St. John's NL Day 5

  August 2026 - St. John's NL

Day 1 LINK

Day 2 

Day 3

Day 4

Aug 24 Monday

Overlooking the harbour is not "scenic", however, it is fascinating, watching the constant action.

The Port of St. John's handles about 4,500 tonnes of total cargo each day on average based on annual volumes of roughly 1.6 million tonnes per year.

 Regular administrative and marine operations for the St. John's Port Authority run from 08:00 to 16:00, while port security and marine monitoring operate 24/7.

Piers 9, 10, and 11 stay active daily with vessel servicing, mechanical work, welding, and crane operations.

The port moves a mix of general cargo, liquid bulk (such as petroleum products), and dry bulk

This was the best peameal I've ever had!

The air conditioner (511) has finally beaten us, and we asked if it could be looked at, instead they said they would move us this afternoon when we got back. We got ourselves packed up before headed out. 

We were picked up by Patrick O'Brien, for the 30 minute ride to Bay Bulls. Yes, it has been called Bay of Bulls and Bulls Bay in the past, but they like Bay Bulls.

10:30 - 2:30

Today begins with a drive along the Southern Shore to visit the historic Irish outport community of Bay Bulls. Here we take a ride with O'Brien's Boat Tours out to the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve Bird Islands, home to millions of Atlantic Puffins, Murres and Kittiwakes in the spring and summer. Keep a sharp eye for whales that frequent this bay in great numbers. Multiple sightings are considerable and frequently enjoyed in this plankton rich marine environment. 

Nope, I had no idea what ugly sticks are! 

An ugly stick is a traditional, homemade Newfoundland percussion instrument crafted from household items and recycled materials.It is widely used in traditional folk music, kitchen parties, and mummers' festivals.

Anatomy of an Ugly Stick

The Body: A long wooden pole, usually a recycled mop or broom handle.

The Head: A boot or old shoe attached to the bottom, which is stomped on the floor to create a deep bass thud.

The Face: A decorated top section, often featuring a painted face, an old hat, yarn hair, or a wig.

The Noisemakers: Felt beer bottle caps, tin cans, bells, and metal washers nailed loosely along the body.

This colourful statue of a mermaid tells the tale of local folklore in Bay Bulls, where stories of these tantalizing mythical figures have been reported by fishermen and seafarers for over 500 years.

Gull Island, located within Newfoundland's famed Witless Bay Ecological Reserve, is a major breeding sanctuary that teems with millions of seabirds during the late spring and summer months.

The primary bird species inhabiting the island include:

Atlantic Puffins: Gull Island hosts a significant portion of North America's largest Atlantic Puffin colony. These colorful "parrots of the sea" burrow into the steep, grassy slopes to raise their young.

Leach's Storm-Petrels: The island supports part of the second-largest Leach's Storm-Petrel colony in the world. These small, nocturnal birds nest in underground burrows deep within the island's wooded areas.

Common Murres: Resembling small penguins in their tuxedo-like coloring, thousands of these birds crowd onto the steep rock faces to lay their distinctive, triangular eggs directly on the ledges.

Black-legged Kittiwakes: A species of small gull that builds muddy nests on the sheerest cliff edges of the island.

The mass gathering of these birds directly coincides with the summer capelin spawning season, providing an abundant food supply for the massive colonies.

A group of puffins can be called several unique names, depending on whether they are on the water, on land, or flying:

A colony: The most common term for a large gathering on land.

A raft: Specifically used when they are floating together at sea.

A burrow: Used to describe a small nesting group on land.

A circus: A playful term for a group of puffins gathered on land.

A pod: Another common term used for a gathering of puffins.

A wheel: Specifically describes a group of puffins flying in circles above their colony.

Unlike most seabirds that build nests out of twigs on tree branches, Atlantic puffins are underground nesters.

They dig into the soil of steep grassy cliffs or rocky slopes.

Use their heavy, colorful bills to scoop dirt and webbed feet to shovel it out.

Tunnels typically span 2 to 3 feet deep into the earth.

Built with a downward slope or curve to block harsh wind and rain.

Nest Chamber

Situated safely at the very end of the burrow tunnel.

Bedding: Lined lightly with dried grass, moss, and feathers to keep the egg dry.

Toilet: Have a designated bathroom area in the tunnel curve away from the clean nest.

Common Murres do not build nests at all; they lay their single egg directly on bare, narrow rock ledges.

Because they choose steep ocean cliffs to stay safe from land predators, their relationship with the rocks involves unique adaptations.

Their eggs are highly pyriform (pear-shaped). If bumped, this extreme triangular shape causes the egg to spin in a tight circle like a top rather than rolling off the rocky cliff edge into the ocean.

They are among the densest nesting birds in the world. They pack together tightly on flat stony surfaces, standing shoulder-to-shoulder to help keep the eggs warm and visually deter raiding gulls.

While they do not use twigs or grass, adults sometimes push small pebbles around the egg. Over time, accumulated guano (bird droppings) dries up on the rock ledge, effectively cementing the pebbles and creating a slight ridge that helps keep the egg from slipping.

An ocean sunfish (Mola mola) basking on its side near the choppy water's surface, displaying its characteristic truncated body shape and large dorsal fin. 

Ocean sunfish (Mola mola or related Molidae), recognized as among the heaviest known bony fish in the world.

Frequently seen floating or "sunbathing" flat at the surface, which researchers believe helps them warm up after deep, cold-water foraging dives.

In green, Zack, another O'Brien, his brother, Noah, was also working on board. Zack was a real showman, he did a great job with his knowledge and jokes.

Getting "screeched-in" in St. John's is a fun initiation ritual that makes you an honorary Newfoundlander. Some passengers chose to pay for this rite.

We were screeched in, in 2022.

Back in the van, Patrick offered to drop anyone anywhere in the downtown area. We chose to go back to the hotel and get our new room. 

Settled, we decided we were a little peckish.

Yellowbelly's, we had eaten here in 2022.

Fries, dressing (stuffing) and gravy and cod bites. Yummy!

Fortified we went strolling.

City Hall.

 0 KM marker in St. John's, represents the official eastern origin point of the Trans-Canada Highway. It marks the starting line of a massive road network that spans 7,811 kilometres all the way across the country to its western terminus in Victoria, British Columbia.

Starting on Highway 1 in Newfoundland, it takes travellers 905 km across the island to the Port aux Basques ferry before continuing through Canada's other nine provinces.

We did this in 2022.

Thunder Bay gets special mention with Terry Fox.

 

Erected by the Newfoundland and Labrador Head Tax Redress Organization, this monument marks the exact location of the city’s first Chinese hand laundry from 1895. It serves as a reminder of the discriminatory $300 head tax imposed on Chinese immigrants by the Newfoundland government in 1906.

Originally built in 1918 as a silent movie theatre, it stands today as a vibrant municipal heritage site featuring a unique flatiron, triangular architecture with a Romanesque Revival end tower.

We relaxed for the rest of the day.