The lighthouse is now a museum which is well worth a visit when docked in Bonavista Harbour.

The first glimpse we had of the replica of John Cabot's vessel the Matthew as she emerged through the fog to enter Bonavista Harbour.

This was her first landfall since leaving Bristol England. It was 24 June 1997, 500 years to the date since Cabot is said to have landed at the same spot.

Yes, that's Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip on hand to greet the Matthew.

It was 4 degrees C and snowing which accounts for the rug over the queen's knees.

All the flotilla skippers had passes to the wharf where the Matthew landed but we decided to wear our foul weather gear instead of the required "afternoon dress"

Unknown to the crew, the organizers had flown their   families to Bonavista and everyone was dressed in 15th century clothes.

The day after the Matthew arrived and the weather is wonderful. This is only part of the flotilla rafted to a temporary floating dock installed specially for the occasion.

Because of security with the queen present every boat was pre-approved for entry weeks before. We were allowed into the harbour three at a time and divers checked for explosives.

Flotilla members were granted a special viewing of the Matthew before the general public.

The Matthew is fitted with a diesel engine to allow safe entry into harbours - she went on to tour Newfoundland and then up the St Lawrence to Toronto. She also has radar and modern navigation and communication systems. None of this is visible when you take the tour.

She was built in Bristol England at the same dock as the original.

Although the Matthew is now back in England, you can see another replica at this same wharf if you visit Bonavista. The second one was built right in the town and is very similar to the first but is not intended to leave the harbour.

Terra Nova National Park

This is the harbour at Salton's Brook in Newman Sound. There are showers, laundry and a camp shop nearby. There is also a very interesting interpretation  center.

The park has lots of great anchorages as well.

Greenspond Island

There is now a causeway which connects Greenspond to the mainland. The fishing wharf was quite busy in 1998 but like all public wharves no-one minds if you raft off a fishing boat. Keep away from the section of wharf near the crane because you might get moved if a fishing boat comes in.

This one is particularly impressive in the early morning light.

This is a "growler" and the next size up is called a "bergy bit"

Growlers do not always show up on radar so you have to be careful in fog! They break off icebergs but can  occur  where there are no icebergs in sight.

Night sailing is not recommended in a small sail boat. A piece this size would make a big hole in the hull.