Hawke's Bay to Plum Point

August 15, 2016

First stop of the day was just outside of Hawke's Bay at the Salmon Interpretive Center on the Torrent River. On the river is a 30-40 foot high natural waterfall which historically prevented salmon from swimming up the river to spawn. Biologists determined that the river upstream was suitable for salmon and decided to construct fish ladders to bypass the falls.

Salmon swim into the opening in the concrete below the fence and swim up calmer water. While standing here we saw several salmon attempting and failing to jump up the natural falls. They apparently incur significant physical injuries in these attempts.

Biologists are able to observe and count the salmon through a window at the last pool before they return to the water upstream from the falls. Since this species of salmon does not die after spawning, I presume they just swim down the waterfall on their return to the ocean. I'll bet they get a real thrill launching themselves over the falls....

Rhona's back was still giving her problems so we skipped a planned cutoff to Port au Choix, on the west side of Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula. The site has been populated for thousands of years by many different groups of people. The remains of four ancient cultures have been found at Port au Choix to date: Maritime Archaic Indian, Dorset and Groswater Paleoeskimo, and Recent Indians.

We started to see large piles of lobster traps stacked off of the road.

We managed to take the wrong turn coming in to Plum Point which resulted in our cycling into a strong headwind out onto a peninsula, but then we did enjoy the coast back to our motel. Rhona was excited (as only bicycle tourists might understand) at the opportunity to wash clothes in a real washing machine.

There wasn't much to do in Plum Point but we enjoyed a walk along the boardwalk of the bay.

We took the opportunity to wade in the bay, surprised to find the water warmer than water temperatures during our recent summer vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina when there was some kind of up-welling that caused water temperatures to drop into the 40's.

But shortly after getting out of the water the wind picked up forcing Rhona to bundle up again.

An item on the menu that we did not try.

We've been told there are four moose per square kilometer in Newfoundland but we have yet to see much wildlife. A woman told Rhona a moose and a bear frequently comes out to their picnic table.

Today's ride: 52 miles (84 km)
Total: 239 miles (385 km)

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