A Grand Ol' Time in Newfoundland

It seemed like we had no more than arrived in Newfoundland, and just like that, the sun was setting on one of our last boondocking spots. We have become all too accustomed to having breath-taking coastal views like this in our ''back yard''. I would love to write five or six more blogs about all we have experienced and share even more of the massive amounts of photos that we took, but I know that our travels will quickly move us on to other beautiful locations. So for now, I'm going to attempt to highlight some of the ''Best'' moments during our time in Newfoundland.

Yes, you could say that we had a ...

Puffin Jivin' and Whale Divin',

Coastal Hikin' and Iceberg Sightin',

Boondock Livin' and Cod Jiggin',

Seafood Chompin' and Newfie Stompin'

grand ol' time in Newfoundland!

Our five and a half weeks in Newfoundland were filled with so many magical sights and experiences. I hope that by showing you some of our picture-perfect moments, it will convince you to put this eastern island of Canada on your travel bucket list!

The Trans Canada Highway (TCH) is the main transportation artery on the island. Once you get off the ferry in Port aux Basque on the west side (a seven hour journey from Nova Scotia) or Argentia on the east side (a sixteen hour journey), the TCH connects you with all of the cute fishing villages that line the various peninsulas and small islands jetting out from the main island. 

During our time in Newfoundland, we saw quite a few of the boulders that make up ''The Rock'', and we would like to present our ...

Grand Ol' List of the Best of Newfoundland

Best Town: Twillingate

We originally planned to spend two days in Twillingate, but as we soon found out, its charm drew us in for a week. We quickly found that it's possible to experience the ''authentic'' feel  of Newfoundland in this one quaint fishing village on the northeastern tip of the Rock. Twillingate delivers unique cultural experiences, good local fish, iceberg and whale sightings, and magnificent hiking trails. It also has the only winery on the island featuring unique blends of island berries and plants ... yes, even dandelion!  We also found Twillingate to be a welcoming boondockers paradise with easy access to all the ''nice-cesities'' (showers, laundry, dump station, water refill) along with spectacular views from the many hiking trails and scenic boondocking locations.

Best Boondocking Location

Speaking of scenic boondocking, we found a treasure at Sea Breeze Park on the northern tip of the Twillingate island. An abandoned campground, Sea Breeze had (almost) all that a boondocker can desire ... scenic and peaceful camping spots, a convenient location to the nearby town and hiking trails, good cell signal, and amazing sunset views!

Best Newfoundland Food and Entertainment

I don't often have an excuse to get dressed up, but when Doug saw that the Twillingate Dinner Theater was serving up lobster, it was Date Night, Newfoundland style!

The dinner theater featured a delicious seafood dinner followed by an authentic local music and comedy show chucked full of Newfie humor. 

There were a number of other times when we enjoyed authentic Newfie entertainment along with a delicious meal. Doug (using the Google Maps reviews) became quite good at finding us fun off-the-beaten-path culinary gems. It's always a bonus to be served up some lively folk music along with delicious fish & chips like we enjoyed at Smuggler's Cove Restaurant in the town of Burin.

Best ''True Newfie'' Experience: Grand Ol' Shed Party Show

Every Sunday evening, mother-daughter musicians Karren and Gillian transform their large garage into the ultimate Newfoundland musical and cultural experience. For a small admission fee of $15, guests are encouraged to pick out a fancy Newfie hat and instrument and join in the lively hand-clapping, leg-stomping, jig-dancing fun. Because the fun lasted way past dark, they invited us to boondock overnight on their property.

Choose your crazy hat,

... grab your homemade instrument (no musical talent required),

... and sing along!

Best ''Spur-of-the-Moment'' Cod-portunity!

While visiting with Karren and Gillian the next morning, we were gifted with one of the best spur-of-the-moment opportunities that we could have ever asked for. Gillian's fiance is an avid fisherman, and he allowed us to go out with him to catch some cod that afternoon. The cod fishing regulations are somewhat limited in order to help the fish supply recover after years of over-fishing. In Newfoundland, you don't need a fishing license to catch cod, but you can only catch them on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. Each person can only catch five cod per day with a boat limit of fifteen cod total. Since he and his two buddies had already caught their fifteen limit that morning, he was happy to take us and another couple out to catch another fifteen. 

Fishing for cod doesn't take much ''skill'' ... just a jig tied to a thick, long nylon-coated rope will do the trick. You simply drop the line into the water and let it sink to the bottom. Once it lands on the bottom, you pull it up a little bit and start ''jigging'' the line in order to (hopefully) attract the cod who are feeding on the bottom.

Much to my delight, I snagged a mighty fine one within the first five minutes. Doug, who was just along to take pictures, had to get his hands slimey in order to help me lift the thirty-five pound cod into the boat. There were a lot of laughs and squeals of delight as this amateur group of fishermen caught our limit within thirty minutes. After being taught the fine art of cleaning and filleting, we each took home a couple of fillets and left the rest with our new friends to fill their freezer.

