Pekin Foursome

Those cute little yellow ducklings you think of at Easter grow into Pekin ducks.

St. Patrick - Bay Bull's Church Yard

Topsail Falls - Bridal Veil

This beautiful falls near St.John's was photographed by Robert Edwards Holloway in the early 1920's. In those days the citizens of St.John's would picnic at the falls and the site was regarded as one of the seven wonders of Newfoundland.

To see his photograph on the 24 cent Newfoundland stamp issued in 1924, click here.

Topsail Falls

Dwarf Columbine on a Wednesday Evening

Columbines belong to the genus Aquilegia. The name is derived from the Latin aquila which means eagle, a possible reference to the hooked spurs of some species appearing like the claws of that bird. Columbines are members of the Buttercup Family.

For an intimate closeup of the dwarf columbine click here !

Witless Bay Zodiac Trip

On Saturday evening I met four of my Flickr friends, all avid photographers, and spent the evening on a photo shoot. We left Witless Bay Harbor by zodiac and soon were surrounded by icebergs, puffins, murres , kittiwakes, gulls and even a pair of nesting bald eagles. Here we are on the wharf at the end of that wonderful trip. Left to right: Litehouseman, yours truly - Tomcod, Allison S. George, Sulfite and Photonick2007. Of course, these names are only our Flicker monikers. If you would like to see some images from the trip, look us up on Flicker.com.

Cool Gulls on a Berg

Wait For Me !

Ice Bergs Near Pouch Cove

Southern Shore Salt Stage

Abandoned

I found this old abandoned house today while driving towards Renews on the Avalon peninsula. The old homestead has seen its time and will soon fall. The windows are shuttered with iron bars. While I was photographing, I felt as if I were being watched. Is there a face in the window?

Newfoundland Schooner Dory

I found this old abandoned dory in Aquaforte among today's debris of old tires and rusting forty gallon drums. In spite of this, the setting still evoked echoes of another time. This unique flat bottomed work boat, with its planks for sides and swept up bow and stern could be stacked with its sisters up to eight boats high on the decks of large schooners, thus reducing storage space.

Dories were very seaworthy and became more stable when loaded with a large catch of fish.

Spring Parade on the East Coast Trail

For a close encounter with an iceberg click here.

At Rest in Brigus South

A peaceful scene in Brigus South invites the visitor to this ancient fishing settlement located in a small cove between Tors Cove and Cape Broyle on the Southern Shore. Because of the northern cod moratorium in 1992, fishermen in this community rely on other types of sea creatures to make a living, mostly crab and scallops.

Little House on the Bay

St. Peter and St.Paul Church, Bay Bulls

The Roman Catholic church of St. Peter and St. Paul in Bay Bulls was built in 1890.
At the gates of the church, serving as pedestals for statues, stand several of the cannons used in the engagements with the French in the 1700's.

After the Split

A loud thunderous report was followed by a crash of ice as the top of this berg tumbled into the sea .

Pouch Cove Skiff

Detail of a Berg

Margaret's Iceberg

Iceberg Alley

Today, the sun finally warmed the land and I soon forgot the last two weeks of cold miserable fog encrusted weather. The steady parade of icebergs along the coast meant that every cove and inlet would have their very own icy attractions and I set out to capture some of their beauty. This berg was photographed near the village of Flat Rock on the "Killick Coast".

What Lies Below

The translucent green of this iceberg provokes questions. I prefer to dwell on the intrinsic optical properties of ice rather than impurities.

Judge Trahey's Place

Tulip Abstract

Another Cool Sculpture

"Icebergs are an enormous tourist attraction, and Newfoundland and Labrador is the best place in the world to view them. Visitors can get safely near them on a guided sea kayak tour, a scheduled boat tour, or by simply standing on the shoreline. And, with the April arrival of our millions of seabirds and the late-June arrival of the world’s largest population of humpback whales, the coastline of Newfoundland and Labrador will be alive with nature on a very grand scale during the 2008 season! Cameras are a must!" - Easier Travel

Quidi Vidi Iceberg

Satellite images show five hundred or so icebergs in iceberg alley ready to pass near our headlands and bays. These are the first to reach the Avalon peninsula. This year will be a "large" year for bergs.

Great Big Sea

The Newfoundland coastline near Portugal Cove South offers a strong visual connection between sea and rock.

