There are a few superlatives when it comes to heading east in North America. Lubec, Maine: easternmost town in the continental U.S. Quoddy Head, Maine: easternmost point in the continental U.S. Canso, NS: easternmost town in continental Canada. Attu, Alaska: easternmost town in the U.S. based on 180 degrees longitude (and westernmost otherwise). Okay, too far, back up. Cape Spear is the easternmost point in Canada, and is just a Greenland away from being the easternmost point in North America. It takes a long ferry ride or an airplane to get there, so not many people can claim to have been. Of the four Canadian superlatives, northernmost is still the most difficult. Difficultmost?


The little unique lighthouse that matches the one on the plaque is the old one. The modern soulless one that looks like all the others is closer to see and functional.


Looking back west toward St. John's. With a bit of zoom I can make out Signal Hill and the Cabot Tower by the entrance to St. John's Harbour.


From the lighthouse, I pan east to a World War II bunker that guarded the island from Axis invasion. With a formidable battery inside the harbour and rocky cliffs preventing a typical ground or water assault, Newfoundland had very little to fear despite its strategic location. The wise invaders would duck south and work their way up by land, but they would likely be seen from here or St. John's in the process and intercepted. I'm guessing the rusty pipes sticking out of the ground were to deliver air to underground chambers.


Since there's no longer a war threatening Newfoundland, the bunker has been abandoned and left with a few fences to keep tourists from living (or dying) in the catacombs. All the fittings have disappeared, even overhead lighting and its wiring.


The one thing remaining is this cannon, more interesting because it's unrestored.


If you're not as crazy as I am, this is probably the closest you'll get to Cape Spear. So I leave you with a trip to the easternmost little bit of land sticking out of the craggy shoreline, which is what you see in the last photo. I'm sure I could figure out a way down there, and I'm sure I'd get swept into the ocean and die, but I consider myself to have been as far east on North American land as anyone can go, except Greenland. Which means I'm going to Nordostrundingen! (And one day, I'll have to visit Semisopochnoi Island just to make sure I've been the farthest east by meridian.)

Across the water to St. John's
Leave Cape Spear on Route 11
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