June 14, 2014. Port Hope-Simpson to Mary's Harbour

Today was not a good day for birding. Yes, the weather was grand and a few birds were singing (Fox Sparrows sing funny here), but today was a day for visiting cultural sites dating from settlement days (1750s), hiking, and best of all: watching icebergs drift by the shoreline. It was also a good day for mammals (moose momma and calf, red fox posing for photos, and snowshoe hare who still had some winter white) and boreal toads by the bucket full.

St. Lewis, the eastern-most town attached to North America, is known for icebergs, but because of the hard winter and late spring, the sea ice has not fully cleared out. We were treated to the most amazing sight when we crested a hill and the ocean was jumbled white for as far as we could see (which was a few hundred yards into the fog). During the day, the tide and winds carried much of the "drift ice" into St. Lewis Bay, choking the harbor and preventing boats from going in or out.

We ended the day hiking at Mary's Harbour and got a room. The kitchen was long closed by 9 PM, but they made us soup and sandwiches. The people up here are so nice.

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
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