DESTINATION
Exploring Nothing
Story and Photos by Martin Lortz
“I bet it didn’t look much different when Sir Humphrey landed in 1583.”
The secrets of SANDBANKS PROVINCIAL PARK, Newfoundland
WHEN MAKING THE TURN OFF the Trans- Canada Highway towards Burgeo, the pic- turesque village on the southwest tip of Newfoundland and the gateway to Sand- banks Provincial Park, the sign reads, “Fill your gas tank.” Heed the warning; the next pump is at the end of the road, and between you and it lays 150 kilometres of nothing; but nothing has never looked so good. You can’t help being overtaken by a sense
of adventure as you make the turn down that long lonely road toward Sandbanks Provincial Park. The tunnel of trees lining the road gives way to green tundra-cov- ered hills that roll off into the distance in a cascade of stacked ridges fading to grey; boulder-strewn river beds dip beneath the road and smooth dark-water ponds beg for the graceful arc of a fly-tipped line. It’s a long drive to a park with only 25 camping sites that does not accept res- ervations. However being more than two hours off the beaten path, there are typi- cally sites available, except during the an- nual Sand and Sea Festival always held the last weekend of July. This celebration of lo-
8 FAMILY CAMPING
cal music and culture brings revellers from far and near to partake in outdoor dances, a local food fair, games for young and not so young and of course the constant beat of East Coast music. There has been plenty of dancing on the beaches of Sandbanks over the centuries. Archeological evidence on Sandbanks Is- land indicates that the Dorset Eskimo were the first inhabitants in the area. Next to
waters for their fishing boats. The first impression upon arriving at Sandbanks Provincial Park is, WOW! Seven kilometres of white sand beach left behind by glacier deposits stretches as far as you can see. A wall of sand dunes frames the beach and the whole fragile structure is bound together by a thick carpet of dune grass and beach pea swaying in the breeze. Lapping at the sand is an expanse of wa-
Swimming in the Atlantic at the latitude of James Bay and climate of southern Siberia is a deed reserved for the bravest—those 14 and under
visit was Sir Humphrey in 1583 and by 1628 the Portuguese were fishing the waters off the “Virgio Island.” The Anglican popula- tion arrived from England in the late 1700s and settled on the ground which is now Sandbanks Provincial Park. Later the settle- ment was moved to the site now known as Burgeo, to take advantage of the sheltered
ter so blue it begs you to a swim. It is a landscape from a land much, much farther south, perhaps North Carolina, except that your ankles go numb before your knees get wet. After all this is the Atlantic Ocean and you are swimming at the latitude of James Bay with a local climate resembling south- ern Siberia. You have to be a brave soul to
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60