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A Summer of Icebergs – The Giant Ice Island moves to St. Lunaire
The Giant Ice Island has moved to St. Lunaire, NL. I ventured to the Town of St. Lunaire-Griquet Friday evening hoping to catch a glimpse of the Petermann Ice Island. When driving into the Town at Tip of the Great Northern Peninsula you see the magnificent reams of white ice mountains contrasting with the grey rocky hills in the habour. Most of the images I captured were smaller bits as the larger images were blocked by the hilly landscape and I was unable to find the trail known as the Camel Hump. There was a sign, but I did not see any direction or place for parking. I took my Honda Civic over a dirt road until she was about to scrape bottom. I continued by foot up a steep hill, but had no success in catching an up close glimpse.
Jeffrey Curtis had uploaded a video on YouTube of the “The Petermann ice island, located 4 Miles off St Lunaire harbor” which I’ve embedded below. It is just an incredible intact piece of ice.
I did manage to see some smaller icebergs scattered throughout the harbour from a distance. They appeared to be blocking the harbour.
Imagine being able to look out your kitchen window or sit on the deck and enjoy a cup of Dark Tickle tea or coffee and taking in this view. Another wonder of Life on the Great Northern Peninsula!
The Great Northern Peninsula is the place to be this summer season if icebergs are on your bucket list. They are truly a wonder.
Take route 436 – it will lead you to the bergs, but also Norstead – Viking Village & Port of Trade, L’Anse Aux Meadows World UNSECO Heritage Site, The Dark Tickle Company, Raleigh Historic Village, French Oven and Burnt Cape Ecological Reserve. You can dine experience Fine Dining at the Norseman Restaurant & Gaia Art Gallery, sophistication and specialty seafood at The Daily Catch, great food for the whole family at excellent prices can be found at Northern Delight Restaurant and for those on the run, Snow’s Take-Out can serve up some tasty chicken and chips. There are many little shops en route to purchase carvings, jams, preserves, knitted items, hooked rugs and other local lore. There are many B&B’s, campgrounds, motel, cabins and heritage properties available to appeal to any type of traveller.
I would highly recommend spending a few days on this part of the Peninsula. A few hours simply is not enough to experience the sights, sounds and wonder of it all. This was my 6th visit on Route 436 this summer season!
Live Rural NL –
Christopher C. Mitchelmore
Twitter/LiveRuralNL
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- 25,000 Year Old Iceberg Water Makes the Perfect Brew (liveruralnl.com)
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Fostering Rural Community Development Through Outdoor Murals
The Town of Flower’s Cove has been the first in the Strait of Belle Isle region to embrace outdoor art in the form of brightly colourful signs depicting local attractions. Additionally, they have posted an outdoor mural in the parking area of the White Rocks Walking Trail.
This image certainly garners attention and encourages travellers to pull-off and stop. This is an excellent form of marketing for the small town. More visitors will likely take some time to walk Marjorie Bridge, explore the Thrombolites, visit St. Barnabas “Sealskin Boot” Church, view Flower’s Island Lighthouse and stroll the waterfront. In turn, these visitors may stop to shop at one or more businesses a long the Viking Trail (Route 430) or eat at the local L & E restaurant. The Town has the opportunity to create an open-air art museum. I can envision a series of black and white paintings scattered about a vast walking area of the Town when it was known as French Island Harbour with French fishing vessels at port, the days of Rev’d. Canon John Thomas Richard, harbour front and fishing activities, logging, daily living and events of social and cultural significance.
There is much value in our rural communities posting outdoor folk art, murals and story panels. It is common in other parts of Canada and around the world. I have a few images of my travels to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and Whitehorse, Yukon.
The “Jaw”, Thanks Carolyn for informing me your very lovely hometown.
A weekend in Whitehorse! It is a pleasure to just walk around Town to see the art everywhere. Make sure you take in the Frantic Follies while you are there. Best 2.5 hours of laughter you can get for $22.50.
I have fond memories of seeing outdoor Vincent van Gogh art in Amsterdam, Tin Tin cartoons in Brussels, informative panels in Berlin, Germany; Miquelon (Territory of France) and Battle Harbour, Labrador and many interesting images and murals on my travels.
Below is a YouTube video of a mural taken place in Thunder Bay, Ontario, a city I had the opportunity to visit on my return to Rural NL.
It is quite encouraging to see the Town of Flower’s Cove embrace this means of outdoor art as it has looked at what the Town currently has, utilizing the talent and assets of community to further develop them to create sustainability.
Other Towns and Communities may wish to engage in this practise, telling stories with images, art forms and panels throughout the Great Northern Peninsula. All of these collections of oral cultures, images and artwork serves limited economic and social value if it is not shared. This is one small measure that will help build our rural regional community.
Live Rural NL –
Christopher C. Mitchelmore, liveruralnl@gmail.com
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Home-Based Business Opportunity – Make Soap Jellies
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Coca Cola Much Covers – Profiles Rural Newfoundland’s Travis Sheppard
Rural Newfoundland & Labrador has talent. I stand by this statement, which I had written in July 2010 after attending the Big Droke Idol as part of the annual Big Droke Heritage Festival. There was a diverse range of talent – with some very young vocalists singing to background music, to more veteran singers using the squeezebox and those that needed no music but their own. It was quite the night and array of talent.
Just moments ago, my friend messages me on Facebook with the following message:
Watch my Much Music video by following the above link. Copy the link to your facebook page so all your friends can watch too…..
Make sure you rate the video and share on the social networks.
If you have talent, join the competition. Release Your Inner Superstar!
Live Rural NL –
Christopher Mitchelmore
