It's not quite as big as I initially thought when I was inadvertently comparing square kilometers to square miles (oops!) - but it's still big. Newfoundland is 43,008 square miles. For comparison purposes, Maine + New Hampshire + Massachusetts is 47,669 square miles. Maine by itself is 30,861 square miles.
I'll only see a small chunk of the island - from Port aux Basques on the southwest tip, to Gros Morne National Park, which appears to be a little less than half-way up the west coast.
You know I'm addicted to maps, don't you? I just had to include a couple here to try to show where I'll be wandering. The first map should give you a sense of the island. The little yellow square "dots" indicate the general location of the parks I'll be visiting in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.
I like the second map because it gives a sense of the northern placement of Newfoundland and Labrador in comparison with the northeastern edge of the United States. (Looking for a color hint? The province is painted lavendar.) Yes, I did think about driving home through Labrador & Quebec, but as you already know I re-thought and rejected that idea. I do enjoy traveling alone, but somehow the thought of traveling on dirt roads, through forests, far from civilization - well, I thought better of it. Yes, I'll be reversing part of my wanderings. The only road I'll do twice is the road from Port aux Basques to Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland. Oh, and a section of road on Nova Scotia, and the road between Portland, Maine and home.
That big body of water to the west of Newfoundland? That's the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Follow it inland, up the St. Lawrence Seaway, and you'll find the Great Lakes.
Map courtesy of Google.com
Map courtesy of The Atlas of Canada
