Newfoundland anyone?
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Topic: Newfoundland anyone?
Posted By: Richand Cindy
Subject: Newfoundland anyone?
Date Posted: 11 Dec 2017 at 3:13pm
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We are starting our research to do a once in a lifetime trip to Newfoundland. We are planning to go early June to insure we see iceberg alley. We plan on taking the ferry from North Sidney NS to Channel Port Aux Basques (seven hour cruise) and then driving through Gros Morne Park, Twillingate and St Johns and then leaving Placentia for the ferry back to North Sidney (16 hour cruise). Need to research alot more to see how much time it will take to drive and how much time is needed for sightseeing. It looks like a week would be a minimum (not counting getting to and from the ferry which for us is probably 4 days each). It is very desolate and I read it is better to go caravan style with a group in case of emergencies. Anyone want to join us and meet at the ferry? Also does anyone have any information on RVing through Newfoundland and can offer any advice? Thanks ------------- OLD 2017.5 RPOD 180 + 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk NEW: 2018 Passport Elite 23RB + 2017 Ram 1500 Diesel |
Replies:
Posted By: NewfiePodder
Date Posted: 13 Dec 2017 at 12:35pm
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We live in St. John's, NL and have dragged our little pod all over the province - well, at least as far as Corner Brook. I've been lurking here for 4 years, meaning to make a profile and your post convinced me to do so. What would you like to know? ------------- 2015 RP179 2016 Ram Rebel 5.7 
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Posted By: ArenaBlanca
Date Posted: 13 Dec 2017 at 3:05pm
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We went two years ago but in was in a pop-up and not our R-Pod. Our journey took us site seeing through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine before we crossed into New Brunswick and went on to Nova Scotia before going to Newfoundland. We took the ferry from Sidney to Port Aux Basque and stayed at a campground in Doyles. We went on to the KOA in Rocky Harbor just north of Gros Morne Provincial Park. We stayed at a campground in Quirpon before visiting the Viking settlement. That was a real experience. We went about the same time you are planning. We did not make it over to the east side of the island due to time constraints. You have to go back to Deer Lake in order to go east. I was concerned about running into both Canada Day (June 30) and July 4 and not being able to find a campground. A couple of cautions. First, if you use a cell phone, check to see if your plan and phone are compatible. Ours wasn't so we had to upgrade before entering Canada. Second, the standing joke in Canada seems to be, "No potholes over a meter deep." The weather in Newfoundland is not compatible with really smooth roads. Take your time and be prepared. Summertime they do a lot of road repair. We found that it took 5-8 hours to go from Doyles to Rocky Harbor and about the same same from Rocky Harbor to St. Anthony. It sort of depends on how fat you drive, road conditions, construction, and especially, how many pictures you stop to take. Newfoundland is not like anything I ever saw in New Jersey! We got big surprise when we went buy groceries in Rocky Harbor. There are no grocery stores similar to what we were used to between Deer Lake and St. Anthony's. If we were going again (and we may but not next year) we would stock up in Deer Lake. Be careful when buying root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes. You aren't allowed to take them off the island. Not all the campgrounds in Canada have thirty amp power; some are 20 amp, and some are only 15. We only found one day when we felt to A/C would have been helpful. While all the campground we stayed at had water at the site, one of them cautioned that it was pumped directly from the pond and would need to be boiled if we we going to drink it. I can't speak to the ferry ride from Argentia back to Nova Scotia. You should plan on needing reservations. Lastly, a word about Canadians and Newfoundlanders in general. I normally expect to meet friendly helpful people when I travel. These people set a new standard. I have never meet such friendly, helpful people in my life. I'd go back in a hurry. Have a great trip. ------------- Enjoy Life!! |
Posted By: Richand Cindy
Date Posted: 13 Dec 2017 at 4:17pm
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Thanks for the tips ArenaBlanca. For NewfiePodder, this is great to hear from an actual local. We assume from time we would only do Gros Morne then to Twillingate and then to St Johns. Probably too far to go north the the Viking Village. Is that a must see or can we skip it? Also we only like to drive 4 hours a day so how far can we get on our itinerary? Two days to Twillingate? and where can we stay in between (we prefer campgrounds to boondocking). Thanks for your help ------------- OLD 2017.5 RPOD 180 + 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk NEW: 2018 Passport Elite 23RB + 2017 Ram 1500 Diesel |
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 14 Dec 2017 at 8:34am
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I will second AB's statement of no better a group of people up there!
