Day 13: Fogo Island Day trip

We left our B and B early in the morning in order to make sure we arrived with plenty of time to make the first ferry crossing to Fogo Island.  Little did we know until we arrived at the island that our day trip happened to coincide with the Brimstone Head Music Festival that was happening on the weekend.  When we got to the area where the cars queue up for the Fogo Island ferry there was a massive lineup already waiting!  Apparently the music festival is quite popular and many people come by RV and stay for several days before and after the festival.  We really didn't think we'd make the first ferry but as it turns out luck was with us and our car was the 2nd last to drive onto the ferry.  The crew did an amazing job of cramming vehicles onto the ferry (see photo below).  One curious feature noticed on the ferry was a bible hung in close proximity to other emergency gear like fire extinguishers!  This wasn't a coincidence as walking through the ferry this was noticed at other locations.  Hmmm it does make one wonder why....?  Once on Fogo Island we made our way to the first hike in the town of Fogo at Brimstone Head.  Brimstone Head is a rocky outcrop that rises 275 feet above sea level.  The Flat Earth Soceity (yes there really is one) has designated this as one of the four corners of the Flat Earth.  The hike isn't long or difficult but the view from the top was quite beautiful as seen in the pictures below.

After Brimstone we headed off to the town of Tilting to do some sight seeing before meeting Vanessa for lunch.  While driving through Tilting we came across an old Irish cemetery (the path to which ran between two houses in a residential area).  This cemetery was active from the early 1700's until the mid 1800's.  While checking out the cemetary we noticed goats grazing in an adjacent field.  You couldn't help but think you might be in Ireland.

After meeting Vanessa for lunch we headed back to Tilting for our afternoon hike on Turpin's Trail.  The trail starts off at beach level and winds its way up a ridge towards a bay.  At the top of the ridge there's what's left of an old US Radar station from the cold war era.  This was another picturesque hike. At the end of the hike we headed back to town where Vanessa had parked her car and said our goodbyes.  Although Atty and I were heading back to Twillingate, Vanessa was staying the night.  We made it back to the ferry terminal in time to be told our ferry would be delayed due to the heavy traffic enroute to the Brimstone Head Music Festival.  In fact the delay would stretch on to be 2 hours!  The bright side of this was that we had a sunset voyage back to Twillingate.

Our Fogo Island ferry the Capt Earl W. Winsor

A full load on the ferry (our car is the blue one in the bottom right corner)

In case of emergency ?!

A view of Fogo from near the top of Brimstone Head

A warning from the Flat Earth Society

Atty with a map of the four corners of the Flat Earth

The town of Fogo

Me from the top of Brimstone Head with the town of Fogo in the background

Atty with Marg whom we met on the way to the top of Brimstone Head

The Old Irish Cemetery (in use from the 1700's until the mid 1800's) Tilting, Fogo Island

Sheep grazing by the Irish Cemetery

Atty and Vanessa on Turpin's Trail

Along Turpin's Trail

Purple Thistle

The view from the Fogo Island Ferry terminal

Atty as we depart Fogo Island