Monday 24 June 2024, 290 miles total on Sunday and Monday
Yesterday we rode to North Sydney from Meat Cove, it was a short drive, so we followed a gravel track to see if we could get to Cape North Lighthouse, the gravel track ended so we turn round. We arrived at our hotel in North Sydney in the late afternoon so we could get an early night.
The ferry from North Sydney to Port aux Basques departed at 7.15am, the ferry company said if we weren’t in the queue by 5.15am we wouldn’t be allowed on the boat. This seemed ridiculous for a ferry within the borders of Canada that didn’t require passport control. We did as they asked and sat around in the rain until we boarded the ferry at 6.15am.
The 170 mile ride to Deer Lake on the Trans Canada Highway was easy enough although a bit of boring and at points very wet with heavy rain. The first 100 miles or so were a lonely ride with only small clusters of buildings, as we approached Deer Lake we saw more buildings and evidence of people. We found camping on an RV park, a walk to a local convenience store provided beer and the makings of camp food. The RV park had some good facilities and was cheap enough, $28.00 for all 4 of us and our tents.
Bikes strapped down on the ferry to Port aux Basques, Newfoundland
