Bonavista, Newfoundland

Wharf at Bonavista.  The blue building with the red roof houses a replica of John Cabot's ship  The Matthew.  He landed near the lighthouse below in 1497.   

Museum in Bonavista tells the story of a very wealthy businessman that controlled the fishing industry in this area in the early 1900's.  He was not very well liked by the fisherman because he paid them so low.   Unions were finally formed.  Mr. Cocker was a very avid advocate and formed the union.  It was headquartered a  few miles from Bonavista and the town that grew out of it was called Port Union.

Salted cod drying on racks.

Bonavista lighthouse near where Cabot landed.

 With the moratorium on the cod fishing in 1992, over 30,000 lost their jobs.  Elliston could not even afford to keep their lights on.  The city leaders got together and formed a committee to encourage tourism.   Not only is it a wonderful place to see the Puffins, but also they are known for their abundance of root cellars.  One festival that they have in Elliston they serve a jigg dinner which is a stew using vegetables from the root cellars.

 Puffins come to this area to mate in May and stay through mid to late August.  After the chicks are able to fly, they migrate off shore and spend the rest of the year out in the ocean.

 Port Union, home of the fisherman's union.  Brick building is where the Advocate newspaper was published and housed the offices of the union in the early 1900's to mid 1900's.

Trinity, just another beautiful town in Newfoundland.  This is where the movie "The Shipping News" was filmed.

 Cliff dancing to Newfy music with an "Ugly Stick".    We were "screeched-in" which means drinking a shot of screech rum (bottom of the barrel), and kissing a dead cod.  Really disgusting.  We are now official "Newfy's".   This dinner was put on by the local chapter of the Cocker Historical Foundation.  These ladies made us quite a dinner including moose sausages, and fish & brew.