Jenne and Marcel's Travels: Rose Blanche - possibly the last granite lighthouse in NA

We got up around 8 AM. I did not have a good night’s sleep as those bites on my neck were itchy and bothered me all night long. First thing I did when I got out of bed this morning was look or the anti-itch cream, to see if it would give me some relief.

Table Mountains

We had breakfast and left around 10: AM for Port Aux Basques to see how long the drive would take on Saturday and where to go for the ferry terminal. The drive took about 25-30minutes and the Trans Canada Hiway ends at the ferry – so we can’t possibly take a wrong turn. The drive was, once again, very picturesque, passing the Table Mountains.

I have included lots of photos today, because I took lots and just had to share more than usual.


Driving to Rose Blanche


A waterfall on our way to Rose Blanche Lighthouse

A view of the town of Rose Blanche from the lighthouse


A view of the Atlantic from the Rose Blanch Lighthouse

Walking up to the lighthouse

Our destination today was Rose Blanche - originally called Roche Blanche for the white stones seen by French sailors from the sea. At the point of this town, overlooking the Cabot Strait, stands what may be the only restored granite lighthouse in Atlantic Canada. It was originally built in 1873 and was named after the engineers, who were the father and uncle of Robert Louis Stevenson. There were 6 keeps over the approximately 70 years of the lighthouse’s existence.

After it was abandoned, the building fell into ruins. Reconstruction began in 1996 and was completed and furnished with 19^th century reproduced furniture and local antiques. On the main floor was a kitchen/eating area with a pot bellied stove, a pantry and an office/den. On the second floor were three bedrooms, which were surprisingly spacious. The lighthouse also houses stone steps within the tower walls, which kept the tower from collapsing after it was abandoned.

After our tour of the lighthouse, we stopped in the village of Rose Blanche for lunch at the Fisherman’s Friend restaurant.

From here we drove to Burnt Islands, a typical fishing village and then to Isle au Morts. Almost every house we passed was decorated with plastic triangular flag banners. We stopped a local to ask why and were told it is a “welcome home” event, that lasts about a week and this was the week. It was inspiring to see so many townspeople involved in this event. This town is also the burial place of Newfoundland heroine – Ann Harvey – who in 1828 saved 168 passengers and crew of the British brig Despatch. The ship was carrying carried 200 Irish immigrants and crew and became shipwrecked on the rocks of Isles aux Morts during a violent storm. She, her father George, 12 year old brother and Newfoundland dog spent 3 days rescuing the survivors. George and Ann, by then 27, came to the rescue a second time in 1838 when the Scottish merchant ship Rankin was shipwrecked. The Harveys rescued all 32 crew members.

Before returning to our campground, we stopped for gas, groceries and a driving tour of Port Aux Basques Today’s drive was once again breathtakingly beautiful and much of it was along the shore line.