Real Wind!

The Wreckhouse.

The name alone sums it up quite well.

This is the name given to an area in south western Newfoundland .... and it certainly lives up to its name! It is said the be the second windiest area in the world (winds of a category 2 hurricane), and from the news reports and stories, I can believe it. The winds are so strong, trains have been blown off of their tracks (well, when we had trains) and blows tractor trailers over on their sides.

Here are a couple of pics from CBC.

Picture One

Picture Two

We've travelled through this area many times on our way back and forth between Ontario and here (there is no choice...the Trans Canada goes through it and it's the only way to get from one side of the island to the other). Although, we've been fortunate to not go through during an extreme windy time, there has always been noticeable winds to some extent.

We've always found driving through the area to be a rather eerie feeling. I love driving through it now....but must admit, on our first visit to Newfoundland, not so much (and we didn't even know about it). You see, one goes through this section about half an hour after getting off of the Ferry. I remember, that first time, wondering (to myself and out loud)....just where exactly we had came to ..... and why?? It kind of reminded me of the moon (or what I pictured being on the moon would look like).....barren, scrub vegetation, mossy grassy stuff covering the ground, the odd tree...if you can call them that...all twisted, very small and look like they've been permanently blown over by a wind. It was quite flat....except for the odd looking blobs of rock type things that seem to ring the area (which turned out to be the Long Range Mountains....but who knew?). There were no buildings or people and was certainly different than the area we were coming from. We wondered (and were somewhat concerned) if this is what all of Newfoundland was going to be like. Thankfully, it was not...and became one unique, beautiful section of a unique and beautiful province in which we chose to make our home.

But still....those winds!!!