If only we had Known

We left Gateway to the North RV Park this morning close to 10 a.m. and continued our journey west. Google maps told us it was going to be a 3 ½ hour drive to our destination, so I packed lunch for us. Our Garmin GPS told us we would arrive in 2 ½ hours and everyone we spoke to said it was definitely going to take us 3 1/2 to 4 hours. We came to a complete full stop twice for road construction and in spite of that arrived a few minutes before 1 p.m. 

 As we approached the area, we saw several signs for wind warnings. This area can be prone to high winds, so we will drive carefully from here to the ferry terminal when we leave on Saturday. Today, it was fine and I am keeping my fingers crossed and saying a few prayers that it will be fine on Saturday too.

The park is beautiful – probably the nicest park we have ever stayed in anywhere in Canada. A 10 acre portion of the property was originally owned by the Downey Family, local residents. They had a cottage on this property and in 1965, were visited by the M.H.A. Hon. W.J. Keough and the subject of a Provincial Park arose.  Mr. Bert Downey asked how soon they could see such a facility and when Mr. Keough told him land was a problem, Mr Downey offered to donate 10 acres of his property.  On March 30^th, 1966, the Newfoundland Government paid $1.00 to Mr. Downey, and the property was developed and maintained as a Provincial Park.

The park continued to be developed and expanded until Spring 1997 when, the Newfoundland government made a decision to privatize a number of Provincial Parks. At this time, an agreement was made with Mr. Downey and his family that due to the circumstances surrounding the origin of this park, he and his family were given the opportunity to enter the privatization process. The park is now operated by Dennis and Alice (Downey) Keeping.

 

The area is absolutely stunning. I only we had known how lovely it is and how nice the park is, we would have come here earlier and stayed fewer days in Deer Lake. Our site is long, gravel and level. It is a back-in and on our door side is a huge grassy area with a picnic table and firepit. The park provides free firewood, free good wi-fi, a payphone a craft shop, bathroom and shower facilities and a Laundromat with 3 washers and 3 dryers. The park backs onto the Condroy River, which is lovely and clean and much bigger than we expected.

 

 

After arriving at the park, we went for a drive to the Anguille Lighthouse. I continue to be in awe at the flowers that grow wild here – fields of them everywhere. We once again enjoyed the beauty of this province with mountains on one side and water on the other.

We considered sitting outside and making a fire tonight, but decided to stay in and watch Republic of Doyle (our new favourite show, filmed in Newfoundland). This was just as well as I have 5 pretty bad bites on my neck from the black flies here. They are teeny tiny things, but their bite draws blood and I seem to be having a bad reaction to the bites, which swell up to the size of a quarter and itch like crazy.