Rock Blanche Lighthouse

We started our first day in Newfoundland (rhymes with understand) with a bus trip to the lighthouse at Rock Blanche, formerly Roche Blanche. Newfoundland was first settled by Portugese, later by French, the British, and Basques. It was a British colony, then a Dominion, and finally became a part of Canada in 1949. The island of Newfoundland is about the size of Tennessee, and a part of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Labrador, part of the mainland, is three times the size of the island of Newfoundland, but contains only about 38,000 people. Newfoundland Island's population is nearly half a million, almost all around the coastline. The south-west coast, where we are, is sparsely populated. The largest town nearby is Port aux Basques, about 4400. The island is nicknamed "the Rock" because the terrain is very rocky. In this area the land looks similar to Baja California only of course wetter and cooler. One fellow camper described the vegetation as Tundra, with low mixed ground cover, and spruce trees. Vistas of mountains, valleys, waterfalls, and lakes abound, along with the ever present sea. Beautiful, and remote. The Newfies are very friendly. Tonight, we get Screeched!