20 September 2019, Friday

Today is yet another perfect September day. Bonavista and Elliston are only about 10 minutes apart by car and Dungeon Provincial Park is in between the two so we must stop to see it. The dungeon was formed when the roof of sea caves collapsed leaving an enclosed area with two arches communicating with the sea. Watching the wave action in the sunshine is mesmerizing.

Next we drive to Elliston to a memorial for sealers lost in the 1914 sealing disasters. Here, also, the coastline is beautiful. O and I sit in the warm sunshine for a couple of hours contemplating the sea. 

We then visit a shop selling Newfoundland souvenirs and jams. One of the men in the shop is the descendant of a long line of jam makers. In his thick Newfoundland accent he tells how his “nan” (grandmother) taught him not to pick the partridge berries until after the first frost when they attain a darker color and develop an adequate amount of natural sugar and pectin. Only then are they truly ripe and ready for jam making.

Now it is time to check into Meems B&B. Our host suggests we visit nearby Spillar’s Cove. We have a bit of time before we must walk over to Cod Wars, the first event in the Roots, Rants and Roars Festival, so we drive over to the headland. There is not enough time to walk around the whole area, but the first section of coastline we see is carved into an intricate pattern of sea stacks. Another spectacular view! We return to the B&B, park Vincent, check the contents of our day packs for extra warm layers, and walk over to the municipal park where the Festival begins.

Check in is easy. We enter at 6 pm. There is an “appetizer” booth and a table at which a drink made of seaweed gin and kombucha is being served. O and I share a cup. It’s pretty good! The first band playing is Slaney and Sullivan, two men who sing traditional Newfoundland tunes. The venue is pleasantly uncrowded – there are plenty of people, but lots of room. Around the park are seven booths in which top chefs from Newfoundland, other Canadian provinces, and the US offer their cod delicacies. They are all delicious. We especially enjoy a risotto with cod filling and a crispy crumb crust, and another offering by a forager chef who has added in mushrooms, partridge berries and greens foraged and fresh picked today. The ultimate winner is Tak Ishiwata, a chef from nearby St. John’s who has made a savoury cod pancake with a whipped cream topping. 

After the King of the Cod has been crowned, O and I leave the festivities and walk back to the B&B. We’ve been told to check our email early tomorrow morning for info about the hike portion of the festival. The forecast is for rain and winds of about 100 km/hr, so the “hike” may be confined to the park where tents are available for shelter.