"Come from Away" to Newfoundland

Back in June, Ed and I were talking about whether we might squeeze in a trip in August, mostly to escape the heat of Kentucky’s summers. We pretty quickly settled on Newfoundland, an island off the mainland of Canada and the only Canadian province that we had not yet visited. 

I knew only three things about this place. One: the novel, The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx is set in a fictional town located in Newfoundland. The harsh and rugged setting stuck with me even more than the emotional storyline. 

Two: We recently watched “Come from Away,” the story of Newfoundlanders’ generous response to the 7000 air passengers and crew stranded in Gander after 911. (Come from Away is the term Newfoundlanders use to refer to anyone not from their island.)

Three: It is faraway and hard to get to — seemingly a requirement for many of our travel adventures. 

So, in the course of one afternoon, we mapped out an 11-day itinerary and booked airline tickets, one hotel and three Airbnb cottages. And then mostly forgot about it until it was time to pack and go. 

We flew into St. John’s, the capital and largest city, and then drove the width of the province, staying for a couple of nights in the Bonavista Peninsula, Fogo Island and Rocky Harbour. On our way back to the airport we spent the night in Twillingate. More on each destination below. 

In my mind, it is the spectacular landscape that makes the place: rugged coastlines, dramatic cliffs, with steep mountains that rise directly from the water. There is water, water everywhere: bays, harbours and inlets, fjords, streams and ponds. The vistas are breathtaking, especially when dotted with colorful saltbox houses and commercial premises. The geography is a mix of barren rock, bogs and boreal forests. 

The remoteness and harsh climate of the isle influence the flora and fauna as well as the people who live there. 

Black Spruce, Balsam Fir and White Birch dominate the boreal forests. Berries and wildflowers abound. It was our good fortune that wild Partridge berries were in season; we experienced them in nearly every dessert form: ice cream, pudding, muffins, cake, bread pudding, pie, even tiramisu. I was particularly taken with the wildflowers that lined every road and the edges of peat bogs. Most I could not identify, but found overlap with the wildflowers of Farm Dover in the Red Clover, Wild Strawberry, Yarrow and Goldenrod. 

Moose were introduced in the early 20th century, and without natural predators, have reproduced prolifically. One of our Airbnb hosts noted that most Newfoundlanders participate in a yearly moose hunt, stocking their freezers with hundreds of pounds of meat. Just as I was complaining to Ed that we had not seen even one of the 120,000 moose who call this place home, one crossed the road just in front of our car. 

But it is the people that I will most remember from this trip. Most Newfoundlanders are descendants from the British Isles who arrived in the 18th and 19th centuries with hopes of earning a livelihood, especially from the cod in the surrounding sea waters. They speak English with a thick accent, and freely call us me love, me darlin' or me ducky. 

We found everyone (without exception) to be kind, generous and forthcoming about their lives in Newfoundland. From our warm welcomes from our Airbnb hosts, to the “Kitchen Parties” where traditional music was played, from every clerk or waitstaff, to the people we encountered on the street or hiking trail, the sense of community was palpable.

Let’s talk about food. We had five fabulous dinners (see below). We had a dozen pub lunches and dinners -- all served with big piles of french fries. And we had a handful of meals from the only source within miles: dingy convenience stores — think Ritz crackers and cheese, potato chips and candy bars. 

Of course, we partook of the island specialties of moose burgers, cod and brewis (salted dried cod mixed with soaked hard bread),  cod cakes and cod chowder, all served with toutons (fried bread) spread with strong molasses. 

Notable was the absence of chain hotels and restaurants, billboards, and outfitter shops. Also, I didn’t see a whale, puffin or iceberg or — for that matter — a speck of litter. But it was the absence of noise that struck us most. We could hear the waves softly lapping in the cove or the birch leaves rustling in the wind, but otherwise it was so peacefully quiet. 

I may have arrived with limited knowledge of Newfoundland, but left with a true appreciation for this island and an affection for the people who live here. Would I recommend this trip to others? Perhaps, but only to those who are willing to venture far from home, make the effort to get to know the locals, are good with consuming loads of french fries, and who relish dramatic seascapes and abundant silence. For us, it was one of our best trips yet. So glad we went.

Trip highlights

____________________________

St. John's

Capital and largest city
Outstanding meal: The Merchant Tavern
Best museum: The Rooms (Natural History and Art)
Best Brewery: Quidi Vidi Brewery
hotel: Murray Premises Hotel, two nights

Bonavista peninsula

Included visits to Trinity, Port Rexton, Bonavista plus Terra Nova National Park
Outstanding meal: The Fishers' Loft (beautiful kitchen garden)
Best Brewery: Port Rexton Brewery
Stayed at this Airbnb in Princeton, two nights

Fogo Island

Took the ferry over and back.
Architectural highlight: Fogo Island Inn
Cultural highlight: Kitchen Party, a traditional social gathering where people come together to enjoy music, dancing and storytelling
Best hike: Joe Batt's Walking Trail (which ends at life-sized bronze statue of the now extinct Great Auk)
Best dinner: Bangbelly Bistro
Stayed at this Airbnb in Joe Batt’s Arm, two nights

Rocky Harbour (within the Gros Morne National Park)

Outstanding meal: The Black Spruce
Outstanding hike: Coastal Trail in Gros Morne
Best boat ride: Western Brook Pond (fjord)
Outstanding sunset: from the front porch of our cottage
Stayed at this Airbnb in Rocky Harbour, 3 nights

Twillingate

Outstanding meal: Georgie’s, Anchor Inn Pub afterwards for traditional NFLD music
Stayed at The Anchor Inn, one night