Newfoundland Circumnavigation

After attending our passenger briefing in the morning, we arrived at the St. John’s marine port to see the Ocean Endeavour waiting for us. Once on board, we quickly made our way to the outside decks to soak up the beautiful sunny day and take in a glimpse of St. John’s from a new angle.

As we sailed through the Narrows, we had the most spectacular sunset and an amazing view of the strawberry moon!

After our first sleep on board, we awoke to a wake-up call from our expedition leader MJ Swan that included a song and harmonica tune from musician Tony Oxford. We then enjoyed a delicious breakfast, had our briefing for the day’s activities, and were equipped with our expedition jackets and boots.

Half of us headed off on a Zodiac cruise around the Wadham Islands, while the rest of the group remained on board and enjoyed a presentation on the history of Newfoundland from author and historian, Kevin Major.

On the Zodiac cruise, we sailed around James and Offer Wadham Islands and were lucky enough to spot many different seabirds. We saw razorbills, black-legged kittiwakes, common eiders, and lots and lots of puffins!

After supper, we had a lovely musical evening with Jeff Pittman and were spoiled with another beautiful sunset and full moon sighting.

This morning we disembarked for an expedition landing on Little Bay Islands. Kevin spent the morning alongside Wynce Oxford, who had spent his whole life in Little Bay Islands until three years ago, when at age eighty-six, his community was resettled. Mr. Oxford answered a steady round of questions from the group, and as Kevin so eloquently said, “gave us a unique and personal look at the life of a fisherman in Little Bay Islands through the decades.” Many among the group were deeply touched to have met and shared in the stories of this kind and generous outport gentleman.

Once back on board, we had a lovely afternoon of learning. We had a presentation from naturalist, Paul Dean, on the geology of Newfoundland, heard from our host, Dennis Minty, on the natural history of Newfoundland, and listened to Tony talk (and sing) about L’Anse aux Meadows.

We ended the night off with a kitchen party led by the on board musicians, who got the crowd tapping their feet and singing along!

We woke up this morning with a full day ahead of us. We set out on the Zodiacs to St. Anthony (or “snan-tnee” as we came to learn it was pronounced). After a bus ride with some moose sightings on the way, we arrived at L’Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We walked along the archaeological site and learned fascinating facts from the Parks Canada interpreters along the way. At the end of the boardwalk trail, we ventured into the reconstructed Norse longhouse replica and heard from Viking re-enactors. This visit was certainly a highlight for many among the group!

After a quick lunch on board, we took a spontaneous Zodiac cruise around a nearby iceberg. For many of us, this was our first encounter with an iceberg, and it was truly something special. From there, we made our way back to St. Anthony, explored the interpretation centre and home of Dr. Wilfred Grenfell, a British medical missionary for Newfoundland and Labrador. We ended the day with almost everyone gathered out on deck for a beautiful sunset, sailing past multiple icebergs.

Today we visited another UNESCO World Heritage Site—Red Bay, a renowned historical Basque whaling station. Half of the group disembarked on Saddle Island, where Parks Canada staff were waiting to give an interpretive archaeological tour where a large whale oil production site once stood.

Across from Saddle Island, some of the group trekked up the 689 steps of Tracy Hill for a stunning view of Red Bay, while the rest of us explored the village that has a population of less than 200. We visited the interpretation centre to see some artefacts from the sunken galleon San Juan, saw an eight-metre long chalupa, and set eyes on the skeleton of an Atlantic right whale.

Although, the forty knot winds kept us from heading back to Red Bay after lunch, the expedition team whipped together a wonderful afternoon of presentations for us. The night ended with a pleasing sunset among the waves and a very entertaining concert from Tony.

With the ship anchored in Bonne Bay, we had a short sunny Zodiac ride to Woody Point in the heart of Gros Morne National Park. We picked up our locally made bagged lunches—many of us opting for the moose meat sandwich option—hopped on the buses, and set out for a morning of hiking.

Those of us looking for a longer hike ventured out to Trout River and Eastern Point Trail and were met with gusty winds and scenic views. The rest of the group hiked towards the Tablelands and were accompanied by exceptional Parks Canada guides, who taught us all about this spectacular and unique exposed section of the Earth’s mantle.

We explored the discovery centre and the small town of Woody Point and then headed back to the ship. We were spoiled with delicious, fresh lobster for dinner and many of us snuck back for seconds and thirds.

