The Cape Shore

This tour takes you to the Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve seabird sanctuary, one of the most incredible wildlife spectacles in the world, and into an area of Placentia Bay that played an exciting part in the history of North America during its early days when England fought France for control of the colony and the continent.

Begin in Whitbourne on Route 81, about an hour's drive west of St. John's. Whitbourne is the home of a former Prime Minister of Newfoundland, Sir Robert Bond. An eloquent politician and perhaps our greatest statesman. His reciprocity agreements with the United States were the forerunners of international trade agreements.

Whitbourne is also the home of the Rodrigues Winery, which makes wine from local blueberries for the Newfoundland and export markets.

Nearby Markland on Route 81 was established during the desperate days of the Great Depression. In an effort to make them self- sufficient, a number of families from St. John's were resettled into newly established communes.

Route 81 is unpaved between just past Markland and Colinet, probably named for one Andre Colenet, master of the French fishing vessel, Le Montaran. As early as 1723, John Masters and his partner Philip Watson had fishing premises at Colinet in the inner reaches of St. Mary's Bay.

From Colinet, take Route 91 to see Atlantic salmon scale the man- made ladder on the Rocky River and then carry along the unpaved section of Route 91 to Cataracts Provincial Park. This picnic park is built around a deep river gorge with two cascading waterfalls which are accessible by a system of walkways. the interesting natural scenic site attracted Newfoundland's first motoring tourist in the 1920's and still holds fascination for visitors today.

Backtrack to Route 92 and continue south to Branch, the start of the cape Shore. this part of the coast was first settled by Irishmen with names like nash, McGrath, Careen, Coffey, Doyle and Power who settled here to escape the famine and oppression in their land. Those surnames are familiar here today among the descedents of the original settlers. not much has changed here since then. It's still a wonderland of rivers, lakes and silent hills, and, of course, the barrens. Along the cape Shore you'll find grazing sheep, brightly coloured houses, old churches and winding lanes, and an Irish air.

As the residents say themselves, don't look for glitz here. Life is more personal. Drop in and chat over a cup of tes and learn the history of the area, how the Irish settlers were lured here with the promise of a new beginning, or how Solo the peddlar made a fortune from a wrecked cargo of cotton thread. And of course this being Irish country, there's a gold story. Legend has it that a man named Andy Nash stumbled across a vein of gold while crossing the barrens on a very foggy day- and could never find it again! there's also a tale of buried treasure that supposedly lies in some long forgotten nook, just waiting for an enterprising soul to come along and find it.

The hospitality here is warm and genuine, and its is what keeps visitors coming back. The language here is unique, and the music- oh, the music will break your heart and mend it again in the course of a song.

Get out of the car and roam the countryside. There are hidden secrets that are well worth finding, at the top of a hill or along a sandy shore. Pick partridge berries in late summer, or photograph a moose as it grazes by the roadside.

At the end of a road west of Branch is Point Lance, which has a fine beach. back on Route 100, drive to the junction of the road leading to the Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve. It's marked by a sign. The 16 km road leads to a view immortalized in the Newfoundland folk song "Let Me Fish off Cape St. Mary's" as recorded by local band The Irish Descendants. The vantage point, a short walk from the lighthouse, overlooks Bird Rock, the second largest nesting site for gannets in North America, and offers a spectacular opportunity to photograph these gorgeous, golden-headed birds with the two meter wing span. This is also a nursery for thousands of murres and kittiwakes. During the summer months the cliffs are alive with seabirds.

The sanctuary at cape St. Mary's may be visited year-round and no permit is necessary. in the summer, the Interpretation Centre is open and there are guides to answer your questions and to show you around.

Follow Route 100 to St. Bride's. Irish roots are strong here and traditional song, dance and recitation have survived . Exciting traditional performers from the cape Shore, as this stretch of coast is known, now take their music to folk festivals throughout the province. Nearby Cuslett is located in one of the many picturesque coastal valleys.

The next community is Angels Cove, where there is great swimming at Angels Cove Falls. this stretch of the Cape Shore was settled in the early 1800's by Irish settlers working for the Placentia merchant firm of Sweetman's. Angels Cove is unusual in that it is one of the few communities in Newfoundland originally established as a farming venture.

At Gooseberry Cove Provincial Park you can watch the waves roll onto a long sandy beach or take a walk among the unusual purple rock formations that frame the cove. The grassy backskore is an ideal place for a picnic before you go on to explore Little Barrisway and Great Barasway, which take their names from the Newfoundland term for barachois- a sandy isthmus providing shelter for exposed harbours.

To Scenic Tours: Avalon Region