An American Visitor to The Rock - The Final Days

Summer 2009.

My American friend and I didn't do too much during the week and that's why there hasn't been much for updates except for during the weekends.

This week was even worse because I had to depart on business mid-week. Leaving the yankee to fend for herself, I went to my 5th airport in Halifax.

While away, I was amused as she asked why my landlord walks around whistling, somehow found her way to the top of Captain Cook Hill in Corner Brook and vocally chastised my lack of unhealthy food.


Returning Thursday, I was pleased with how well she handled herself in the strange land.

That evening, we went for a walk around the fantastic central park in Corner Brook and somehow ended up wading around in the river.


Onto the weekend and since we had already driven to Rose Blanche (extreme southwestish), St. Anthony (extreme north), Saint Pierre & Miquelon (extreme southcentral) and St. John's (extreme east); I decided to travel a mere 75 kilometres (~40mi) south to Stéphenville.

I thought the old American base town would make for an interesting little day for Kristen.

Firstly, we sauntered up the road with all of the old bunkers. I didn't figure them to be much besides a brief stop, but one of the bunkers happened to be open!

We checked out the inside, but it was mostly junk like old paint cans and tires.


Next, I drove her down the neat road which used to be part of an airport runway.

We both eyed the old hangars, one of which I had already been in.

I showed her the one I had already been inside, but we didn't go in the second hangar because of a suspicious car.


I could hear the disappointment in Kristen's voice from being denied entry to the second hangar; so after a drive around town for a bit, we went back and got it done.

I had never been in this one, and it happened to be the same amount of exciting at the other hangar.


There's not a lot to Stéphenville, especially when you have someone telling you that a lot of the buildings aren't worth seeing.

Therefore, we left in the late afternoon so that we could get back to Corner Brook and check out some caves. Some people from my work had a bonfire here earlier in the summer and they had described their location for me.


For something located 5 minutes from my house, Kristen & I were both really impressed with how cool the caves were.

We stood around the entrance and took it all in for a while. Kristen had only been to a cave when she was really young & I had never been inside a cave; so we were both enthusiastic and excited by the newfound experience. After a few minutes, I felt the mild water and proposed that we take off our socks & shoes and head downstream, further into the cave.


The water never became deeper than lower thigh and it was quite warm throughout.

The thing about caves and drains, is that I was always worried about finding a huge number of strange insects about. The Corner Brook cave had very few insects; they were limited to these little rectangular bugs which didn't do much besides move slowly along the rocks.


After about 15 minutes, we came into a large chamber with a collection of 10 tree logs blocking off the further downstream portion - concluding the navigable portion of the cave (or what appeared to be).

I set up the tripod and set the camera hack to a 65 second exposure - I think Kristen did pretty good for trying to stand still for 65 seconds in the pitch dark.


Kristen & I rested for the rest of the day and she was onto the airplane and away from Newfoundland soon enough. I know she carried & carries on about how much she loved Newfoundland and I have to admit it was nice to finally have someone to check out locations with.

If only Boston - Deer Lake flights weren't so expensive.

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