#38 Bishop Falls Part 1

#38 Bishop Falls  Part 1

Sunday Aug 4, 2019

We arrived in Bishop Falls on Saturday,  Aug 3^rd.  We were disappointed in the Brookdale RV Park. The photos showed the owners home, but not the park. The two didn’t match up.  Then we went looking for a laundromat in Grand Falls-Windsor. The two listed no longer existed. The park had only one in a dumpy shed.  Their showers were so bad, the guys used the rigs.

 Similarly, the old railroad trestle over the Exploits River at 921 feet long ranks as the longest trestle in Newfoundland, longer than the RMS Titanic. The guide book said it was illuminated at night. We drove down to see and NO Lights. People passing by told us they discontinued the lighting a few years ago.

On Sunday the guys walk down by the trestle and found a boardwalk through a lovely copse of birch trees.

They discovered a city RV park with offered only water and electricity, but very nice. They displayed all the Province Flags.

 The Bishop Falls cascaded over the dam and through the rocks, and then flowed by the park. The guys took Lynn and I down later in the day to enjoy what they found.

The first touring adventure of the day took us to Grand Falls-Windsor

We started at the Salmonid Interpretive Center.  You get there via two one lane bridges.

A series of  57 stairs down (and later back up) connected the very nice gift shop, and a restaurant on the cliff with the center below.

The center, affectionately called ERMA  (Environmental Resources Management Association) puts out a very informative film, and had several exhibits.  Their efforts to increase the salmon population shows a definite success story.

The downstairs viewing area also included fish tanks with smolt (young salmon in one and young trout in another). Then there was a hairy toad: the spotted body on the red rock.

Just like the fishway in Torrent River, the salmon are detained here for a while.  Then they open a gate and count them.

As we walked down the grated fish ladder the churning water sent out a great roar.  At the point where the fish enter or exit the ladder we viewed three sections the fish jump.  Lynn got a video of a fish jumping.  The initial entry over a rocky edge looked difficult, but the docent said salmon can jump 12 feet.

Another path led to a viewing area of Grand Falls.  Thunder rumbled as we ended our visit and we were told that the fish won’t jump while there is thunder.

The Mary March Provincial Museum focuses on indigent cultures. It traces the history of Ancient Aboriginals to 20^th century development.   You can see the museum dedication that hangs in the entry foyer to the museum. She was believed to be the last Beothuck. Before her death she shared what little we know of her culture.

Several minerals are mined in this area.

The exhibits told of the Maritime Archaic Indians who came here about 5000 years ago.  Then came the Palaeo-Eskimos, about 4000 years ago.

As we read the information here we recognized the Dorset and their soapstone quarry, which we have already seen.

The term Recent Prehistoric Indians is used up here, much to the disfavor of Jay, our resident expert on first nation peoples.

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 Then the Beothuck and Mi’kmaq people who we will explore more in other places.  The Beothuck  had contact with the Europeans about 500 years ago.  The Mi’kmaq  people are still alive and well today.

Other exhibits focused on the changes in industry and technology: in the paper mills, forestry, fishing and mining.  Only the mill workers could live in Grand Falls. the type of house provided you reflected the job you did.  Everyone else, including many wood workers, live "across the tracks" in Grand Falls Station (later called Windsor).  The two town didn't combine until 1991.

This exhibit shows a typical parlour of Newfoundland between 1930-1950.  Parlours were used only on special occasions or to entertain important guests.  Here you would find the family’s best furniture, textiles and treasure made by family members or local craftspeople.

This photograph shows how the icebergs calve or break off the ice floe.  Then they begin to float south.  I think it was part of the Goodyear exhibit.  A traveling exhibit by photographer Geoff Goodyear displayed how he viewed the world.  Some photos were very interesting.

The local Royal Canadian Legion Hall houses a very impressive museum in their building.  Nearly every available wall space and flat surface is covered with photos, weapons and artifacts from WWI, WWII and Korea. 

Our next stop was literally out in the country half way between Grand Falls-Windsor and Bishop’s Falls.  Mark’s Farmers Market offered a variety of vegetables, fresh fruit and preserves. When strawberries and pumpkins are in season, they have U-pick areas.  We met Chris, the farmer who now runs the market. His father, who we saw, started the market to put son Mark through school, followed by a daughter and then Chris.  The siblings have moved away and Chris is the man in charge. He told us that they plant around June 1^st, and open the store about July 15^th.    They will stay open until the end of October.  However, after the first frost in September, only Newfoundland veggies will be available: potatoes, onions, carrots, turnips and rutabagas.  Chris was a really friendly, nice guy!  We purchased some of his items.  The red leaf lettuce was outstanding!

Tomorrow we travel to the Southern coast.