Day 1: Arrive and meet your Newfoundland hosts
Day 2: Today we pay a visit to the continent's largest puffin colony and view tens of thousands of Murres, Puffins, Gulls, and Kittiwakes. Learn about these different, colourful seabirds and provide an estimate of their numbers any way you can. These population estimates are an important indicator of the health of the world's ocean. This is the world's second largest Storm Petrel colony and the continents second largest Murre colony. We will see tens of thousands of seabirds with their eggs and/or chicks but since the Petrels are nocturnal they may elude us. Numerous Pelagic seabirds such as Shearwaters and Skuas also frequent the area. Icebergs, whales, and seals are also on the list of things to look for. On our way back to town we visit the continent's most easterly point at Cape Spear National Historic Park. The lighthouse was built in 1836, making it the oldest and most photogenic lighthouse in Newfoundland. We look for whales, wander through the World War II gun batteries, and learn about the lighthouses and maritime adventures of earlier times before returning to St. John’s.
Day 3: Today we travel to the archaeological site at Ferryland (Colony of Avalon) where we learn the story of the first Lord Baltimore and the New World’s early colonists. From 1504 onwards, various fishing captains and even pirates - known as privateers in those days - made use of Ferryland Harbour. Here we learn about archaeological methods and learn about the food and medicines of the 17th century. We continue south looking at lighthouses and searching for members of the world's most southerly caribou herd. We pass near a Tern colony, the Mayflower’s first New World landfall, the air field of Amelia Earhart, and the wireless station that received the Titanic’s distress signal before returning to St. John’s late in the afternoon.
Day 4: Visit and learn about a salmon restoration project (fish ladder, counting trap) on the way to one of the world's most spectacular seabird colonies at Cape St. Mary's. With safety the overriding concern we view Gannets, Common Murres, Razorbills, and Kittiwakes. This site is the continent's third-largest Gannet colony and is home to the world's most southerly breeding thick-billed Murres. We get great views of these seabirds with their eggs and/or chicks. The high sea cliffs serve as a perfect viewpoint to watch the whales cavort around their northern coastal feeding grounds. The driving on this day takes us through some beautiful fishing communities but takes about 4 hours so host teachers often include a whale and fisheries workshop on the bus that reviews local fishing methods. We look out the window at the fishing gear in the communities as we ponder the ocean. Look for moose and caribou on our way back and forth between Cape St. Mary’s and our host school.
Day 5: This morning we visit the Geo Centre and learn about the ages of the earth. Next we travel to the top of Signal Hill to view erratic boulders plus a small geological fault, and to immerse ourselves in the hill’s history of battles, aviation milestones, and communications breakthroughs. We take a group photo on top of Cabot Tower, Newfoundland’s most famous landmark before travelling to Memorial University’s Botanical Garden and following the journey a river takes to the sea. We begin by eexploring the Garden’s woodland trails with their butterflies and wildflowers before going underwater at North America's only Fluvarium. Here we get an underwater view of the life of a river...without getting wet. We follow this river to the ocean in the fishing village of Quidi Vidi near St. John's. Here we view the estuary where the river meets the sea, view a fish ladder, and learn about the salmon, trout, and other animals that move back and forth between freshwater and the ocean before returning to our host school and families.
Day 6: We spend the morning at The Rooms, (The Newfoundland and Labrador Museum) reviewing the prehistory, history, and ecology of eastern Newfoundland. The afternoon we focus on fun. Provided parents have signed permission slips prior to their arrival in Newfoundland students can choose between rock climbing, sea kayaking, and coastal hiking or they can select something less strenuous like shopping or bowling.
Day 7: Depart for home with memories of a dramatic destination and new friendships.
Submitted by shawnstratton on Sat, 2006-04-01 21:44.