Return of the Butterfly

Black Duck

Autumn Aster

This autumn aster was the last remaining flower in my garden before winter rushed in covering all in its frigid white blanket. Old man Winter still refuses to let go but I still have the memories of summer flowers and the promise of Spring brightens my thoughts.

SS Kyle - Harbour Grace

"Tall are the tales that fishermen tell when summer's work is done,
Of fish they've caught, of birds they've shot, of crazy risks they've run.
But never did a fisherman tell a tale, so tall by a half a mile,
As Grampa Walcott told one night in the Smokeroom of the Kyle."

- Ted Russell

To learn more about the SS Kyle Click here.

A Time Gone By - Cape Spear Lighthouse

Iceberg Ice

Iceberg ice is now "harvested in Newfoundland for bottled water and vodka. These products are readily available in retail stores.

Deer Lake Transportation Circa 1920's

Here is a vintage 1920's photo showing the Deer Lake Powerhouse and some local boys with their goat-drawn wagon.

On the Rocks

A combination of high wind and unseasonable rains in the high country have cleared the snow revealing lichen encrusted glacial erratics.

Lunar Eclipse

Tonight I tried my hand at photographing a lunar eclipse and failed miserably. This image with the earth's shadow beginning to penetrate the bright moon was the only photo that showed any detail. I'll try again in 2010 !

Valentine Tulip

The freezing cold temperatures kept me near home today so I decided to capture some valentine tulips before they fade away.

Tower Sunset

If it looks good - Shoot It ! Today I went ski-dooing with my neighbour, Dave and his brothers. It was a generally dull day and the country looked a bit be-draggled after a recent thaw. Rains had cut down the snow and I was not inspired to photograph the landscape. Just as we were getting back to the truck, nature suddenly staged a grand sunset and I shot these unplanned images.

Fishing Stage and Boat - Tilting

Fishing boat images in Newfoundland have become cliche. Every Tom, Dick and Harry with a camera takes pictures of boats. I, too, am afflicted with this malady and cannot resist photographing a boat moored peacefully near a fishing stage on calm reflective water. The Newfoundland fishing boat is as much a cultural icon as the grain elevator of Saskatchewan.

On the Waterfront - Twillingate

There is something about ancient abandoned buildings that stir feelings of longing or nostalgia within me. I have no connection to these sunlit facades, yet, they speak to me of long ago events, of human tragedy and yes, happy times also.

The Barbour House

This historical heritage home is found in Newtown, Bonavista Bay and was originally built for Captain Benjamin Barbour and his family of nine sons and two daughters in 1875.

Although Benjamin Barbour himself was not involved in the sealing industry, the rest of his family were involved. Fourteen of the descendants of Benjamin Barbour became captains and ten of those were sealing captains. The Barbours were considered one of the most prominent sealing families in Bonavista Bay.

The Barbour Home is typical of the larger merchant houses built in many Newfoundland communities in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The interior also has 32 rooms including 12 bedrooms, two dining rooms, one upstairs parlour and two kitchens.

The house was owned for a number of years by Benjamin Barbour's grandson, the late Captain Carl Barbour, who used it primarily as a summer home.

The Heritage Trust currently uses the house as a museum, preserving many of the artifacts and furniture for visitors to see, although the Barbour family still have access to the home for their own use.

Sleepy Cove Mine

Little is known about the Sleepy Cove copper mine but today's visitor can still find remnants of the abandoned mining equipment scattered about green meadows near the village of Crow Head on Twillingate Island. The mine was staked in the early 1900's. Of the three ships that arrived to remove the ore, one carried 560 tons to an unknown destination, the second abandoned loading when high winds drove it on the rocks and the third took ore to New York where it remained unclaimed. The mine closed in 1917, having been a bust !

Another Time

This old merchant's premises in Morton's Harbour echoes with the ghosts of another era. Looking through the shattered windows I could see oil lanterns, flat irons, fish tubs and myriad other sundry items, including the remains of a horse drawn sleigh tucked away in a far corner.

High and Dry

"In the late spring 'trapmen' would be busy in their 'store lofts' mending the nets....it was an area where cod traps, trawls and other fishing equipment were stored in winter, and where dry fish was stored during the curing process in late summer and early fall. The loft usually cantained a small stove for warmth."

Waiting for Spring

Trinity Two Summers Ago