Best Fish & Chips

As we discovered, rich fishing grounds surround the cold Atlantic waters just off the coast of Newfoundland. While salmon, squid, lobster and haddock are plentiful, around here Cod is King! Fish & Chips is standard fare in the majority of restaurants and roadside stands, and it is always thick, flaky, moist, melt-in-your-mouth, right-off-the-hook cod. It became our ''go-to'' meal during our time there, and we became quite the fish & chip experts. 

Our vote for the best fish & chips goes to Off The Hook food truck in Deer Lake, just a mile off the TCH. Their fish batter was light and crispy, their hand-cut, skin-on fries were cooked to the perfect consistency, their cole slaw was creamy good, their portions were generous enough to share, and their prices were quite reasonable ($14 usd for a ''sharable'' three piece meal). What sealed our vote is the fact that we were able to enjoy this decadent meal three different times during our Newfoundland travels because of its strategic location just off the TCH.

Honorable mentions go to the fish & chips served at the food truck associated with Quidi Vidi Brewing in St John's, Dildo Brewing in Dildo, Smugglers Cove in Burin, and Sansomes in Hillgrade ... and pretty much any small town diner.

Best Home-cooked Meal: I'm Cookin' Up a Scoff

That's Newfie for I'm cooking up some of our fresh caught cod. Heat up a little olive oil/butter mixture, add crushed garlic and whatever other spice catches your fancy, add the cod fillet, and in just five minutes, it's ''what's for dinner'. I added some Minnesota wild rice to make it a true home-cooked feast!

While in Twillingate, Doug came upon some frozen packages of cooked lobster meat for sale at a local fish market. For the same price of one restaurant-sized lobster roll, Doug was in ''lobster heaven'' for four days!

Best ''Sweet Treats'' 

Quite by accident, Doug found his newest favorite sweet treat at a small local restaurant by the harbor in Tilting, Fogo Island. Not sure why, but Date Squares are a very popular dessert on the Rock ... and are a new favorite for him. Like Doug, Newfies must like their sweets, because we found a lot of small bakeries on the island. Other ''must try'' delectables included the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies from Rosie's Restaurant and Bakery in Gander, and the homemade ice cream that we found at Growler's Ice Cream on Fogo Island. They use the island's abundant wild berries to create some delicious flavors.

Of course, his favorite dessert, Creme Brulee,

may require a more creative search on the Rock ...

Best Brewery

While there are only about twenty craft breweries in Newfoundland, the oldest, Quidi Vidi Brewing in St John's gets Doug's vote for the best. Situated in a cute artist village on the harbor, it served up some creative brews alongside their delicious fish & chips.

One of their best selling lagers, Iceberg, has been 10,000 years in the making ...

Best Hike: French Beach, Twillingate

This moderately challenging three mile hike started out on a rocky beach and quickly brought us up to some magnificent views as the trail snaked along the high coastal cliffs. At one point, we watched four humpbacks happily flip and feed right below us. 

Best of Nature: We could hang out for hours watching ...

Puffins

95% of the North American puffins call the rocky shores of Newfoundland ''home'' during the summer nesting season. The most popular place to catch a glimpse of these colorful sea birds is just off the shore of the small town of Elliston, Newfoundland. Thousands of puffins return there every summer to hang out, enjoy the nice weather, feast on fish, and launch off the next generation of adorable puffins!

Whales

Humpbacks, sperm, orchas and many other types of whales, like us, call Newfoundland their perfect summer destination. Pretty much every oceanside hike gave us an opportunity to view these magestic sea creatures in their glory while chasing a migrating school of their favorite sea delicacy.

Icebergs

While the sight of these massive chunks of ice indicate that global warming continues to be a problem, it still is amazing to these frozen monsters slowly float across the vast sea of blue.

Wildflowers

Blue, purple, yellow, orange, or white ... whatever trail you choose is lined with the beautiful colors of wildflowers. 

Moose

While not native to Newfoundland, moose continue to be an important citizen on the Rock. We saw a lot of roadway signs warning us to be on the lookout for these gentle beasts, but during our time in Newfoundland, we only saw one just wandering out of the woods. Thankfully, the giant size sculpture along the TCH is our best ''close encounter'' with this Newfoundland resident.

Caribou

We saw a few of ''Santa's helpers'' in various parts of Newfoundland. Native to the island, we learned that they were an important food and clothing source for the indigenous people as well as early explorers. 

Best Hike With a Bit of History: Chambers Cove Trail

After talking with a delightful local couple in St. Lawrence, Newfoundland, we found that the Chambers Cove Trail, just outside of the town, was a perfect place to combine another beautiful coastal hike with a history lesson. It is along these tall rocky cliffs that the tragic grounding of two US Navy ships, the USS Truxtum and the USS Pollux, occurred during a horrific blizzard in February, 1942. While over half of the military men were lost in the midst of a severe winter storm, many were saved due to the courage, quick action, and kindness of the local miners and townspeople.

The few of the sailors who managed to cross the water and scale to tall cliffs, briefly rested in this garden shelter before continuing their quest to find help.

