the windows.  The sun beat through that glass. HOT!  So glad I had put shorts in my carry-on!

 Our dirty windows made it hard to see out, but several trailers were on the deck below us. 

 

The harbor before taking off.  Cormorants sun themselves on these small docks between the big ship docks.

The guys explored the boat to discover that passengers were allowed only on the back half.  Level 7 had non-reserved seating, gift shop, dining etc. The heliport was on Level 10, I think. Derrille and I went down for lunch. The menu provided limited choices.  But we enjoyed the company of a couple from Ontario who sat behind us upstairs, and had been in the RV Park.

The crossing felt calm and serene.  This ferry has the Gulf of St. Lawrence on one side and the North Atlantic Ocean on the other.

  About 6:30 we pulled into Port aux Basques. Our clocks adjusted to Newfoundland Daylight Time, which is 30 minutes beyond the Atlantic Time Zone.  This huge ship needs to turn around and back into the terminal.  Memories from years ago and the Bremerton ferry.

 Derrille and I were among the first to disembark. 

Hello Newfoundland!

There are over 100,000 moose on the island.

Grand Codroy RV Park could be found another 30 minutes up the road.

It used to be a Provincial Park that was sold back to the people to the original owners of the land.  Good news for Jay, fresh bread and muffins, and ice cream can be bought at the office!  We never made it to the craft shop. The one with yellow and red doors.  Craft shops are all over the island. They sell mostly handmade things, lots of mittens and hats. Because this park is close to the ferry, campers arrive and depart with the ferry schedule.

We parked the rigs and marveled that we really made it to Newfoundland!

Tomorrow Explore!