My Trip to Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost Provence of Canada. It’s made up of two parts. First is the island of Newfoundland. Second is Labrador which is part of the neighboring mainland. The official name of the Provence is Newfoundland and Labrador.

Our trip started in Corner Brook. We flew into Deer Lake airport and took the shuttle to our hotel in Corner Brook. Corner Brook is located on the Western part of the island of Newfoundland at the mouth of the Humber River. It is the second-largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador with a population of 19,806 as of 2016. The Pulp and Paper mill is the largest industry in the city. The people of Corner Brook are very proud of their city and their homes.

In my opinion, the western part of the island of Newfoundland is the most spectacular and beautiful. Flying into Deer Lake we got an excellence view of mountains. As we left Corner Brook heading north up the Great Northern Peninsula we passed the mountains including several ski hills. Nancy Greene called skiing in this area the best in Canada. We passed through Gros Morne National Park which we would visit later on during our return trip. We spent the night in the fishing town of Port au Choix. Port au Choix - French for "choice port" or "port of choice" - is known as the fishing capital of western Newfoundland. We visited the heritage museum before bedding down for the night. The land is very flat and rocky which was in stark contrast to the green mountains of the south.

The following day we boarded the ferry to Labrador know as the Big Land. When we got off the ferry all the street signs were in french since the ferry lands in Quebec. Labrador is attached to eastern Quebec which fueled a major dispute when coal was discovered. Quebec claims Labrador as their own and Newfoundland claims it as their own as well. Eventually, the government of Newfoundland was given the right to mine the coal. When Newfoundland started producing hydroelectricity at the Muskrat Falls power plants they wanted to sell their electricity to the New England states of the USA. At that time the only way to get it to the USA was to send it through a grid of land-based electrical cables. The cables would have to go through Quebec to get to the USA. The Quebec government would only allow them to sell the electricity to Quebec at the current locked in 1974 rates and then Quebec would sell it to the USA. Today the government of Newfoundland and Labrador is building underwater cables to transmit the electricity to Nova Scotia. From there it will be carried to the USA. The animosity between the government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Provence of Quebec continues to this day.

There’s not a lot to see in Labrador but there is the Point Amour Lighthouse. It is the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada standing 125 feet. A few adventurous souls climbed to the top of the lighthouse but when I saw how narrow the passage was I didn’t brave it. The people of Labrador speak with the thickest Newfoundland accent I’ve ever heard. You have to listen carefully to understand what they’re saying. We stayed the night and headed back to the island of Newfoundland the following morning.

We visited the community of L'Anse aux Meadows which is of great historical significance due to the Viking settlement discovered there. The Viking settlement is believed to date back to roughly 1000 AD. L’Anse aux Meadows was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1978. We toured the recreation of the Viking village and the actual historical site itself. Watch for the pictures of me carrying a sword and wearing a Viking helmet in the video at time index 00:03:03. Visiting the Viking settlement was one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip. We even saw a female moose with a calf.

That evening we were treated to the Great Viking Feast at Leifsburdir where we feasted on moose stew and corned beef and cabbage. This brings me to another topic. Moose are a big problem on the island of Newfoundland. They’re everywhere and tend to eat the grasslands intended for other animals. As a result, the government gives out hunting licenses allowing hunters to hunt moose which is why moose stew is very common. It is even permitted to hunt moose in the national parks such as Gros Morne. At the end of the feast, we were all made honorary Vikings and given an official certificate.

We continued up the Great Northern Peninsula to the town of Saint Anthony on the northern tip of the island. Its approximate population was 2200 in 2016 and has been consistently dropping. Tourism has become an important industry since fishing stocks began to fall. The US military set up a radar site on a nearby hill in 1951. While in Saint Anthony we took our first boat tour in the pouring rain looking for whales and ice bergs. The sea was very rough so many folks got sick and many more got drenched. I found a small corner inside the cabin with 2 windows and stayed there for the entire trip. I did not get sick, in case you’re wondering. We did see whales but they were difficult to see. You have to watch for the spray of water from their blowhole. We saw an impressive ice burg that our tour guide called a double tower. Once we were good and drenched we headed to Gros Morne National Park for a two nights stay.

Our first order of business in Gros Morne was another boat tour on Bonne Bay. Pictures can’t do justice to the grandeur of the rock formations and the quaint towns that dot the shores of Bonne Bay. A few people said they saw a moose but I didn’t see it. What we did see was a bald eagle perched on a rock high above us. It was a lovely, clear day on the bay. It was windy but the ride was not rough so no one lost their breakfast. However, I almost lost my hat. A kind soul with great reflexes caught it and returned it to me. The tour is run by four brothers and their dad who also sing folk songs during the trip as well as in their homeport of Rocky Harbour. They are known professionally as Anchors Aweigh.

