one of the 18 crew members is taking a nap
the entrance
this is what gave the park its name, a hole in the ground with two open caves to the sea
John Cabot took his son with him on the voyage
the coastline at the Dungeon Provincial Park
the lighthouse from 1843 is now a museum
the pier outside, initially the Matthew was moored here in summer but no more
a sailing ship needs lines and ropes, lots of it
no sure what this sailor is doing
the Ye Matthews Legacy interpretation center is fitted to hold the Matthews inside
The name
Bonavista comes from the words "O buon vista" that explorer John Cabot supposedly muttered when he first saw Cape Bonavista
in 1497. He did not stay long, but shortly after his visit European fishermen flocked to the shores of Newfoundland.
By the end
of the 1500's a settlement was established a bit southwest of the cape and Bonavista quickly became thecommercial center
for the region.
Cod and seal were long the main source of income but presently crab fishery dominates the business.
The
rugged landscape of Cape Bonavista is of a special beauty. Here you also find the bronze Cabot statue and a
lighthouse now turned
into a museum. The nearby Dungeon Provincial Park features a large rock with two open caves.
In the Ye Matthew Legacy interpretation
center at Bonavista you can admire a recent copy of Cabot's ship the
Matthews, but It is no longer water worthy and
remains inside the building.
We visted Cape Bonavista and the replica Matthews in September 2017.
the rugged scenery at Cape Bonavista with the lighthouse lurking in the background
the bronze statue for John Cabot stands high above the Cape
a scenic place to build your house, but maybe a bit lonely in winter?
with a plaque to honor John Cabot
a mockup shows how that looked like. Presently the ship is no longer water ready
inside there is a full-size replica of the Matthew
