Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Bottle Coving: A Walk to the Northern Headland

The weather on the weekend was beautiful and Bottle Cove was on great form. The builders, Gary and Ray, had made great progress working on the barn. A water supply had been installed and most of the bathroom under the stairs had been completed. There was still no electricity or connected running water, but things were definitely comfortable enough for camping over the weekend.

About the water supply: there is a spring about half a kilometre up the road. Our neighbour, Perry, whose boat summers at the end of our land, organised for us to be able to tap into the spring on the basis of renovating the well that feeds from the spring. Gary and Ray renovated the well and then got Roger Sheppard to run a channel all along the roadside from the well to our land. Along the way they provided nice branch off feeds to Perry's house as well as to the home of the neighbour whose land we had to cross to get to our place. The outcome was a perfect Newfoundland arrangement. Water for us without having to dig a well; a repaired well for a neighbour; additional water for Perry; and water for our previously 'unwatered' neighbour -- all for much much less than the cost of digging a new well.

You have to love it. And the water, being spring water, is cool and crystal clear, and perfect for drinking.

On the Saturday afternoon we decided to take a walk to the northern headland of the cove to see how things looked from there. We walked round to the carpark where the track to the headland begins, and then followed the track. Part way we came to a meadow with wildflowers that looks out over the coast. We spent some time there and then took the track to the headland.

Looking across to the barn from the carpark at the start of the walk to the northern headland of Bottle Cove Posted by Picasa

The barn as it appears from the nearest point on the northern headland of Bottle Cove. Posted by Picasa

A large cave in the coastine just to the south of the entrance to the Cove. Posted by Picasa

The coast immediately south of Bottle Cove Posted by Picasa

The entrance to Bottle Cove looking over to a large cave on the south side of the entrance. Posted by Picasa

Bottle Cove entrance from the northern headland. The barn is almost in the middle of the picture. Posted by Picasa

When the track opens out onto the headland you get the panorama of the waterway between Bottle Cove and mainland Canada. Posted by Picasa

The open sea from the headland. Posted by Picasa

A meadow emerges at the end of the first part of the track. At one end (this end) you can walk down to some small coves that pepper the coastine north of the entrance to Bottle Cove. At the point where you enter the clearing the track continues on to the headland on the north shore of Bottle Cove. Posted by Picasa

Perspective Posted by Picasa

Rock above the coastline Posted by Picasa

A small cove below the meadow. I kicked my football over the edge to force a walk down to the beach. Posted by Picasa

A view of coastline contours north of the entrance to Bottle Cove, with the waters that separate Newfoundland from Canada's east coast in the background. Posted by Picasa

Small cove from the water's edge. Posted by Picasa

Looking at the small cove from the meadow. Posted by Picasa

Water sparkling in the 3pm sun on an almost perfect Newfoundland summer's day. Posted by Picasa

Gulf of St Lawrence from the coast to the north of Bottle Cove. Across there lies Quebec, and another place of work. Posted by Picasa

Looking toward the barn from the end of the track leading to the northern headland of Bottle Cove. The hills of the Blow Me Down provincial park are in the background, warming htemselves in the afternoon sun. Posted by Picasa

The barn from the northern headland. Posted by Picasa

Looking across the cove from the northern headland toward the barn, with the tide about two thirds in. Posted by Picasa

Looking east from the northern headland toward Lark Harbour, which is a mile or two down the road. Posted by Picasa

White is a popular choice for house colour. Posted by Picasa

Shades of blue to the east of the cove Posted by Picasa

Some of the neighours to the east of Bottle Cove Posted by Picasa

Old friends -- wildflowers along the way Posted by Picasa