Road Trip to Newfoundland
Day 3 - The Ferry Crossing
I woke up. No arms or legs draping over me. Ah yes, I slept on the double bed with my wife, and the kids had their own bunk. This is how it should be. I rolled out of bed and rubbed my bleary eyes in the orange light reflected off the log walls. We had muffins that we bought the day before. That was our breakfast. No coffee though. I sure could use a coffee; a sentiment I echo every morning, regardless of my state of mind. I could hear the traffic tracking along the Trans Canada highway just a few hundred metres away. Soon enough I'd be making my way along there too, hopefully to find a cup of strong coffee.
It was only 8:00 AM and we didn't have to arrive at North Sydney until 10:00 AM. I was being lenient this morning. I let everyone sleep until 8:15. Nice guy, eh? I wandered off to the washroom and then checked the tuck shop, which was closed. I suppose most "campers" in this KOA with their multi-thousand dollar trailers had their own coffee makers. I'd love to have one of those expensive houses on wheels too, but wouldn't care to park it in these tight spaces. I have trouble backing up a fourteen foot aluminum boat in the driveway. I get it done, but it usually takes 20 zigzags, left and right, back and forth.
The luggage packed away, muffins consumed and the GPS set, we said goodbye to the wee cabin and red cliff. As foretold, we rambled down the lane and became one of the cars driving along the Trans Canada to North Sydney. My wife was on watch for Tim Horton's or alternate coffee shop. None was seen, though hard to believe none existed, We arrived at the ferry terminal on time and ready. You see, I had printed out everything and bound it before the trip. I called it the 'Manual of Newfoundland', or simply 'the manual' for short. It contained some maps, the complete daily itinerary, sights to see, motels with reservations, and restaurants. It also included the ferry ticket. I opened the manual to the correct page and presented it at the ticket booth. I could see that the clerk was indifferent to my impressive organization, and she clinically printed out my tickets. I can't deny I was a bit insulted that she didn't make a remark about it. Think of how many others come through here with a vague memory of their reservation number or a crumpled up sheet.
I followed the instructions to enter lane three and wait for boarding. I sent my wife into the large terminal building to get a couple coffees while I stayed in the hot car to wait. In front of me was a pickup truck with a camper on the bed. The occupants were a young, earthy couple from British Columbia. I'd say they were tree planters or had a similar occupation. When the back door of this tiny camper was opened, a large, docile, mixed breed dog emerged from under a makeshift clothesline. Perhaps this was also their home. On my left was a minivan from New Jersey. These occupants seemed quite out of place, somehow. They were exactly as I had imagined a New Jersey family; very expressive. They had all the doors open, music playing, and the occupants wandered around. I felt like I was watching a reality series unfold, something like "Real Families of NJ". All other cars were unremarkable. Most people just sat patiently as if this was a daily commute.
My wife and kids returned to the car, empty handed. "Where's the coffee?" I questioned, with a tone of disbelief and shock. None. No kiosk with coffee. Wow - just wow. I'll have to have a double when we get on the boat, assuming they have coffee. It didn't take long for the boarding to begin. As the line beside me started to move, the minivan with the open doors cranked the motor only to be greeted by a clicking, dead battery sound. A woman jumped out yelling profanity and retrieving cables from the trunk, then hollered to other cars on the left of her to help with a boost, After a few moments, I heard the engine roar to life and they sped off toward the boat. It was still several minutes before our lane began to move, and I drove way up a ramp and into the bowels of the ship, landing tightly behind a truck. That was painless and easier than I expected. I couldn't get out of the car and into the cafeteria fast enough. We procured a few seats, got coffee and settled in.
I had heard many tales of crossing the expanse between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. The North Atlantic can be a rough place, but this day was beautiful, apart from the fog. I probably spent more time out on the deck staring at the blue sea than inside sitting in front of a TV showing some ridiculous show about pawn brokers. At one point up on deck, dolphins appeared beside the boat, several in a pod jumping out of the water. That was an exciting sight. I have been on ships in many places in the world, and in some cases the ship is floating on garbage as much as water, but not here. As I stared into the sea, I saw no trash at all, just the dolphins.
At roughly 6:00 PM we pulled into Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland, a craggy coastal town with just a scattering of buildings. The greens were very green. The blues were deep and rich. It felt like a fresh new world. We eagerly exited the ship and headed north toward Corner Brook and our small motel along the highway. The owner was absent, but had left room 10 open for us. Inside was a nice kitchen and sofa, and a bedroom behind. We had just enough time to go into Corner Brook and order Chinese food at the New China Restaurant. This was comfort food. The owner was a very nice lady and before long handed us our dinner and had us back at the Rivers Edge Motel to eat.
And thus ended the ocean crossing and third day of our adventure. We were finally in Newfoundland, our ultimate destination. As usual, we pulled out a couple beers from the ice. I chose my regular Kilkenny and my wife chose her favourite Asahi Super Dry. My daughter was immediately on WiFi seeking out YouTube videos or watching her friends on Snapchat. Sadly, it is nearly impossible to detach kids from their social networks these days, try as I may.
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