My cousins running the Quest have made it through another day. 14 Teams scratched and now they have a 16 hour lay over at a Check Point in Quebec. Early tomorrow morning they make the rush for home.

Day 3 of Cains Quest. 12 Teams scratched and it must be quite the ordeal now on the Teams and Machines. Team 39 had trouble with a Suspension Bolt earlier in the morning which cost them time but are now racing towards Nain. Go Cousins Go !

Today is the start of Cains Quest. Canada's longest Snowmobile Endurance Race and I will be tracking it all the way. My Cousin Coreen Paul is competing along with her Husband Jason. For more on Cains Quest,check out the Website.

Lanier Phillips, survivor of 1942 disaster, dies at 88

 Newfoundland rescue opened horizons, inspired civil rights activism

Lanier Phillips, a black U.S. serviceman who has credited his 1942 rescue off Newfoundland as transforming his life and igniting a passion for civil rights, died Monday. He was 88. More click here. >>>

Winds gusting up to 160 KPH again today in the Wreckhouse and of course someone has to try and run the Gauntlet. This guy would of made it if he could of drove several more hundred yards but his luck ran out. Rumor has it that he was warned but shrugged off the warning.

A bit bored this afternoon and decided to put a little Video together.

The Report from Manitoba Hydro International (MHI) on Muskrats Falls has been released. It says that it's least-cost option of the two alternatives reviewed (  with the assumptions provided by Nalcor.) For the ordinary little guy like myself who can only assume that it's going ahead even if those assumptions by Nalcor are right or wrong.

MHI Report here >>  The Report from Manitoba Hydro International (MHI)

Moose cull ends in Newfoundland national parks

Moose Gros Morne Park

 

CBC News::::This is the last day hunters can legally shoot moose in two national parks in Newfoundland.
Permits were issued for more than 400 moose in Gros Morne and Terra Nova.
Parks Canada says it hopes letting hunters into the parks will help prevent hungry moose from turning forests into fields.
"We're losing forests progressively, year by year," Tom Knight of Parks Canada said.
"As insects or fire disturb the forests, when the forests start to regrow underneath that, moose browsing is preventing it from regenerating." Click here for the rest of the Article.

Happy New Year.

A few photos from a little walk today in the Wreckhouse. It's the calm before the Storm again. Within hours from now the winds wil be gusting over 100 KPH there.

I got out around for a walk today and captured a few shots around the Community. I decided to make a small Video for those who couldn't make it back to Cape Ray for Christmas.

Another step in the right direction....

Environment Canada redraws weather map for southwest coast

 Brodie Thomas: The Gulf News

Almost two years after The Port aux Basques town council called for it, Environment Canada is re-drawing the lines on its weather forecast map to group Wreckhouse in the same region as Port aux Basques.

Previously, Port aux Basques was grouped in with Burgeo, while Wreckhouse and the Codroy Valley fell under Bay St. George’s coverage area.
For a time, this meant people checking the forecast for Port aux Basques would not necessarily receive notice of high winds in the Wreckhouse area.
Port aux Basques town council found this misleading and wrote to Environment Canada, asking them to redraw the lines in December of 2009. At the time, a spokesperson said council’s request was timely because the divisions were up for review.
Under the new rezoning, a forecast area known as Port aux Basques and Vicinity will take in the entire Codroy Valley and the Granite Coast as far as Harbour Le Cou.
Another area called Burgeo-Ramea, will take in the south coast from La Poile to Francois and stretch north to cover the Burgeo Highway.
The Connaigre Peninsula now has it’s own forecast region. It was once grouped in with Ramea, Francois and Grey River.
According to a press release from Environment Canada, the rezoning adds eight unique zones to the entire province. Other changes include the addition of more forecast zones on the Avalon Peninsula, along the Labrador coast, and along the entire Labrador highway.
Dale Foote, program supervisor at the Newfoundland and Labrador Weather Office in Gander, said these changes were made to address concerns form the general public on the past model.
“People were concerned about not having Wreckhouse and Port aux Basques in the same region,” he said.
He said they also changed the name of the St. George’s forecast region to Bay St. George based on feedback from people in that area.

