I had a pleasant surprise yesterday!
It was my last day working at the coffee shop and my spirits were high. Halfway through the shift my manager said that I could go home early and still get paid for my full shift. Sweet as! So I left my uniform, said farewell, and enjoyed a sunny walk home with a huge smile on my face.
Once I got home, I decided to take advantage of the unexpected free time and go on another adventure. Fort Amherst is a place I’ve been meaning to visit, so I packed a bag and headed out.
I think St. John’s has such a beautiful harbour. It has a narrow channel with rocky hills on both sides. The Narrows, which leads to the harbour, is flanked by two National Historic Sites of Canada: Signal Hill on the north side and Fort Amherst on the south side. The shape of The Narrows has provided a huge defense for St. John’s.
Fort Amherst is in ruins, but there are still structures you can explore. There’s a stone staircase that makes you feel like you’re in a castle, bunkers with stalactite on the ceiling (some efflorescence too), eroded guns, man-made lookouts, and a lighthouse. The original lighthouse was the very first one built on the island, back in 1810. However, it was rebuilt in 1951 and is the lighthouse that stands today.
There is a fence that borders the ruins to protect people from wandering into the dangerous areas… but I like danger. I found a part of the fence that was easy to climb over and with careful footing explored more. I climbed down the rocky coast towards a lookout that had an excellent view of Cape Spear. There were a lot of loose rocks and rusted metal in the area, but no harm was done. As I climbed back up towards the fence, a boat (I think it was a supply boat of some kind) was leaving the harbour and heading out to sea. It was really enjoyable to watch.
During the walk back home from Fort Amherst I noticed a HUGE dark cloud appearing in the sky. I thought I could make it home before it started raining, but alas, I did not. It turned into a thunderstorm with heavy rain and lightning. Honestly, it was very refreshing to be in the rain after the long walk and being in the sun’s rays. Also, a nice hot shower after being in the cold rain feels fantastic and totally worth it.
Heading to my hometown tomorrow and everything is packed and ready to go. I’m getting more and more excited to leave Newfoundland. Only 3 more days!! Until then…
Whoa Dana 