Over the past few days, I’ve had the chance to spend quality time with Jill Heinerth on our expedition to northern Newfoundland. Jill is a renowned diver and photographer, having achieved numerous milestones in the field, including being the first person to dive inside the Antarctic ice shelf and mapping countless underwater cave systems around the world. I’m grateful for the wisdom she has imparted and feel fortunate to call her a new friend. After engaging in hours of conversation and traversing a rugged landscape with granite peaks, pine forests, arctic grasslands, and cold-water streams, we finally arrived at our destination. Trinity, nestled along the Terra Nova coast, is surrounded by rolling lupine-covered hills, amid the constant, low-pitched rumble of crashing waves. We explored the coastal trails, capturing photos of nesting puffins and collecting urchin shells, before indulging in a Newfie delicacy — fish and chips with gravy — at one of Canada’s oldest restaurants.
Despite the pouring rain, I then joined her team of documentary filmmakers from the BBC on a dive. While descending, we came across a wolf eel, providing an ideal opportunity for me to test my underwater photography skills as the eel flashed a smile back at me, revealing its sharp, white teeth. Continuing our journey, we headed towards the remote Bacon Cove, known for its picturesque red fishing hut perched over the cliffs. Puffins and sea gulls circled overhead, following an enormous school of spawning capelin in the shallows. Swimming through the cloud of eggs, sperm, and fish, we soon realized we weren’t alone as a large Minke whale rocketed to the surface with her mouth agape. The panicked capelin darted away, and just as quickly as the whale appeared, she was gone.
After returning to St. John’s, James Humby and I climbed Signal Hill — an iconic location famous for receiving the first trans-Atlantic telecommunication message. Additionally, it holds historical significance as the initial landing site for many RMS Titanic survivors, given the ship’s sinking southeast of Newfoundland. The summit treated us to a spectacular view of the Cape Spear lighthouse and easternmost point in the Americas. Standing there, gazing across the mighty Atlantic, I was spellbound by the scenery.