 

For those wondering why I have not Blogged in a while. I had a Heart Attack on November 6-2011 and spent 20 days in the Hospital at Port Aux Basques and The Health Science Center in St. Johns.Feeling great now! They let our Puppy drop by and visit me in the Hospital. (photo above)

Moose Fencing nearing completion in the Gallants area.
Shot a few pics of the Moose Fencing in that area yesterday.
News Article: Georgian.

A provincial pilot program testing the effectiveness of wildlife fencing and warning systems in reducing the number of moose-vehicle collisions on provincial highways will place the fencing along the Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) in western Newfoundland.

A total of 15 kilometres of fencing is expected to go up. According to a provincial government tender, it will be installed on the TCH in the area adjacent to Gallants and Black Duck Siding.

At the same time, a wildlife detection and warning system will be installed on the TCH east of the Salmonier Line interchange More,click here>>>>>

My Granddaughter posing by the Fence to show the height of it.

My Moose this Season.

I wonder if this is just a waste of money to please a certain Group rather then explore other options?

Moose detection system up and running.

The province's first moose detector system is up and running along a short section of the Trans-Canada Highway west of St. John’s.
The pilot project, including flashing lights that warn drivers if a moose is in the area, covers 1.5 kilometres east of the Salmonier Line interchange. More,Click here >>>>

A Webcam.

Thought I would share this today.
A new webcam installed on top of Kala Patthar, at the height of 5,600 meters (3.480 miles), will now allow anyone with a PC of high resolution to watch live images of the world's tallest peak Mount Everest. This is the first webcam installed at the vicinity. The image is updated every few minutes, and one can also see the movements of clouds around the mountain.

The camera has been installed by Italian and Nepalese technicians coordinated by Cabbage Giampietro. The Mount Everest webcam was installed under the 2011 Share Everest expedition to restore the world's highest weather station.

Our Sunset last Night.

Just another small Video of a hike we had.

Another Hike,another Video.

A long Tme ago

A recent ATV  Trip up a small Stream to look back at the Past.

Short Video of a Canoe Trip on August 13-2011.

A short Video of a little excursion around Port au Port this past weekend.

 Late this afternoon my Wife and I went for a walk near our community. We ran across a Coyote and I witnessed it killing a Squirrel. The Coyote showed no fear and I snapped a series of photos. A few of the photos here.

Jenny,Phillip and some Honey Bees

Been wondering a few times how hard it would be for me to have a Honey Bee Hive in my Garden. Ran across this from a couple in St. Johns and they show the start up costs of a Bee operation.I think I'll continue to buy my Newfoundland Honey each time I drive through Deer Lake.

Interesting Blog about Newfoundland Honey Bees called "Mud Songs." CLICK HERE.

Dust in the Wind. A walk along the Seashore and a visit to the old Light Keepers final resting place.

Some Thunder Showers today and I try out a soundtrack in a video I shot outside.

We got out early this morning to catch a few Brookies. Enjoyable day.

Finally some Sun and up the Table Mountain we did run !

 

The tragic battlefield loss on July 1, 1916 that ended the dreams of a nation.


"In many ways Newfoundland paid three times for the war. It paid in loss of life, it paid in war debts and it paid in loss of democracy. I don't think you'd find any other part of the British empire or I suppose any other part of the world that would have had to pay such a heavy price for its participation in the war."
(historian John Fitzgerald)

A link here to some interesting reading. Click>

 

If Darrin King,NL Human Resources, Labour and Employment Minister gets his way some of our Provinces best kept secrets will continue to remain secret. From The Gulf News today.

The Gulf News has learned four tourist attractions on the southwest coast have been denied Job Creation Fund dollars to operate this season. At least three will remain closed for the season.

