Cape St Mary's Ecological Reserve

After a quick stop in Clarenville for groceries and alcoholic beverages we were on our way again. We would have passed on the beverages but it is just way too hot to be sitting outside without a brown pop (beer) in one’s hands. So, that is my excuse.

I always like to talk about the road conditions and this trip is going to be no different. Everything was great until we made our final turn towards St Brides. The town of Placentia was good but very confusing. Many times we wondered if we were on the correct road or a back road. Well it turned out we were on the right road because we finally seen a sign indicating St Brides 58 km. Excellent another 45 min drive and we will be there. WRONG!!! The road was up and down the whole way. I was constantly gearing down, I could tell Precious was not happy. The grades were 15% to 22%, is that even a legal road or just a goat path they made into a ? road. And I haven’t even talked about the numerous potholes yet that almost swallowed us whole, rig included. But we made it, again.

We arrived at the campground or should I say restaurant parking lot just when the lunch crowds were arriving (4 people). You see St Bride’s is really at the bottom of a peninsula with absolutely nothing else around except Cape St Mary’s Ecological Reserve. How nice to have a restaurant on site. Supper out tonight. Well, after I registered which consisted of putting my name in a book, we chose a 30 amp site with water. All I could smell was grease from them frying the fish. It was nauseating after a while. Thankfully the wind changed directions.

The restaurant/campground

Gannet's Nest Campground

Our site

While Susan and the dogs were having a snooze, I decided to go to the Reserve to see the birds. OMG there is literally thousands of them on the cliffs. And yes you guessed it, the smell got worse as you got closer. Need I say it was also 26 C. This area is known for its 11,000+ nesting pairs of Northern Gannets, not to mention the nesting Common Murres, Black-legged Kittiwake, Razorbills, Black Guillemots, Cormorants, and Thick- Billed Murres. The timing was not great for taking pictures because the white was washed out but I was able to get a few hundred or so. After a great few hours of taking pictures I called it a day, only to return the next morning and do it all over again. This time it was not as hot and the sun was behind me. Good for pictures.

Visitor's Center with very helpful staff

Very steep cliffs

Yes, those are all Northern Gannets

Northern Gannets

Razorbill

Black-legged Kittiwake

Northern Gannet

Thick-billed Murre

Common "bridled" Murre

Adult & baby Northern Gannet

Flying Gannets everywhere

The area of Cape Mary’s also has a working lighthouse which is not open to the public but you are able to get close enough to take pictures. There’s also hundreds of sheep roaming the area grazing on the salty grass.

Usually sheep are everywhere

The owners are commercial fisherman as well as restaurant/campground owners. They were cleaning the days catch when I arrived back at the rig .

Cod

Cod fillets

We decided to try their cod since they wouldn't sell us any because of all the cod regulations???? It was pretty good. Then we sat outside watching the sunset.

Another wonderful day