Wild Strawberries

We went to Bell Island again by ferry on another lovely day. It is the best value for money that you can get. We go over the “Tickle”, by boat, with our car and K9, all for under $10. There are two ferries in service, MV Flanders and MV Hamel. It is very relaxing to ride on the Flanders as it has a top deck as well. We saw some Whale spouts on the horizon.

“In Newfoundland a tickle refers to a narrow passage of water separating two lands forms.”

The most surprising part of the day was that we saw wild Blue Bells and came upon Wild Strawberries. It is the first time in my life, that I have picked wild Strawberries. We also came upon some wild Roses again. I had to keep the K9 away from the cliffs while my better half was taking pictures. I tried to run through the meadows singing; “The Hills are alive with the sound of music” but had to give it up, the ground wasn’t smooth enough, I would fall into a hole or trip over a snarled grass. I wonder if they had mowed a path for Julie Andrews in “The sound of music”

The cliffs of B.I are red from the Iron Oxide in the earth.

“Bell Island has it’s own geological designation –the Bell Island Group. Geology made this island important with its massive deposits of iron ore.”

We went to Bell Rock on the west side of the island, a sea stack which we had not found the first time we visited, you follow a horse-shoe turn and then a worn cart path. It was a good thing we came with the Jeep, as we had had rain and the gravel road was muddy and full of potholes.

Bell island is becoming a ghost-town, unless they start catering for tourists, as there is no more work, many people retire or are snowbirds (People who live in warmer climates in the winter.)

It is strange to think when you look across Tickle, that German U boats sunk ore carriers during world war 2 and that there are wrecks in the harbor. Apperently once the Bell Island cannons hit Portugal Cove. Dats how we does it in Newfounland.

Bell Island

- The Belle of the Bay

“Bell Island is the largest of several islands in Conception Bay, measuring about 9 km by 3.5 km. Conception Bay is one of many bays around the Avalon Peninsula at the eastern end of the province. It's a 20-minute drive from St. John’s to the ferry terminal at Portugal Cove, then a 20-minute ferry ride to Bell Island.”

Ons het Bell Island besoek op ‘n bewolkte 12 grade C. Die ferrie; M.V. Flanders wat elke 20 minute van Portugal Cove vertrek en 20 minute neem was $4 p.p. retoer. Dit al klaar was die moeite werd om Portugal Cove en Conception Bay van die see af te sien. Ek het die eiland baie platte-lands gevind, die moeiste was om al langs die kus te ry. Die eiland is so 200 ‘ bo seespiël met steil afgronde.

Behalwe vir die ou yster-erts myne, lugtoring, see wrakke ens. het ek die “sea stacks” of “chimneys” die interesantste gevind.

Die dorpie Wabana is ‘n Rooihuid woord wat ” Place where the dawn first shines” meen.

“Because erosion occurs at various rates depending on rock type and wave movement wave-cut platforms can also form sea stacks. These are spectacular coastal landforms are isolated pinnacles that can reach towering heights. They are formed from coastal rock that is more resistant to some surrounding rock. Shoreline that is chiseled away by wave action can end up separated from the mainland causing sea arches, which erode to become sea stacks. Arches and stacks are impermanent formations since continued erosion will eventually wear them down to nothing.”


Die grond naby die lugtoring is onstabiel en ‘n mens word gewaarsku om nie naby aan die afgronde te kom nie. Daar is voëls op die “stacks”.

“Bell Island was the only place in North America to have seen enemy action in World War II. The pier where 80,000 tons of iron ore was stored for shipping was torpedoed by German U-boats in 1942. At low tide you can see the relics of the 4 ships that were sunk.”

Bell Island

The Belle of the Bay

“Bell Island is the largest of several islands in Conception Bay, measuring about 9 km by 3.5 km. Conception Bay is one of many bays around the Avalon Peninsula at the eastern end of the province. It's a 20-minute drive from St. John’s to the ferry terminal at Portugal Cove, then a 20-minute ferry ride to Bell Island.”

Ons het Bell Island besoek op ‘n bewolkte 12 grade C. Die ferrie wat elke 20 minute van Portugal Cove vertrek en 20 minute neem was $4 p.p. retoer. Dit al klaar was die moeite werd om Portugal Cove en Conception Bay van die see af te sien. Ek het die eiland baie platte-lands gevind, die moeiste was om al langs die kus te ry. Die eiland is so 200 ‘ bo seespiël met steil afgronde. Behalwe vir die ou yster-erts myne, lugtoring, see wrakke ens. het ek die “sea stacks” of “chimneys” die interesantste gevind.

Die dorpie Wabana is ‘n Rooihuid woord wat ” Place where the dawn first shines” meen.

“Sea stack” of “chimney” “Because erosion occurs at various rates depending on rock type and wave movement wave-cut platforms can also form sea stacks. These are spectacular coastal landforms are isolated pinnacles that can reach towering heights. They are formed from coastal rock that is more resistant to some surrounding rock. Shoreline that is chiseled away by wave action can end up separated from the mainland causing sea arches, which erode to become sea stacks. Arches and stacks are impermanent formations since continued erosion will eventually wear them down to nothing.”

Die grond naby die lugtoring is onstabiel en ‘n mens word gewaarsku om nie naby aan die afgronde te kom nie. Daar is voëls op die “stacks”.

“Bell Island was the only place in North America to have seen enemy action in World War II. The pier where 80,000 tons of iron ore was stored for shipping was torpedoed by German U-boats in 1942. At low tide you can see the relics of the 4 ships that were sunk.”

Bell Island

We went to Bell Island, fortunately I had done my homework. I expected it to be a tourist Mecca, but I took a map along, it was so rural, we found no tourist shops, There were street names; one Lighthouse Ave. ended at the lighthouse with a warning of “Unstable ground” and a gate, which fortunately led to lovely stacks/chimneys. We saw a few signs to the mine museum. There were no other signs. I have still not found a postcard of Bell Island.