Though we did not wake up in time for the 5:30 am sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean, we did arrive at Cape Spear Lighthouse about an hour before it opened. The early start (at least by our standards) was due to picking up breakfast items from the Shopper's the night before. Some yogurt, granola, and tea bags go a long way to jump starting the day.
It was a magical being there before the tour buses and crowds. I spoke with a couple from Quebec who was up even earlier than we were. They saw whales and moose before we arrived. I saw neither. We were told what to look for to see whales (birds circling over a space, a puff of water, a dark spot) and Don was able to put the pieces together. The whales were still too far off for my eyes. I learned the French word for puffin is macareux, which is not nearly as adorable as puffin.
I spied some green stones just off the path I admired. Just as I often take one one seashell, I figured I would take one later as a memento of the trip. After visiting the lighthouse I did not see any more of the stones.
I was surprised to learn this is the easternmost point of North America. I felt as if I was crossing an item off on a non-existent wish list of places to go: a half-hour time zone, easternmost point of the continent, and later (on our last full day of vacation) the place where the continents were once attached.
The highlight of visiting Cape Spear is walking through the original lighthouse, which did not open until 10:30 am. Half an hour before opening, the coffee shop starts serving treats and the art gallery welcomes visitors. We also notice the parking lot filling up with cars, vans, and buses. Our near solitude is coming to an end.
The art gallery had an exhibit by local artist Leslie Noseworthy of lighthouses around Newfoundland. Undoubtedly it would have meant more to us if we had seen the lighthouses in person, but we could admire the variety in the images. Some were at night. Some in bright light. Most were just of the lighthouse and land, but a few included people. The one image had a man sitting next to a paint can labeled with a local brand that the docent said was owned by the artist's friend. The freshly painted lighthouse popped off the page. One picture that was too big to come to the trailer-sized building was for sale for $5 CAD -- less than $5 USD -- it was of the northern lights filling the sky. The docent (wearing lighthouse earrings) said the original fills one wall in the artist's home. I wished I could have taken Don's mom to see the exhibit, or at least tell her about it after I came home.
In thinking about the nuances between the United States and Canada, Don noted the café, though in the middle of nowhere, charged a fair price for tea and a snack. Tea was about $3. I would be hard pressed to find a similar price for a cup of tea around Princeton. He also noted the gas station closest to the airport charged the same rate as most of the stations we saw in Newfoundland, whereas the gas stations closest to American airports raise their prices knowing you won't go anyplace else. We added "moose fart" cookies to our tea.
It was finally 10:30 so we made our way to the lighthouse. All along I was anticipating entering the tall building near the coast line, instead we went to the squat building behind it.
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| Sitting in the ubiquitous red Adirondack chairs |
Being a lighthouse tender is an all-consuming job. This square building with the dome on top was the first lighthouse and was in operation from 1836-1955. There is not much known about the first operator as the records may have been lost in a fire. Today the lighthouse reflects what life may have looked like for that family. They assume a husband, wife, and two children lived there. The second (and last family) to operate the lighthouse were the Cantwells. When James and his wife moved there ten years later in 1846, they had five children. They later added another seven to the tiny house.
The lighthouse is still in the middle of nowhere. The nearest town would have been an hour hike through. It is still a long twisty, windy drive off the main road. In the 19th century, your trips to town would have been planned and all-consuming. It would have been extremely isolating. I can't imagine the life.
The new lighthouse was completed in 1955. In 1997 it became fully automated and de-staffed. Gerry Cantwell was the last lighthouse keeper.
From the lighthouse we drove to Signal Hill Historic Site on the opposite side of St. John's.
I was surprised to learn this is the easternmost point of North America. I felt as if I was crossing an item off on a non-existent wish list of places to go: a half-hour time zone, easternmost point of the continent, and later (on our last full day of vacation) the place where the continents were once attached.
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