Fresh from the oven

Torrent River, about 15 miles from our campsite, is a salmon success story. Because of overfishing and environmental degradation from logging, the Atlantic salmon had almost disappeared from the river. For some unknown reason, Atlantic salmon love the Torrent and thousands would use the river as a spauning grounds. But by 1965 only a small population lived in the Torrent River and they were confined to the lower section, below the falls. A 33-foot-high waterfall prevented the salmon migration into the much larger spawning and rearing areas upstream.

Research indicated that giving salmon access above the falls would boost the population. In 1965, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) developed an enhancement program which included the design and construction of a fishway past the falls. Resembling a series of stairs, the fishway enabled adult salmon to swim up and over the falls through a series of 34 gradually elevated pools. 

Since salmon return to their river of birth, the DFO transferred 50 to 300 adult salmon by helicopter from Western Arm Brook into a good spawning habitat upstream from the fishway. The Adult Salmon-Stocking Program was a success. Salmon born above the falls returned to the upper reaches of the river to spawn and a healthy, viable salmon population was created. The salmon count at the fishway increased from 58 fish in 1971 to a high of 7,000 in 1996 and has remained at approximately 4,000 salmon in the years since. This has made the recreational salmon fishing an economic boon for the local economy. This morning we visited the Fishway for a tour and to learn all this cool information about Atlantic salmon.

The Interpretation Center which is built in the shape of a fish.

The glass viewing room which is the top "pool" of the fishing ladder. Twice a day they open a gate to release the salmon into the upper areas and count them as they swim by.

Not all the fish use the "ladder" right away. Some try to ascent the falls by leaping. If you look closely you can see a salmon trying to go up the falls the hard way. (Center right in the photo above.)

Looking down on the fishway from the top viewing platform. Each of the black grates is a higher pool than the one below.

The falls from mid-way up the fishway.

After viewing the fishway, we took a hike out to the quiet pools above the falls.

We then drove back into Port au Choix to see some of the local sights. In our search for Newfoundland's first people, the Maritime Archaic,  burial site, we came upon this outdoor oven that was being fired-up for an early afternoon program. Through a series of treaties with the English in the 1700's, the French were given fishing rights to the north and west coast of Newfoundland but they were expressly forbidden to make permanent settlements. During the yearly summer fishing migration, the French used a communal outdoor brick over to bake bread. In 1904, the French and the English gave up this arrangement, and the land became "Newfoundland" fishing territory. In 2004, to mark the Centennial, the French in the area built a commemorative oven that is used for programs.

The oven being fired-up. The long-handled tool leaning to the left of the oven will be used to clear the oven of the fire when it is time for baking. The oven will stay hot for hours.

Next to the oven was a replica of a chaloupe. This vessel of Basque origins was used for whale hunting and cod fishing.

We found the Maritime Archaic burial ground. At this site, beginning 6,000 years ago, the Maritime Archaic buried their dead in elaborately furnished graves. At that time, the water level was higher than it is today and this part of Port au Choix, the Point Riche Peninsula, was an island and this burial ground was part of a sandy beach.

After visiting the historic sites in town, we drove back out to the Interpretation Center which was now open. Kyle and Mildred were very friendly and helpful and we asked lots of questions. 

As we mentioned yesterday, there is evidence that four different cultures used the Port au Choix area for hunting and fishing, probably only in the summer. The Maritime Archaic were here 7000 to 1000 YA (years ago). The Groswater Paleoeskimos, 2900 to 1820 YA; the Dorset Paleoeskimos, 2200 to 1400 YA; and, the Recent Indians (Beothuk ancestors), about 2000 YA. This Interpretation Center had marvelous exhibits about each group.

Some of the arrow and spear points used by the Marritime Archaic.

These are auk bills that may have been used as a family symbol. (Maritime Archaic)

Tools, axes, scrapers and needles, that were used in the making of boats and clothing.

This piece of art work represents a killer whale.

Another piece of artwork, an antler pendant effigy of a newborn baby.

Someone has interpreted these to be art objects - the top is a sitting bird; the middle two are bird eggs; and the bottom is another killer whale.

These stone points represent each of the four cultural groups.

An artist's representation of a Dorset Paleoeskimo dwelling house.

I love this featured spear head. It is in three parts and is designed to separate during the hunting of a seal.

We were just leaving the Interpretation Center, to hike to the Phillip's Garden Trail, when Mildred invited us to return to the outdoor oven where there was a program to remember the French traditions of the area and they were baking rolls and passing them out. So back we went.

Because we are on the upper northwestern end of Newfoundland, we are in what was the traditional French fishing area. We had already noticed the predominance of French speakers and French Culture in the area and here, in town, was the local French Cultural Center. 

This is Carolyn, who runs a bakery in town, using a peel to place the rolls in the hot oven. 

The oven had heated to over 600 degrees F. 

In addition to the warm rolls, they served local jams and jellies along with hot coffee and tea. Here Frederick is spooning bakeapple, or cloudberry, jam and local blueberry jam on his roll.

Some of the local people enjoying the rolls.

The Phillip's Garden Trail skirts the northern shoreline of the Point Riche peninsula. At the site of the summer camp of the Groswater, who lived here for 800 years beginning approximately 2800 years ago, there is this sculpture. In outline form, it is meant to be a "memory" of the people who hunted here many years ago. You might not be able to tell from the picture, but the man and young boy are hunting a seal.

In contrast to the limestone barrens of the area, this site that was excavated to uncover remains reflecting domestic, hunting and ritual practices, is lush and green. This is because of the remains of the hunted seals and fish that were left by the ancient cultures.

Further along the coast there is another "memory" sculpture of a kayak hunter.

At the other end of the peninsula, just down a gravel road from the Interpretation Center, is the Point Riche Lighthouse and this third "memory" sculpture called "Dorset Doorway".

Right next to the "Dorset Doorway" is this Sculpture meant to represent the outline of a dwelling. The raised platforms would be the beds along the perimeter of the room and the whale-bone supports would have been covered in seal skins for warmth and protection.

Along the gravel road to the lighthouse, we glimpsed this bull moose about twenty yards away.

The Point Riche Lighthouse.  We can see this light from our campsite across the cove.

As we passed the Interpretation Center we noticed this camper with two lobster traps on top.

Out on the barrens by the lighthouse, there were two grazing caribou. See that dot in the center?

While we were watching the caribou move across the barrens, the camper with the two lobster traps drove up. Because we wanted to know, we went up to the people and asked them why they were carrying two lobster traps. That was the beginning of an hour of conversation with Skip and Suzy Cothran,  from Hampton, Virginia. They are traveling with Hope and Joy, the two poodles. Suzy is a chaplin at a Virginia college, so they travel in the summer months. They told us all about their trip to Prince Edward Island; their selection of the camper; and their hopes and dreams for the future. (They hope to get an Airstream trailer and travel full-time.) This is a picture of just Skip because Suzy went off to get a better and closer picture of the caribou. Oh, they bought the lobster traps on PEI and will use them for yard ornaments.