Encounters: The Hubbard Rock

Earlier this year I visited New York with my wife and kids. Coming from Europe, via Iceland, we passed Greenland and Newfoundland. Flying high in the sky I was wondering who could live there. On the way to New York it was daytime. I shot the photo below. Several days later on the way back, it was night time. With a clear sky I was looking at the small lights down below, indicating human activity. What would be the last light, the last ‘sign’ of humans I could see? The more the plane went north the less lights I saw. Then there was blackness … with one exception … I did see one light in that blackness. Where was that? Somewhere over Newfoundland surely. I decided to look it up as soon as I was back home. And arriving back home, I googled and came to the conclusion that that spot of light must have been ‘Goose Bay’ (Newfoundland). Appearently a Canadian Air Force base.

Ok, a military base, but could there be other humans living out there. I imagined there were, and during my google searches I did hit upon one such person who had been there, and died there. His name was Leonidas Hubbard. A simple but wonderfull site about that person and his adventures was created by Philip Schubert called The Hubbart Rock and I had a great time reading his stuff about ‘Hubbart’.

A wonderfull internet ‘encounter’ with Philip Schubart. I did thank him by email, and he replied within an hour. The wonders of internet.

On Sat 05/05/12 4:56 PM, maxqubit@xs4all.nl sent:

Hi Philip,

Last week I visited New York. Coming from The Netherlands via Iceland by plane, we flew over New Foundland. Viewing from above I wondered who ever could live there. So I googled and found your picture of Hubbard’s Rock, which in turn lead me to your website describing the 1903 tragedy and your trips. Just saying I had a pleasant 30 minute read of your website/photo’s. Well done!

Save hiking.

Brgds,
Max Qubit
The Netherlands

PS: I’m not into hiking in any way, but am awed by ppl like you who undertake such missions.

– – – – –

To: maxqubit@xs4all.nl
Subject: Re: The Hubbard Rock
From: Philip Schubert

Dear Max,

It is always a pleasant surprise to hear from people like yourself!

Labrador and the extension into Northern Quebec, happily, remain pristine and beautiful due to the forbidding topography, the harsh winter climate, the blackflies in the summer and finally, by being far enough away from major population centres so that it is too expensive to bring most of their hydroelectric potential out by transmission lines.

Thus, travelling through this area is like going back in time. It is a lot less dangerous now thanks to satellite phones, GPS’s and float planes.

Philip

Shot with Nikon D5100 AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6G VR, 18 mm, f/3.5, ISO 200, 1/4000 sec, RAW (2012, Newfoundland)