Cape Spear, Quidi Vidi, embarcation

11 July 2012.
In the morning we visited Cape Spear, the easternmost point in North America. The lighthouse was built in 1832 and is a National Historic site.

Me at Cape Spear.

The Cape Spear lighthouse.

Then Signal Hill (where fishermen's wives watched for their men returning home, sometimes after months at sea), and the historical fishing village of Quidi Vidi (pronounced "kiddy") with its tiny harbour with sheds and stages on the side of a cliff.

We were supposed to embark on the R.V. Akademik Ioffe (a Russian polar research vessel used mainly for expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic these days) at 3:30 pm, but Transport Canada were doing an inspection, there would be a delay. They came in clean overalls and before they left the overalls were dirty - everything was checked. Two hours later we were told we had to carry our bags individually onto the ship where they would be searched for explosives and handguns by the crew. (Normally the bags would be loaded by cargo net.) What was going on? One Ocean who chartered the ship had never had to do this before, and the previous voyage was a circumnavigation of Newfoundland starting and ending in St. John's. 

Transport Canada staff stood by and watched while One Ocean staff inexpertly searched our bags. At last we reached our cabins and could unpack. We were told later that Customs wanted to charge duty on all the alcohol on board, several thousand dollars. Instead OO put it into bond and rented a truck to pick up booze for our trip at the local liquor store. Finally someone had to go to the airport by taxi to collect a certificate of compliance as the marine agent had gone home for the night. It was dark before we left the harbour. Civility and good humour were maintained throughout. 

Rumour had it that Russia had treated a Canadian ship in a similar manner and this was retaliation - but the passengers and charter company was Canadian, so it was Canadians who were inconvenienced by this bureaucratic hoo-ha. (André S. suggests that the search was done in order to meet the more stringent requirements of the Security Compliance Certificate and we had a Coast Guard inspector who wanted overtime for that day - sounds possible.)
It didn't end there - having visited St Pierre (France), we had to "go through" Customs at Woody Point, Gros Morne, on our "return" to Canada. 

Harry and Helen Hope are the first allowed to the gangway. Chris carries the heavy bags.

Leaving the dock.