"The Rose Blanche Lighthouse, Burnt Islands Hook and Line Interpretation Centre, Misery Point Fish Livyer’s Station and the Cape Ray Lighthouse were all shut out of funding. Both lighthouses have confirmed they will stay closed, as will the Hook and Line Interpretation Centre"

Years of work and in some cases,decades of work by volunteers,volunteer organizations and investments from the Province seem to be ignored for reasons only the Minister seems to know.


I will be looking forward to how the Minister will spin this story to the public.

Sure wish the weather would change so we could get out and do more of this.

A short walk along the Seashore today,

 A little Boating trip today. I love the ladies voice in the song. Lisa Lavie.

500 Hunting Permits for Gros Morne and Terra Nova.

For a  few years now a moose cull in Gros Morne was talked about. The last survey n 2008 put the Moose population around 5,000 animals. In 2011 a hunt will be allowed there. My friend has tried for a permit there and yesterday we drove through the area. There may be plenty of Moose to hunt there but getting access to the area he's trying might be difficult considering no ATV is allowed to transport the Moose out. I doubt if the number of permits will have much effect in curbing the numbers there. The Photos below are are from yesterday.

   

Winds gusting to 120 KPH again today and still someone does not hear the warnings or worst,Ignores it.
Few pics of Todays mishap.

Randell optimistic she'll get wheelchair accessible van

I have never met the lady in person but have communicated with her on Internet Forums over the years. Hopefully Penny will get her wish.

 

CORNER BROOK — Pennie Randell spends most of her days inside her home working on her computer.
The Corner Brook woman would love to get out, but can’t.
Randell, who is originally from Bide Arm on the Northern Peninsula, has muscular dystrophy.
She’s lived in the city with her sister Marsha Gillingham and her family for 15 years.
Randell’s confined to a wheelchair and that, combined with a permanent ventilator, makes getting out of the house difficult.
In the summer she’ll spend some time outside with her two nieces, but going out in the yard or on the sidewalk are about as far as she can go.
That’s because Randell has no other means of transportation. Trips to the doctor or hospital for appointments have to be arranged by ambulance.
Randell will soon be 48 and last year Marlene Burton, a high school friend, started a campaign to raise money to buy Randell a wheelchair accessible van. More of the story,click here >>>

A quiet Morning

Spent a quiet morning out in the Wreckhouse with my oldest Granddaughter. No winds and the temperature was about 6 degrees.

A bit of fun this past weekend.

Another night out recently enjoying the outdoors. I'll be spending some time Salmon Fishing this summer and hope to do a bit of hunting in the Fall. More Hiking coming soon and today my wife gave me a gift,a new Backpack,

 

I have made many Springtime trips to Gros Morne Park just to capture a few Moose photos such as the one above. Some mornings I have counted as high as 80 Moose along the roadside from the park entrance to Rock Harbor.I do hope when the Cull starts there that only residents of that area get to benefit from extra permits.

Moose cull set for national parks in N.L. 

Moose will soon be killed in two national parks in Newfoundland, with officials saying the population of the animals is destroying forests and habitat for other species.
Parks Canada is expected to outline more details on Wednesday of the cull that will be allowed later this year at Gros Morne National Park in western Newfoundland, and Terra Nova National Park in eastern Newfoundland. News Article,click here. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2011/04/05/moose-cull-parks-canada-406.html

Increased moose licences would threaten industry: outfitters

Newfoundland and Labrador outfitters say an increase in moose-hunting licences would be a major setback for the industry.

Ron Hicks, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Outfitters Association, said he’s heard rumours that the provincial government may increase the number of moose licences available for the 2011 season by 5,000 permits over its current level of 28,220, a move that would threaten provincial outfitters, he said.
“It takes away our most competitive advantage, that is a high success rate, the highest in the world, actually,” he said, adding that residents’ success rate is about 70 per cent and non-residents’ success rate is 85 per cent. “That’s pretty much what draws the non-resident hunter to Newfoundland. Newfoundland is not the easiest place to get to; it’s costly to get here. It’s cumbersome to get here, and that’s the one drawing card that we do have.”
More on the Story, Click here >>>>