Going off in two different directions

Last week I was pointing out how easy it was to get to Mass in New York, with a wide range of churches within the same distance that I normally travel to Mass at home - well this week it was a bit different, the nearest Mass was 46 miles away in Deer Lake, there is a church in Norris Point, but it only has Mass once a month, and that is next Sunday not this. So we decided to split-up with me doing the 90 mile round trip to Church and Drew walking his way around the sites of Gros Morne Park. Seems like a fair deal to me, I think a three hour car drive beats walking for five hours as Drew did - I'd have been complaining about the heat way before the end.
Talking about the heat, it was a sunny day with temperatures in the high 60s and early 70s. Drew has gone a good shade of red!!
Mass in the Immaculate Conception Church in Deer Lake was an interesting affair. The priest seemed to be in a rush to get somewhere else, the speed he said Mass would have done an ancient Welsh priest well - in the days of Hywel Dda (Hywel the Good) a law was passed in Wales that any priest who kept a congregation more than 30 minutes at Mass would be punished  - well this priest did go five minutes over that, but nothing like the hour I'm used to. That being said, the singing was good and his sermon, though short, was very thought provoking. So I was back on the road by 11.15 and back here by 1.00 p.m. I'd been carrying two bags of crisps since New York (the 'just in case' snacks) so I had them for lunch while completing my blog post about last night.
Drew on the other hand walked out of Neddies Harbour on the road to Norris Point. He discovered that both towns are named for the same man - Neddie Norris - who is credited with being the first white man to settle in this area. Drew tells me that he was a deserter who jumped ship from a British Man of War and landed up here in this harbour. His sons followed him and named the two communities after him.
Walking from the Inn up to Neddies Harbour Drew took plenty of photos of the beautiful scenes. He walked another two miles to an area with lots of pretty coves. He then went over to Norris Point and sat at the harbour there. Drew then walked out of Norris Point and up to the Jenniex House Look-out which is the base for a series of walks around the area, and some views over the mountains. These include the James W Humber trail which Drew followed - this lead up through the forests and back down to some pretty bays - one of which included the rotting remains of a dead moose. Drew sat on one of the beaches and could hear nothing - all alone in the world for 3/4 of an hour - that's a dream for Drew, who likes his own space (wouldn't you if you lived with someone as boisterous as me!!). Drew then walked back to Neddies Harbour Inn via the pharmacy, come a bit of everything store and had some Crisps for lunch ? he arrived back at 2.30 p.m.
We went out again at 3.00 p.m. and visited Rocky Harbour - the largest town in the park which is 8 miles away - we might have stopped there if we hadn't found the Inn - I'm glad we found it, as Rocky Harbour though it has a pretty bay and lighthouse is more of a commercial town, than the quiet rural experience of Neddies Harbour.
In many ways Gros Morne (along with the film (and book) The Shipping News) were key influences on getting us to Newfoundland - a few weeks after we returned home from our last US holiday, which had a day trip to Victoria, British Columbia included, Drew came home from his mother's on a Sunday with a pullout from their newspaper about the Gros Morne experience and did his 'gentle' hinting about wanting to come here. So I?m glad it has been such a good experience for him - and me staying here in Gros Morne. If you get a chance do come and visit. I particularly suggest this to Martin, you would love both the quietness, yet comfort, of Neddies Harbour Inn and the range of mountains, rocks and water ? both lake and sea ? around this part of Newfoundland. I know you might not want the kind of road trip we are on, but flying into St. John's (Air Canada fly from London direct) and hiring a car there might not be too bad ? you really would love it (and I'm sure Janet would too).

NB:
We are staying in Bed and Breakfast accommodation for the next five nights (one night in Port Blandford and four nights in Pouch Cove, so I'm not sure how regularly I'll be blogging, but I'll find a wi-fi zone when I can