A torchbearer steadies himself as he steps into a dory to carry the Olympic flame across Petty Harbour, N.L., to continue its journey across the northeast avalon. (CBC)

The Olympic torch relay is making its way across parts of Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula on Friday, travelling by both land and sea.

The journey began just before 7 a.m. as the sun rose over Cape Spear, a national historic site that is the most northeasterly point in North America.

Olympic officials lit a torch at the site of the oldest surviving lighthouse in the province, and runners proceeded to carry it down the long winding road toward Petty Harbour, a small fishing community just outside St. John's.

From there, one of the 160 runners scheduled to carry the torch at different intervals during the day carried it aboard a dory and sailed across the harbour.

A torchbearer holds up the Olympic torch shortly after it was lit during a sunrise ceremony at Cape Spear, N.L, Friday morning. (CBC)

Each runner carries the torch about 300 metres.

After they leave Petty Harbour, torchbearers will carry the flame through the nearby communities of Goulds and Conception Bay South, making their way toward the cities of Mount Pearl and St. John's.

Police were warning motorists to expect traffic delays, as many roads along the relay route will be blocked off while the torch is being escorted through the northeast Avalon.

The Olympic relay will finish up the day at Bowring Park, in the west end of the city, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., with the lighting of a community cauldron.

On Saturday, the torch will continue the journey toward Vancouver, travelling through Conception Bay North and heading toward central Newfoundland.