My joke was: Anytime time you ask a question, bring a chair.. You'll be a while! LOL My heritage is from Newfoundland and my sense of humor I found comes from there. Also found I'm a novice when it comes to joking around! I did fit right in up there. Enjoy your trip up there! I will do it again. ------------- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways 2017 Tacoma http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build 2004 F150 My Overlander |
Posted By: NewfiePodder
Date Posted: 14 Dec 2017 at 9:22am
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I haven't gone all the way up the Northern Peninsula; only as far as Rocky Harbor in Gros Morne. In my opinion, it's probably the one part of the province you shouldn't miss. It's around 4.5 hours from the ferry to Rocky Harbor and there's a KOA and also several national campgrounds. We really enjoyed Berry Hill, but it is unserviced. The KOA will be fully serviced. Unfortunately, Rocky Harbor is not on the way from Port Aux Basques to Twillingate, it is North of Deer Lake, so you would need to drive back down to Deer Lake if you want to continue on to Twillingate. So, your day 1 would have a 4.5h drive to Rocky Hr, then a 5.5hr drive on day 2 to Twillingate. Grand Falls or Gander would have some campgrounds to stay at if 5.5h is too long in one run. From Rocky Hr, it's around 3h to Lanse Aux Meadows, where the viking settlement is. Personally, it's not worth the very desolate drive. Maybe someday, but I don't think it's something you NEED to see in the same way Gros Morne is. it is a very nice drive out to Trout River from Rocky Hr, but you will have seen a fair bit of the park simply by driving to Rocky Hr. From Twillingate, it's around a 4.5h drive to St. john's. You would get to St. John's at the end of day 3 of your trip. From St. John's, it is only 2h or less to the Argentia ferry. Book any ferries early. They book up easily and are frequently delayed by weather, albeit this happens less in summer. The Argentia ferry is very expensive, but does save time, especially only driving 4h a day. I think it's around $750 cdn for two people, a vehicle and typical trailer, plus 175 for a cabin. However, it's also not cheap to drive the 900km with a trailer in tow. I haven't done the math to compare both options. Also, if you want to stay at any provincial campgrounds, the booking is done online on the nlcamping.com website and usually books up heavily the first day the sites opens in late April. I usually have several dates written down and I'm sitting at my computer at 8am when the site opens. Plan your fuel stops around central/western NL. On the East coast, there are many more towns with gas stations, but from PAB to Grand Falls, you can go a ways between stations. When travelling over the wreckhouse region, heed any wind warnings. The wind there routinely reaches 100mph and trailers often flip. ------------- 2015 RP179 2016 Ram Rebel 5.7
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Posted By: Richand Cindy
Date Posted: 14 Dec 2017 at 11:24am
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Thanks. This is great information. we know that it will be an expensive trip but I have been saving brochures since the 80's and realized an RV was the best way to go, so we just waited until we got our RV
------------- OLD 2017.5 RPOD 180 + 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk NEW: 2018 Passport Elite 23RB + 2017 Ram 1500 Diesel |
Posted By: NewfiePodder
Date Posted: 14 Dec 2017 at 12:58pm
| The weather here is...unpredictable. It's usually early June before we are 100% certain it will no longer snow. Any snow that comes in May is usually gone in a day or two. However, if we have 15-20ft of snow in a winter, it can be late June before all the snow is gone from all campsites. However, it is pretty unusual for sites not to be accessible by the end of May. Just something to be aware of. |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 14 Dec 2017 at 3:43pm
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We camped in Nova Scotia a few years ago, and loved it. This talk of Newfoundland has me itching for a trip that way again. We have next years plans already. Maybe 2019. I will be looking for trip pictures and stories/ I know it will be great! ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Newfoundpodder
Date Posted: 08 Jun 2018 at 7:30pm
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Just bought a new -second hand rpod 171 here in St. john's. Are you available for informal consults i'e. the scattered question of how stuff works? ------------- Owner of a new used 2010 Rpod 172. |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 08 Jun 2018 at 7:31pm
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That is pretty much what we do:) ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |