This morning we awoke to another brilliant Newfoundland day and after a hearty breakfast we transferred ashore via our Zodiacs to the famous UNESCO World Heritage site of L’Anse aux Meadows.
On the dock we were greeted by Wayne the Gregarious Viking who ushered us onto our buses which whisked us away to our first stop of the day, Norstead—a recreation of a traditional Norse village.
We explored the perfectly recreated buildings which housed many different items from the life of the Norse people some 1000 years ago. The largest building housed a full-size replica of a Norse boat and we all marveled at its incredible design and sturdy construction. The many recreated houses were complete with period actors inside going about their typical daily activities and it was a real treat to interact with them and learn about their different lives.
We watched in awe as the blacksmith stoked his fire and hammered away at a piece of raw metal and in a matter of minutes before our eyes had created a large fish hook ready to be used by the Norse fishermen of the village.
The more adventurous of us decided to try our hand at axe throwing and with cautious tuition from our Viking teacher we were all experts after just a few attempts and cries of joy could be heard across the village when our axes hit their mark.
Afterwards we journeyed via bus a short distance to the actual Norse archaeological site of L’Anse aux Meadows which was discovered in 1960 by Helge Ingstad. Our guides excitedly explained to us that this was the oldest evidence of European exploration in North America—predating the voyages of Christopher Columbus by over 500 years. The site was indeed very special and in 1978 was recognized as the first UNESCO World Heritage site in the world.
In the afternoon we arrived at the quaint little port of St Anthony and learned all about the influential historic figure, Dr. Wilfred Thomason Grenfell. Dr. Grenfell arrived in the area in 1892 and was the first doctor to reach the region, but his legacy goes far beyond simply providing medical aid to the people of this region. During his life he would establish a string of hospitals, cooperatives, and schools throughout the remote regions of Newfoundland and Labrador.
