Canadian Travelogue – Newfoundland – Spillars Cove
Spillars Cove lies at the tip of Cape Bonavista, with Bonavista Bay
behind you and Trinity Bay ahead as you face east awaiting sunrise. For
most of my many visits there the weather has been unbelievable:
hurricane force-winds, driving rain and sleet — did I mention wind? Only
a handful of times have I been blessed with a calm day, with bright
sunny skies and temperatures hovering around 20 degrees; you know, the
kind of day that is great for mosquitoes. I’ll take the wind, thank you
very much.
In fact, the stronger the winds the better. This mean and rugged
coastline lies generally northwest to southeast —perfect for photographs
of the sunrise—and strong winds only add to the beauty. Use from two to
four stops of graduated filter of various colours to add even more
drama to the sky, or, alternatively, underexpose your bracketed frames
in full-stop increments for masking via several post production
techniques. This incredible shoreline is typically far enough distant
to permit lens apertures of f/5.6, to give shutter speeds high enough to
keep the crashing waves from blurring while maintaining an acceptable
depth of field.
There are several access roads leaving the Trans-Canada Highway
between Clarenville and Port Blandford that meander toward Cape
Bonavista, and if time is not a concern you should explore the bi-ways
that will usually always lead to salt water and a tranquil and quaint
fishing village. Once you reach the township of Bonavista be prepared to
get lost, planned urban development and ease of transport were unheard
of in the 17th century – streets simply followed the
coastline and houses were built … wherever. But this is a part of the
charm of rural Newfoundland. If you follow your nose and a few scattered
signs you should easily find the lighthouse. A few hundred metres
before the ocean sentinel there is the gravel Lance Cove Road to your
right that leads to “The Dungeon,” a provincial natural attraction. Take
this road and drive south east for about two kilometres along the coast
and you will see the Spillars Cove shoreline, as seen above, unfold in
the distance.
Should the wind be blowing hard—and it often is—keep your tripod as
close to the ground as you can, to minimize camera movement. Once you
have composed the image in your viewfinder you can use your body as a
wind shield during the exposure. Should the wind be particularly
aggressive, the coastline here is firm enough that you can drive your
vehicle close to the edge and position it as a wind block to ensure the
tripod mounted camera is rock steady. Back absolutely certain the marsh
is dry enough to support your car first, and stay safely back from the
edge of the cliff however by walking it first.
Another great nearby location for incredible seacoast images is Cable
John Cove. From the Dungeon continue driving the gravel road south for
another ¾ kilometre until you reach the paved Highway 235 (Bonavista Bay
Hwy), and turn left, heading east. Simply drive this road for about one
kilometre until the road ends, at which time you can walk the
additional 200 metres to the shoreline. Once at the water’s edge simply
continue walking the coastline to your left and once atop the little
knoll you will see a large and impressive sea stack that begs to be
photographed. Be careful when walking along this shoreline – the moss
and rocks can get slippery if wet, and the fall to the depths below will
be unforgiving.
Another great side trip should be to nearby Elliston. Once in the
community ask anyone for directions to the puffin site at Elliston
Point. There are about 300 nesting pair of Atlantic puffin at this site
and if the wind is blowing in the right direction you should easily be
able to striking portraits with a 200mm lens.
If you happen to really lucky and are in this area in early summer
ask the locals if they know of any icebergs in the area. You shouldn’t
be surprised if there are a couple hidden in some cove; you are, after
all, on the banks of Iceberg Alley.
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