
Greenspond Hiking Trail

Let me introduce myself: I'm Janet Davis, an artist and entrepreneur living and working on the North side of Bonavista Bay, on the island of Newfoundland in Eastern Canada. There are many challenges to running a business here in my small rural hometown, and there are many wonderful benefits too. This blog is where I share some of those challenges and triumphs, and share what it's like to live in this part of the world.
Yesterday, we visited the Greenpond walking trail in search of a beached whale that a visitor told me about. We found it in Cannister Cove, just beyond the point of the trail where you can choose between going all the way around the island, or walking back to the beginning via the middle of the island.
A humpback whale, belly up. We estimate that the whale is about 30 feet long with a tail about 5-6 feet wide. The smell while I took this picture was sickening as the wind was coming directly towards me. I could hardly smell a thing in the second picture.
Does anyone know why a whale would beach itself in this manner? Was it still alive when it came in? Or did the sea bring it here? Someone asked me today if this happens very often- I don’t think so.
This is the first time I’ve ever seen it. And Duke only saw one before, I think, when he was very young.
On a more positive note, there were lots of feeding whales at the beginning of the trail, blowing and rolling. Every sighting is thrilling, no matter how many times I see it!
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Paul Kirby’s 2009 Christmas Card |
Iceberg count: nary a one
Our instructor for summer art classes made drew this from a photo he took off Greenspond in the summer of 2009. He makes small paintings each year and has cards printed for his personal Christmas mailing list.
Thanks for sending me one, Paul!
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Paul Kirby’s Tin Art | Icebergs are $20 each + HST |
Iceberg count: Zip. But I can smell them coming. There’s a freshness in the air since last night that makes me think that the icebergs are lurking in the fog out there.
These little icebergs came down from Ontario today. Paul Kirby makes them, and Paul has to live in Ontario all winter. So while he’s dreaming of coming back to Greenspond for the summer and fall, he makes images indicative of Newfoundland. Those Kirbys from ‘pond are a wonderful artsy crowd, and I get the pleasure of having most of them visit my shop every year. Paul will be teaching our Tuesday morning art class this summer- check out the classes & workshops page for info. I’m looking forward to being his student again. Last summer we had a lovely group that had lots of fun in the loft, following Paul’s lead.