June 28, 2013 Friday. Patrice and I needed to make a trip to Corner Brook (75 miles south of our park) to get our propane tanks re-valved. The old valves were more than 10 years old and by law could not be refilled. It was mostly clear and warm out--the drive down and back was spectacular through the Gros Morne National Park.

It took most of the morning to get the valves replaced near the waterfront in Corner Brook. We had some time to look around, so we followed the road on the north side of Humber Arm, across from Corner Brook out to Cox's Cove, a fishing village at the end of the road. We had been following a truck and trailer into town, and when it proceeded up the gravel road east of town, we followed along, passing several homes until we reached a facility of some sort, with two long buildings, like cow sheds, except windowless and covered with metal, and rather clean looking. Going back down the road we asked a lady out for a walk what the facility was for, and she told us it was for mink processing. The mink are fed the leavings of the fish processing plant in Cox's Cove, along with grain and nutrients. She was obviously proud of the town's prosperity.

In Astoria, Oregon, Patrice's mother worked for many years as a bottomfish filleter in the Fish Factors Cannery. After the fish was filleted and packed for sale, huge machinery ground up the bones and leavings of the various cod and sole catches, and it was conveyed to the Northwest Fur Producers plant on the lower floors of the cannery, producing food for the many mink farms around the area. These farms had long, low wooden buildings, smelly and dirty. The farms in the Astoria area haven't been active for 20 years or more, and the buildings are empty and falling down.

Back in Corner Brook, we picked up the propane tanks, and had them filled, and about half the cost of filling them at Rocky Harbour. We had some lunch, did some grocery shopping (oh, the joy of a well-stocked grocery store), gassed up the truck, and returned to our rig at the campground.

Marge and Jerry found the "Anchors Aweigh Kitchen Party" show at the Ocean Motel in the pub room. We got there early, and along with a couple from Ontario who were staying in the park near us, had dinner snacks (and drinks) before the show.

The show was a hoot. Five musicians played and sang mostly traditional Newfoundland-Labrador songs. The singing was lively--Irish and Scottish, sea shanties, riotous and raucous, thumping and jumping, clappin' and tappin', banjo, bass, accordions, guitars, and drums. Tales and stories woven through the tunes, with the Newfoundland humor and point of view.

About half of the audience was from Newfoundland and most of the other folks were from Ontario. There were only a handful of people from the U.S.--Oregon, California, and Kansas. The band would play some music from each of the Provinces and States, "Kansas City" for Kansas, and Beach Boys' "Wish They all Could Be California Girls,"  but was stumped to find a tune related to Oregon. They had never had anyone from Oregon on one of their shows, so they played "All Around the Watch Tower" in honor of Washington (Jimmy Hendrix was from Seattle). I told you they were a bit loud and raucous, and all of them, in their former lives, they said, had been rockers. The band leader said he would be on the internet tomorrow to find some appropriate music for Oregon.

The band leader did most of the singing and story telling and, it turns out he also conducts a show on one of the excursion boats into Bonne Bay. The accordion player stole the show. He had at least four different accordions and really knew how to get the most out of them. He wore hats and costumes for some of the more silly songs and played a mean harmonica. As it turns out, he is the captain of the excursion boat. The drummer is an accomplished singer and guitar player and has made his own CDs--and you guessed it, he drives the shuttle to the boat. One of the other band members has an ugly stick that he made and played. The show started at 8:00 and ended at 11:30--some show!

No pictures this posting--foggy and rainy today--none taken. Maybe tomorrow's weather will help us find some good shots.