Red Bay, Labrador - Tracey Hill and Boney Shore Trails

What a glorious morning!  We woke up to the sun shining on Red Bay, something like this:

 

 

Rain is in the forecast, so we got out early to try to get the most important area hikes done today.  Our first stop was Tracey Hill, across the harbor from the town of Red Bay.  We knew we were at the trailhead when we hit the endless stairs -- 689 of them, to be exact:

 

 

We didn't really reach a proper trailhead sign until we had walked about an eighth mile or so along the boardwalk and steps:

 

 

The the steps began in earnest.  Now, the builders of the stairs were not without sympathy for the hikers who have to climb them.  Every 100 steps or so, an inspirational saying was printed on the steps facing the upward-climbing hikers.  The sayings were such as:

 

One day or day one?  You decide.

 

Hike more.  Worry less.

 

Determination today leads to success tomorrow. 

You get the idea.  But the steps just kept going on...

 

 

We eventually reached a height of land.  Not the top, mind you, but a small plateau with the cutest tarn you've ever seen:

 

 

Well, this cute tarn has a dark reputation, as illustrated by the trail sign below, accompanied by a scary tale:

 

 

It seems this tarn, known to some as the "Pond on the Hill," was said to be the site where the infamous pirate, Captain Kidd, buried treasure.  The Guardian of the Treasure was said to be a headless man -- one of Kidd's slain crew -- who was believed to appear at midnight to protect the treasure.  At one time more recently, some adventurous locals from a former fishing village west of Red Bay tried to drain the tarn in an attempt to unlock the mystery of the buried treasure.  However, after nightfall on the day of their attempt, Mother Nature unleashed an unforgettable display of thunder and lightning.  The treasure hunters, who were very superstitious, were convinced that the headless Guardian of the Treasure was returning to slay them!  They quickly abandoned their efforts.  No one has since attempted to uncover the treasure in the tarn.

 

From the haunted tarn, we climbed more stairs to the true summit of Tracey Hill.  We could see a boulder at the top, to the immediate right of the stairs, dubbed "The American Man" in reference to American sailors who were stationed here in World War II:

 

 

From the viewpoint at The American Man, we looked down into the adjoining cove, where we spotted plentiful harbor ice and a small iceberg -- to Kathy's great joy:

It was time to return and, as we worked our way down the stairs, we enjoyed expansive view of Red Bay, with the town to the left in the background across the water and Saddle Island in the center:

 

 

Saddle Island still boasts a few buildings which were associated with the former Saddle Island Lighthouse.  In 1907, a small lighthouse was built at the near (or western) end of Saddle Island to help guide ships through the "West'ard Tickle," on this side of Saddle Island, the main entrance to Red Bay harbor.  The Tickle is difficult to navigate because it has only a narrow channel of deep water, making it a challenge for sailing ships who had to tack and jibe their way through the tickle.

 

 

As we continued down the stairs, our view of the western end of Saddle Island, where the lighthouse had stood, grew clearer:

 

 

With a little help from our monoculars, we could make out all of the lighthouse buildings still standing on the island:

 

 

Reaching the base of the stairs, we found a second trail winding out to the point and down to a rocky beach.  It is called the Boney Shore Walking Trail, named after the "Boney Shore" beach -- so named because whalers in the 19th Century had skinned caught whales on this beach and left the whales' bones --

 

 

-- which rest on the beach among the rocks today.  They are almost indistinguishable from the rocks, having attained a grey patina, hosted lichen and even moss, and taken on the character almost of rocks themselves:

 

 

Still, we could find indisputable proof these are bones and not stones, because they have holes in them!

And so ends a fishy tale about two colorful trails.  We headed home to walk Ruby the Adventure Cat, and then head out on an afternoon's adventure to Mary's Harbour, about an hour's drive north of where we are camped in Red Bay.