After dinner, we gathered in the Nautilus Lounge to watch the film Hold Fast, based on the book by our very own expedition team member, Kevin Major.

With the high winds coming in, it was decided that we would spend the night sheltered in Bonne Bay. This meant another day to explore Gros Morne National Park and many different morning activities to choose from. Yay! Some of us opted to wander the picturesque town of Woody Point, while others elected for a Zodiac cruise around the bay.

The Zodiac cruisers spotted a bald eagle, a minke whale, and even some friendly pirates on a Zodiac who handed out hot chocolate. The rest of the group hit the trails. Some of us enjoyed a peaceful hike to Stanleyville, full of bird songs, wildflowers, and moose droppings, while the rest of us trekked the quaint Trout River Pond trail and caught sight of a few curious snowshoe hares.

Today we spent the day at sea and although the ship was rocking from the rolling swells outside, we had a full day of fun activities indoors. We started our morning off with two very captivating talks about food. One from Bruce McAdams and Rebecca Gordon, our Scientists-in-Residence, and the other from our trip's Taste of Place Ambassador, Marsha Tulk. Paul topped off our morning with an informative discussion on glaciers and icebergs.

Our afternoon started with a laugh as we played Newfoundland Bluff with some of the local expedition team members. Then we had a wonderful selection of workshops to choose from.

We finished off the day with a Taste of Place dish at supper and a lovely evening concert from Chris Scerri, Gerry Strong, and Jeff, which included a few special guest stars.

We started the morning with a session on Newfoundland crafts, writing, and music led by some of the very accomplished expedition team members, who happen to call Newfoundland home. Then we were welcomed at the door of the Polaris Restaurant with mimosas for a "Monday Funday" brunch!

After brunch, the group on board had a thought-provoking talk from Bill Swan on Adventure Canada’s Regenerative Travel Plan. The rest of the group explored the granite cliffs of the Bay d’Espoir on a Zodiac cruise and were lucky enough to spot a variety of wildlife. We saw harbour seals, mink, a bald eagle, a mother bear and her cubs, and even some unusual Vikings doling out delicious hot chocolate and Baileys.

Back on board, we had a lovely talk from naturalist, Jean Knowles, who charmed us with her melodious voice as she presented us with a yaffle of Newfoundland tunes. Finishing off the night, we were entertained by the scotch label contest and the very creative and hilarious entries. It was a tough competition, but luckily, we had a very high-tech clap-o-meter to decide the winner.

We had an early start to the day with a cloudy morning Zodiac cruise. The group spotted a variety of birds including bald eagles, spotted sandpipers, common loons, various species of gulls and warblers, and an osprey.

Expedition team member and Inuit Cultural Educator, Randy Edmunds, offered an informative talk for National Indigenous Peoples Day and we were also very fortunate to have Saqamaw (Chief) Misel Joe from the Mi’kmaw community of Miawpukek join us on board to speak.

After this, we got the opportunity to visit the powwow grounds of the Miawpukek community and join in the National Indigenous Peoples Day celebration. Watching the dancers in their stunning regalia, while listening to the drummers was truly something special. Throughout our time visiting Miawpukek, we also had the chance to try different kinds of food, purchase homemade crafts and arts, view an impressive birch bark canoe, and get to know some of the community members. This visit was truly a special experience that we're unlikely to ever forget.

Today we stepped off the ship into Saint-Pierre, France, and were immediately greeted with French accordion music on the pier. Most of the group joined bus tours led by locals who pointed out different highlights around Saint-Pierre, while others opted for a nature walk that ended with a wonderful view of this unique archipelago.

We wandered through the streets filled with colourful houses, visited the shops and market, along with picking up pastries, wine, and other delectable treats.

Back on board, we had the disembarkation briefing and reluctantly began packing up our cabins. Most of us found a spot outside on deck to soak up the sun and were lucky enough to spot a pod of dolphins swimming alongside the Ocean Endeavour. We topped off this lovely day with a fantastic kitchen party that included a variety of appearances from several talented guests.

We said hello again to St. John’s as we sailed back through the beautiful Narrows, back to where we started at the St. John’s marine port. However, it was now time to say goodbye to our home for the past two weeks and to the new friends we made along the way.

We disembarked the Ocean Endeavour full of fond memories and love for the people and places of this island. Perhaps it is not a goodbye, but rather a see you later.