Rolling, Rolling, Rolling, Get that Capelin Rolling!!

My sister and I had a great time this year in Trinity because we focused on watching nature in action, something which Trinity has in great abundance.  Fortunately, my partner has a boat tour operation, so we were able to go to the more deserted areas around Trinity to see wildlife from the water.  On one expedition, we saw something that really was amazing for me to watch...the capelin rolling.  Being a main lander, it is something that I nor my sister had ever saw before.  For those of you that have never heard of capelin rolling, capelin are small fish smaller than a smelt (actually I think they are from the smelt family) that come into the bay after being out in the ocean for most of the year.  Capelin come in by the millions to spawn on the beaches.  After that, they die.(or so i am told)

 That is a jelly fish shown with the capelin. You can see them in bunches sometimes around the bay.

I have heard of stories where people stand with nets to catch the capelin for dinner.  I don't know so much about today, but I am sure that years ago, there were plenty of people on the beach catching them.  I sometimes see dried and salted capelin in grocery stores around here as well as in the speciality food shops, so I know that some still enjoy it.  My Dad, who was from Nova Scotia ate smelts and once gave me one to try.  I was not impressed....

But to see the capelin coming into shore, well, that is a different storey.  They come in by the millions.  It is amazing to see.  You can literally scoop them up with your hand, if you wanted.  I did and it was amazing to do.  

The most amazing thing though, is watching them throw themselves on the beach to spawn.  They slap against the beach so forcefully, I can't imagine that they could do anything else but die. By the hundreds.  It is a wonder that the capelin are able to survive and continue on to do this again the following year.  This video shows what my sister and I saw that day.

Here are some other pics taken that day.

Capelin are food for other animals, such as whales and eagles in the area.  Where the capelin are, other animals abound, waiting to eat.

If you have never seen this before, it really is a sight to see.  This happens every year on many beaches in Newfoundland.  You don't need to be on a boat, either.  You can watch them from the shore.  This past year was not the greatest for rolling and many areas did not have any capelin rolling.  For the record, these pictures were taken outside of Trinity, Trinity Bay on July 31-August 1st, 2010.  It was one of the more remote areas and really only accessible by boat.

As for seeing the event, though, it really depends on Nature.  But look what else the capelin rolling brings!!

Same cove where the capelin were rolling, there was a humpback feeding on them as well as a group of American Bald Eagles perched on the rocks above.  My sister said that day was the highlight of her vacation here this year to Newfoundland. 

If you get a chance to see the capelin rolling, I highly suggest you go and see it!!

Random Passage -- New Bonaventure, Trinity Bay

I was fortunate over the summer to go to a place close to Trinity that I found to be personally fascinating.  It is a place that is known as the "Random Passage Site"  located in New Bonaventure.  Honestly, when I first heard about it, I did not think that it was going to be very interesting.  I knew nothing about the movie that was made there and had no intention of seeing it.  All i knew about the place was that it was a replica of an early Newfoundland settlement.  Sounds boring?  Well, I thought so.  I stayed just down the road from it and knew about the place for two years before I decided one day to go and see it with my sister.  She thought that it might be interesting.  So, my sister and I went one Sunday afternoon in August.

There was a concert series on Sundays, with, from what I gathered traditional Newfoundland music.  Now, I really like the traditional music, with the accordion and fiddle.  (I have always wanted to learn how to play the small accordion).  Anyhow, I thought that at least I would enjoy the music.  Was I in for a surprise!

Getting to the site was quite a small drive from Trinity.  I would say that it is about 15 kms along a winding road.  Beautiful scenery and everywhere you look, you can see the traditional salt box style homes, as well as some more modern type homes too.  Since you are travelling along the coast, you frequently get to see water as well as thick forest.  The site is on a hill at the end of the road in New Bonaventure.

I have tell you that we went after it had rained, so the area was a bit muddy.  Parking the car, my sister and I  first went into the tea house, where they have some trinkets for sale as well as the tickets to get into the site.  There is the tea room there, too.  We paid for our tickets ($8.00) and made the trek to the place where the site is located.  It is quite a distance from the tea house.  I would say about 1km, which, is not really a hike, but I was not expecting it to be a walk, otherwise I would have worn more comfortable shoes.  Next time when I go, I will remember.

Here is a sample of what I saw that day at the site.  It was quite amazing, the music, the instruments used and the artists.  I really enjoyed myself.

The musical guests playing there that day were Jim Payne and Fergus O'Byrne, two people that I had never heard play before that day.  It was a rather warm, sunny, as it can be in Newfoundland, day. 

They decided to play in the graveyard of all places, but of course, it was not a real graveyard, but a set for the movie.  It was the backdrop, however, that was the most spectacular:  the set was on a cliff, so that you could see the ocean in the background.  What a view.  Now that is the way to see a performance. They also had some storytelling and jokes mixed in with the music.  It was quite the afternoon of entertainment. 

After the entertainment, we then went around to the set and took a look at some of the houses. Wow, you can just imagine what it was like to live in rural Newfoundland not that long ago.  Some of these people must have starved.  But that is another story.

Here is a pic of their root cellar

It was behind a fence, so we really could not go into it.  If I remember correctly, there were goats or chickens around inside the fence too.    Here is another picture of it.

That's my sister, by the way.  I hope that she does not mind her picture on my blog.  This picture shows what we saw inside, which is basically your pioneer village type home.  But it is the setting which really speaks volumes to me.  On a cliff overlooking the ocean seems like it would be a wonderful setting for a home.   But not the kinds of homes that these people must have lived in.  I know that this is a recreation, but, many homes around here were most likely very much like what is depicted at the Random Passage site.  I could not imagine living in one of these homes on a cliff during the winter time.  The wind alone coming from the ocean would be too much for me.

Another picture of my sister alongside the wharf.  Again, Random Passage site.  I know that there are probably some more spectacular photos, but she took them all and I did not get a copy of them yet!

Oh I have just updated this, as she finally sent me some pictures.  Here is me, being a washer woman.  Don't as me why, but I am always doing something dumb in pictures.  Here I am going to fetch some water.

Random Passage site, especially during the Sunday afternoon music series, is something that I would definitely recommend for the tourist to see.  Even I would enjoy going out to see an event like this again.  Truly a hidden gem here in Newfoundland.  It is one of my recommended places to see if around the Trinity area. 

Have you been there?  Let me know!  I am always interested in seeing other peoples perspective and pictures.

What I love about Trinity, Newfoundland

     I have decided to write this blog about a place that I love in Newfoundland.  Trinity, Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.  It is my part time home in the summer as well as being my partner's home. 

Myself, I am a "non-native" of Newfoundland.  I was not born here.  However, a few years ago, I decided to make Newfoundland my home.  (I live in Conception Bay South the rest of the year).  So, I would like to present Trinity to people who read this blog as a "non native" view of the area.  I have found that people here (and everywhere else, for that matter) do not put emphasis on events that a visitor would find fascinating.  For example, every heard of " capelin rolling"?  I did not, before I moved here, but I can tell you that the experience was something that I will never forget.

Most of the blogs will feature the places that I have personally been to with my family and friends.  If there is some place around the area, though, that a visitor wants to know about, ask me!  As well, feel free to comment on anything that I write.  I love to hear what others have to say about my part-time home, Trinity!