"The Land that God gave to Cain." That was once the description applied to Labrador. Long regarded as a vast wilderness full of biting insects and roaming caribou but little else, Labrador has undergone massive changes in the second half of this century. The Churchill Falls power project flooded thousands of square kilometres of wilderness, the massive iron ore mine in Labrador City continues to operate today and the Voisey's Bay nickel deposits promise to bring prosperity once and for all to the province as a whole. In centuries past, Labrador was home only to the Inuit and the Innu, once known as the Naskapi - Montangais people. Nomadic hunters, fishers and gatherers, the Inuit roamed up and down the north coast, while the Innu remained inland near the head of Lake Melville. As Europeans began to take advantage of Labrador's abundant resources, fishing stations along the coast and logging operations in the interior quickly appeared, with generations of Islanders making the annual migration to the Labrador coast for the summer fishery. Today, Islanders travel to Labrador through the Goose Bay international airport, also the site of a major NATO base for low-level flight training. By no means the land God gave to Cain, Labrador is a majestic place, where modern civilization exists in harmony with the wild and unforgiving landscape.
The first picture is taken from the MV Sir Robert Bond, the Marine Atlantic ferry that linked Lewisporte in Notre Dame Bay to Goose Bay. This picture looks back on Lewisporte, not long after weighing anchor. The second picture shows some of the ice encountered along the coast of Labrador in early July. These "bergy bits" make for some nervous passengers when the ferry shudders after hitting even the smallest of them.
The next picture is taken as the Bond steams into Lake Melville, the immense body of water that stretches far into the interior of Labrador, all the way to Goose Bay itself. The second picture is of the tiny community of Rigolet, which guards the entrance to the inner reaches of Lake Melville from the Atlantic Ocean beyond. It is also the site of the sinking of a German U-Boat in World War II, which lies just offshore. The third picture is of the town of Cartwright, a fairly significant community south of the entrance to Lake Melville.
While I have no interesting pictures of Goose Bay itself as yet, I do have several of the infamous Churchill Falls road. This 200 mile stretch of barely navigable dirt road was once known for treacherous wash-outs and poorly maintained bridges. It was always advised to travel in groups, with extra tires and plenty of extra gasoline. Recently this road has been slated for a much needed upgrade, and many of the old warnings are no longer needed, but still, once you leave either end, there is nothing in between, so if you get stuck, you have to wait for the next traveller that comes along for a rescue. The three pictures above are snapshots of the drive from Goose Bay to Churchill Falls, and back again.
The three pictures above are of the mighty Churchill River itself. The first is taken looking downstream from the north side of the river valley. The second shows the tailrace for the Churchill Falls Power Plant, where all the water diverted for power production rejoins the river. The third picture is taken looking upstream of the tailrace, where the reduced flow is easily noticeable.
The picture above is of the once mighty Churchill Falls. Before the water was diverted for hydroelectric power, the mist from this massive waterfall could be seen from over the horizon, and the roar could be heard for miles. Now all that is left is a mere trickle, flowing along the now exposed river bed.
The final four pictures are taken during the return trip on the MV Sir Robert Bond. I don't think any explanation is required.