After the tour was over, while we were heading back to shore, we were screeched in as honorary Newfoundlanders. The tradition involves taking an oath, kissing the cod and drinking screech rum. Only one member of our group had to kiss the cod but we all drank screech. Screech is the traditional rum of Newfoundland and Labrador which is made in Jamaica, of course. After the screeching in ceremony was over we were treated to traditional folk songs of Newfoundland and Labrador. The background songs on the video are all performed by Anchors Aweigh and used with permission.

Returning to shore we enjoyed a box lunch in the park. Continuing through Gros Morne we visited The Tablelands. The Tablelands are the result of a billion years of continental drift. As the continents collided part of the earth mantle was pushed up and exposed for us to enjoy. Nothing grows on the mountains except human ambitions. There are guided walking tours on the Tablelands but occasionally a few brave souls will climb the mountain formed by the earth’s mantle. Only world-class climbers should attempt this.

Continuing through Gros Morne National Park we visited many communities and places of interest. Western Brook Pond is known for its walking trails. Two members of our group ran the entire length of the trail and back again. They were quite exhausted when they returned but proud of their accomplishments. Lobster Cove Head is another location that has a long walking trail. We didn’t have time to walk the trail. There was time only to visit the lighthouse.

Leaving Gros Morne we headed east toward Gander. We visited the community of Twillingate starting with the Prime Berth Fishing Museum. While there we learned about the restriction on fishing in Western Newfoundland due to large companies overfishing and using modern technology to fish. Such technology destroyed the habitat the fish required and in turn destroyed the fishing industry in Western Newfoundland. Upon departing our bus got stuck on a steep, gravel-covered embankment and we had to wait for a lift to get out. While waiting we were offered free ice cream to ease our hunger since it was almost lunchtime.

That evening we arrived in Gander the third-largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador. We visited the North Atlantic Aviation Museum. I had my picture taken next to one of the fighter jets. While on the topic of aviation we visited the monument for the air crash of a DC-8 carrying US troops. Arrow Air Flight 1285 crashed shortly after taking off from Gander on December 12th, 1985. All aboard were killed. The monument is a very somber sight in the middle of the forest. The path was too narrow for our bus to get through, as a result, we had to hike in.

On the way to Saint John’s, we visited Cape Bonavista, where there is a statue of John Cabot. John Cabot (Giovanni Caboto) discovered the coast of North America in the fifteenth century. We toured the lighthouse then went to the fudge shop to buy fudge. Our next stop was the town of Trinity on Trinity Bay followed by the town of Brigus on Conception Bay. Brigus was the home of Arctic explorer Captain Bob Bartlett. Brigus’ most notable attraction is the Brigus tunnel. Due to the overcrowding of the harbor Captain Bartlett would have to offload his fishing catch over jagged cliffs. In 1860 he hired workers to dig an 80-foot tunnel through the cliff which would give him easier access to his ship. The tunnel was used until 1910.

Our final stop was the city of Saint John’s. The largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador with a population of approximately 219,207 in 2017. Terry Fox started his Marathon of Hope in Saint John’s in 1980. We stopped at his statue on a tour of the city. It was very hot when we were there in July so we also stopped at Quidi Vidi lake to take a dip. Actually, we only had time to dip our toes in the water which was quite enough. We also ventured up to Signal hill. From Signal Hill you can see all of Saint John on a clear day. It is also where Guglielmo Marconi set up a radio receiver to determine if a wireless radio signal could travel across the Atlantic. In 1901 he reported receiving a signal from his transmitting station in England.

Our last boat tour was on Bay Bulls where we encountered an island inhabited by birds, birds, and nothing but birds. Most of the birds were puffins. As we passed the birds flew over us and occupationally dropped a little gift at our feet. It was a lovely, sunny day, however, it wouldn’t have been a bad idea to have an umbrella to catch the “birdy” bombs. It was very windy and cold on the boat heading out towards the open ocean, however, on the way back to shore the wind became very warm. I assume that was because the wind was coming off the land and not the ocean on the return trip. Returning to shore we were greeted by a big hairy fellow: a Newfoundland dog. Newfoundland and Labrador is known for two breeds of dogs, the Labrador Retriever and the Newfoundland dog. Both breeds are gentle and mild-mannered just like the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Our last stop was Cape Spears which is the most easterly point in Canada. There is a sign there saying “Canada begins here”. It was a great trip and we met some great people. Newfoundland and Labrador’s best asset is her people. They are always ready with a smile and a gentle greeting. They have a saying which expresses how I feel about them, “There are no strangers, only friends we haven’t met yet.

I hope you enjoyed this and I hope you enjoyed the video.

Facts came from Wikipedia or the Parks Canada website.