St Johns, the city where we live faces the Atlantic Ocean
Here is more on St. John’s, Newfoundland. This city on the eastern edge of Canada faces the Atlantic Ocean and is different from many other cities I know. For one, it still retains its unique natural landscapes and beauty for the most part and is not yet overrun by people. And there are stunning views of the ocean from different parts of the city. While it is the capital city of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the biggest city in the province with a land area of about 450 sq.km, its population is just over 210000 but growing fast.
The coastline is mostly steep, rugged and rocky, interspersed with coves with rocky beaches. Based on the season the views and experiences differ. While the ocean front treks can be enjoyable in summer, it becomes very dangerous when there is high winds or snow. Whales and icebergs in the ocean and Capelin rolling on the beach are sights during parts of spring and summer months.
A few years ago, for the first time, I saw the spectacle of Capelin rolling. Capelins (officially known as Mallotus villosus) are small silvery fishes which the whales like to eat. Every year, thousands of them migrate towards the shores and they roll in with the waves onto the beaches. This is because they spawn onto pebbles, sand and such like in the shallow waters near the shore. Most of the Capelins die after they spawn.
During a few days when this happens, thousands of small fish can be seen in the shallow waters and on the beach itself. This natural phenomenon is not very predictable but usually happens towards end of Spring. The news of it happening is quickly broadcast through social media. The Middle Cove beach, a rocky beach, just outside St Johns is where we and a lot of others go to see this fascinating sight. Some scoop up the fish with all kinds of nets and vessels and some others set up campfires to cook the fish on the beach itself. Whales love this delicious fish and so they and other big fish follow Capelins. The fish on the beach also attract birds. All together an enjoyable experience. There are several videos on line and here is a link https://youtu.be/qusHwTzf3Wo?si=9oLqyKMRahWMjY3a . The videos we have are not so clear, unfortunately
Newfoundland is also a good place to watch whales. Every year whales, especially humpback whales visit the island. They can be seen very close to the shores from trails and viewing points when they come up to breathe. Their blowing air looks like fountains suddenly appearing in the ocean. They can also be spotted happily frolicking. There are whale watching boat tours as well.
This closeness to the ocean also brings some harsh weather conditions such as scary strong winds and storms. A cold current, the Labrador current, flowing from the Arctic Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, goes around the coast of Newfoundland and cools the island. This current meets the warmer Gulf stream coming up north from the south giving rise to fogs.
During early spring, the Labrador current transports glaciers from the frozen arctic southward. These icebergs in the Atlantic Ocean can be seen from St Johns and other places in Newfoundland. While they are impressive to watch from the shores, they can be dangerous when they reach the shipping lanes. The Titanic hit one such, off the coast of Newfoundland. Unfortunately, due to global warming the iceberg numbers have reduced considerably in recent years.
St Johns has a harbour that has functioned for over five centuries and is an important part of Newfoundland’s history. The harbour is well hidden and protected from the open ocean by steep hills. The only entrance to the port is through a narrow opening, called The Narrows. This opening itself can frequently be hidden by dense fog and entry into the harbour could be treacherous for unfamiliar vessels.
This natural protection provided the best defence not only from open ocean but also from invasion through sea from the time of early settlers in 1655 to World War 2.
The port is still an integral part of life and economy of St Johns. It has been upgraded to keep up with changing demands. Today it functions as a major container terminal and supports fishing activities. These days one sees mostly coast guard vessels, fishing vessels, and container ships. During summer months, huge cruise ships and fancy ocean-going yachts can also be seen often.
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