Moominmama Hikes to the End of the World

Wherein Moominmama goes to Le Bout du Monde (the end of the world) at the tip of the Gaspé...

If the Gaspé is a peninsula, then Forillon National Park is a pointer finger at the end, with the fingernail being the Cap-Gaspé. This tip of the world, also called Land's End in English, marks the end of the Bay of Gaspé as it joins the St. Lawrence Gulf. 

Unsurprisingly, Cap-Gaspé has been home to a lighthouse since 1873, but the present day lighthouse is the third of its kind (this one made of cement), as extreme weather took down previous iterations over time.

But it was not enough to shine a light from this high point on the cape. Protecting ship traffic required warning them by ear when the fog grew thick. There was also a "cannon shelter," which boomed out warnings to the captains below until 1894, when guncotton cartridges replaced the older technology, which was, in turn, replaced by a modern foghorn. 

The cannon shelter was moved to this location away from the cliff's edge to preserve it. Turns out climate change is increasing shoreline erosion from an average of two centimeters a year prior to the mid 1990s to 20 centimeters per year today, according to the Canadian Park Service.

One can also see the Cap-Gaspé from Cap-Bon-Ami, which showcases the many shoreline roses found in this area, often framing the pebbly coves. 

Moominmama learned a new phrase in French; "courir le marigot," which is when a fisherman finds a cozy cove and tucks in there for a rest, then returns home to complain of bad luck with the fishing!

Moominmama has been enjoying the hikes to these various capes in Forillon National Park, and swimming in the clear, cold, salt water in the afternoon.

I also took a day trip to the town of Percé and a boat ride to see its famous rock formation plus the island of Bonaventure.

The island of Bonaventure is another Quebec provincial park, and it is both a bird sanctuary and preserves some of the fishermen's homes from the last century. The island's peak population was 172, including 35 families, in 1831. They fished and sold salted cod, maintained a cemetery and a school on the one side of the island.

On the other side, the birds known as Gannets have their colonies and at this time of year are raising their young. They are big birds, with gold-touched heads and wings dipped in black that can extend six feet. They tuck these wings close to their bodies to streamline their dives, reaching speeds of up to 60 mph! Underwater, wings and feet can continue to propel them as they seek out their fish diet.

They're beautiful to watch when they dive but less beautiful up close within a colony of thousands. The ammonia smell, the noise and the flies were awful! The males also fight with those long sharp beaks, and I had to turn away when one bird appeared to be suffocating another, having swallowed his head! 

Also on the island are breeding grounds for the common murre, razorbill and Atlantic puffin. Murre often get mistaken for penguins because they're stubby, black and white birds -- but these guys can fly. I did see some murre from the boat, flapping their little wings madly, then surfing off the tips of the waves. Looked like fun!

I leave you with a picture from my hike around the island, taken on one of our rare sunny days. But it gives you a good idea of the mix of spruce and fireweed and steep, brushy hillsides that have characterized many of the area trails. The weather here has been unpredictable, with lots of cloudbursts and high humidity. That appears finally to be easing, but I leave Quebec tomorrow for the Bay of Fundy. On to New Brunswick!