14 September 2019, Saturday
We have hopes today of walking far enough along the Spout Trail (another section of the ECT) to see the spout from afar. Spouts occur when waves push water up through gaps or holes in cliffs producing a geyser-like effect. Unfortunately, our trail guidebook fails to mention that there is a 6 km hike along an ATV trail just to access the East Coast Trail at this point. (I did discover later that the book mentions the ATV road, but only in the description of the preceding hike.) After 3 km of walking along the rocky and deeply puddled ATV road, O and I turn around.
As an alternative explore, we drive along the coast up towards Cape Spear, the easternmost point of North America. Along the way we pass through the very scenic little village of Maddox. Once at Cape Spear we walk up to the restored historic lighthouse. Lightkeepers were well-paid and paid in cash unlike most workers of the day who were paid in bartered goods. In modern day dollars their 1839 salary would have been about $70,000. Of course it was a 24 hr/day, 365 day/year undertaking.
The views from the cliffs at Cape Spear are stunning. Earlier in the summer whales and icebergs can sometimes be seen from the point.
After Cape Spear we head for the Bannerman Brewing Co. which occupies a repurposed firehouse. Here O requests a “romantic table for two” of the young man who is the host. Our host draws a little heart next to our name on the waiting list. We compliment him on his tee shirt,. It’s black and has a little logo on the upper left front that says “I’m not 65, I’m 18 with 47 years experience.” O and I ask where he got the shirt, to which he replies, “I bought it in a local thrift shop.”
We are soon seated outdoors on the deck at a picnic table in between two other couples. The brewery calls this community seating. It allows people to get to know each other. It’s a very nice arrangement, especially as one of the other couples provides lots of information on where to hike and where to get more information about the ECT. Apparently there is an East Coast Trail Association which has an on-line site and also provides maps. Donations help support trail upkeep. O and I will certainly be better prepared for these hikes next year!