I am now in St. Barbe, Newfoundland, waiting for tomorrow morning so I can board the ferry for the hour and a half float across the Strait of St. Lawrence to Quebec Province, then a short drive into Labrador. I am almost there!!
To atch you up on today, the drive here was, again, uneventful . . . in the blowing rain and cold. Yep . . . overnight the weather tanked, starting with foggy drizzle, turning into foggy rain. The temperature started around 42 in Gros Morne, but had dropeed to 38 by the time I reached St. Barbe. There are sections of the TCH that still have snow on the sides of the road, not much mind you, but snow is snow!! And DO . . . I did not stop to make snowmen!! The low tonight is forecast to hit 32 degrees, with 35 mph winds, and a wind chill below freezing. Luckily, this crazy weather is supposed to pass in about 36 hours and then get back to normal . . . which is still cold, but not freezing cold! I am in a B&B in Labrador tomorrow and the following day since Pinware Provencial Park does not officially open until the 3rd . . . and the forecast by then is warmer with less wind.
As for moose and caribou . . . those mythical creatures of Newfoundland . . . again, not a hide nor solitary hair of them to be found. Even though the large flashing road signs today warned of “CARIBOU AHEAD” and the large yellow road signs threatened “MOOSE CROSSING” . . . NOTHING! Yet, in the cold, driving rain, buffeting winds and chill in the air, I understand why no self-respecting moose or caribou would be out and about today. It is just nasty out there! But the beasties best be aware, I will be back from Labrador in five short days, so they had better be ready to rooted out and photographed!!
Water . . . and how we perceive it is very interesting. I seems likde I have been dodging water since I started this trip. I have been soaking wet from rain at times, and at others, made cold and damp by water’s intrusion in my tent. I have waded in it crossing brooks and marshes, showered in it (the cold ones are not any fun!!) and survived on numerous bottles and it. In the past, when I have traveled abroad, either in the Navy or as a tourist, I was very cautious to never brush my teeth with the tab water or have ice made from local water in my drinks or cocktails (same applies to crushed ice in a Margaritta!!) The only place I never worried about the water ouside the U.S. was at our residence in Portugal. There the water came fresh from the local artisian well. Everywhere else the watre was bottled to protect myself from having some new or foreign omeba take up residence in my digestive tract and then raise havoc on my life style.
However, since I started on this trip, I have not really worried about, or even given a second thought, about the water, or more specifically, the quality of the water, I have been using and consuming. Yet, maybe I should . . . starting now! Why? I have been assuming that all of the cities, towns, villages and campgrounds that I have stayed at would be required by some governmental water quality restriction to provide “safe” sources of water. I have seen the signs that clearly state “safe”, “potable” or “drinking” water sources, as well as the “Drink or Use at your own risk” signs. I can also say that I have not had a single issue with “bad” water and you all know what I mean . . . that churning and bubbling in your lower regions that sends you running for the nearest bathroom . . . sometimes for days, possibly longer!!
Please understand, the Motel I am now in is very nice, very clean and obviously up-to-date. Again, I had no initial doubt that the water here would be safe . . . until I ran my bath. The bathtub is huge . . . and I was tempted to have a nice long, hot, steamy, soak. So, I turned on the water and stepped out to get my shaving stuff. Two things occurred when I walked back into the bathroom. First, the tub was steaming, not just simply hot, it was smoking. Had I stepped into that tub, I think my skin would have peeled off! I bet I could have cooked a lobster in that water! (Damn . . . now I want a lobster!) Second . . . note the photo below . . . My bath is supposed to be brown after I wash off . . . not before!
So . . . out of curiousity . . . I ran a glass of water just to see if it was the same color. So . . .
I think I have learned my lesson here. Assumptions can be dangerous. Maybe this should be Rule #4 . . . Make no Assumptions, they can violate Rule #1! There may be nothing wrong biologically with this water, but there is some form of mineral or other contaminate that is causing the discoloration. Mineral water may be good for you, but I am not going to take the chance . . . and maybe, until I get back to the U.S. of A. I will go back to bottled water. I do not want to miss the ferry in the morning due to an intestinal based need to stay cloistered in a bathroom. Too bad I already had water with lunch . . . just hoping it wasn’t tap water!! LOL
What the Walrus said . . . 