There is one thing that you absolutely must do when visiting Gros Morne National Park; take a boat tour of Western Brook Pond. At least that’s what they say. The guide books said it, the internet said it, and our entire trip, people have preached it. All that said, I chose to skip it.

The price seemed a little steep at the time and I’ve definitely been fooled before by the “must see” event. These suggestions are often made by people who don’t venture far from the parking lots. I figured we would hike in and maybe find an overlook. But after our Tablelands hike, after I thought everyone had fallen asleep, Amy turned to me in the dim glow of a book light and said, I really want to do this boat tour. Didn’t have to convince me. So we found some tickets and sealed the deal. People who have been there look at you with a little smirk when they ask “Did you see Western Brook Pond?”, like they are a part of some club that has seen the most beautiful thing ever and they want to know if you’re a member. 

At the beginning of the trip if I could have asked for perfect weather for one day of the summer it would be today, Western Brook Pond. I knew this was going to be one of those places like Yosemite Valley or the Grand Canyon that just change your perspective of what’s possible on Earth. 

It’s a little over a 2 mile hike to get to Western Brook Pond just to board the boat. We hike through a dense fog and light rain which we hope disappears by the time we set off. In reality we know it won’t and we are in for a wet and wild day. We sit up on the top level and embrace the weather, which occasionally does decide to give us moments of respite. When the rain clears the fog creates an immaculate landscape. Don’t let the name confuse you, Newfoundlanders will call everything a pond, Western Brook Pond was actually formed as a fjord and was later cut off from the sea. Although not technically a fjord, this pond is often called a freshwater fjord because it better describes the formation of this incredible place. Entering Western Brook Pond is like entering a mythological midevial city with an impenetrable wall outside of this one gateway. Giant cliffs on each side of the pond raise over a thousand feet. Instantly passing between these two giants takes you to another world where these ancient mountains have been eroded in such a mysterious way. The cliffs make way for fantastical water falls. The water here is so pure that we have been told it often will not conduct electricity. By halfway through the boat ride our pants are soaked through, but we’re still not heading inside. We came for the views and they are better than advertised. Amy nerded out and asked the guide to point out some “diabase dykes,” these black veins running through the mountain looked pretty neat to me and he was as excited to point them out to Amy as she was to see them. Apparently, these formed during the rifting of the ancient super continent Rodinia but are still much younger than the surrounding rocks which are some of the oldest rocks found. Now Amy can never say I don’t listen to her. 

I must admit that Western Brook Pond is on my very short list of most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I feel like a member of the club now and I understand people’s desire to make sure you don’t miss a once in the world opportunity. 

The weather was supposed to be so good that today we are camping at a beautiful sandy beach, a rarity on the coast of the mostly rocky Newfoundland. We would go for a walk along the beach when the rain stopped and find many sand dollars before heading in for a family movie night.