It was inspiring to read how the heroic Ed Bergeron managed to trudge three miles through the blinding snow storm in order to summon help. The quick and selfless reaction of the Newfoundland citizens is the reason so many men were able to survive and continues to remind us of why we feel so welcome on this beautiful piece of God's earth.   

Best Place to See Vikings

L'Ance aux Meadows National Historic Site on the northern tip of Newfoundland is the oldest European settlement in North America, and that is where we traveled to meet up with Leif Erikson and the rest of the first Europeans who landed in North America on the ''Viking'' Peninsula of Newfoundland around the year 1000 AD. 

Despite popular images portrayed by fanatic Minnesota Viking fans, the original Norse people did not have horns coming out the side of their metal helmets ... nor were their favorite colors purple and gold.

To clarify: they like to be called the ''Norse'' and not the ''Vikings''. The Norse were the ''polite'' group of explorers and traders from northern Europe. The Vikings were the rowdie warriors of the group. Both groups traveled by well-designed wooden boats across the North Atlantic to Iceland, Greenland, Labrador,  and on to modern day Newfoundland and Nova Scotia in search of lumber, furs, and other valuable commodities to trade.

L'Ance aux Meadows is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the artifacts found here that prove this to be the earliest European settlement found in North America. The site continues to be excavated, studied and reconstructed by anthropologists and their students.

From their previous escavations, they have determined what the early Norse settlement may have looked like. We enjoyed walking around the site and hearing about their everyday lives by costumed guides. I even found out how to make their important dietary staple ... caribou stew that used the abundant supply of wild game, potatoes, and carrots. 

Best ''Off the Beaten Path'' Side Trips

Let's Go To France!

While the Trans Canada Highway will get you quickly from the west end of Newfoundland to  the east, we soon found out that one has to get off the main roads in order to find the ''true'' Newfoundland. One such venture involved driving down the ''boot'' (Burin Peninsula) and finding a bit of France.

Many people may be surprised to know that one can get a ''taste'' of Europe by just taking a short ferry ride to a group of islands off the coast of Newfoundland, but you can! After many years of fighting over ownership of the Rock and its rich fishing resources, England emerged victorious. With the Treaty of Paris in 1814, they gifted the French fishermen with ownership of the tiny St Pierre and Miquelon Islands just off the southwestern coast of Newfoundland. Today these islands are officially a part of France and retain the French language, food, and culture.

Because of that treaty, it is possible to take a short ferry ride, have your passport stamped, and find yourself in the heart of France complete with gourmet food, street music, 

... sweet, rich pastries and breads,

... and full, earthy French wines.

We drove down the ''Boot'' with the sole purpose of enjoying an afternoon in France, and while we did achieve our goal, we also found more hidden treasures in the Burin Peninsula that can only be found by veering off the TCH. This included my favorite history hike along Chamber Cove (see above) and a hike up to Captain Cook's Lookout where he had a most excellent viewpoint to map the coastlines and keep out unwanted pirate guests.

Fogo Island

Another ferry ride took us along ''Iceberg Alley'' off the northern coast of Newfoundland for a three night stay on Fogo Island. Many of the residents share a long fishing heritage, but currently, the island is being transformed into a popular tourist destination.

In 1992, the cod fishing industry, decimated by years of over-fishing, was shut down by the Canadian government. Naturally, this almost destroyed the small island's economy and people. Yet in recent years, the people of Fogo Island have developed and promoted the tourism industry. Some of the most ''iconic'' Newfoundland tourism photos depict serene locations in the cute towns of Fogo, Joe Batt's Arm, and Tilting.

While much of the island strives to retain that ''old fishing village'' vibe,

... modern, artistic architecture like the Fogo Inn attracts a glamorous crowd. For only $3000+ a night (with a three night minimum stay) we could have had a luxurious suite, meals and other amenities in this iceberg-shaped resort overlooking the harbor. This and many other tourist-related businesses were orchestrated by a generation of the Fogo residents who saw their parents and grandparents lose their livelihood with the collapse of the cod fishing industry. The proceeds from the Fogo Inn and other simular ventures go back to the help build up the struggling community.

Greenspond Island

Along Bonavista Bay is another quiet, cute village that bursts forth with Newfoundland charm. Greenspond Island is connected to the mainland by a land bridge, yet once you get to the end of the road, you will feel like you have been transported to a much simpler place and time. There is a community-supported hiking trail that leads you to spectacular waterfront views.

As the fog rolls in and the sun sets, you will know that you have found the true heart and soul of Newfoundland.

The Challenges

OK ... I would be wrong if I didn't point out some of the challenges of choosing to hang out in this small piece of paradise called Newfoundland. Newfies are strong people because of the obstacles they face and handle everyday. Of course, some of the things that I listed as challenges are a normal (and sometimes endeared) part of their daily life. Newfoundland wouldn't be Newfoundland if it wasn't for ...

High gas and food prices

Because (almost) everything needs to be transported over by boat or plane, prices are high and selection is low. With Canada continuing to add new ''carbon taxes'' to fuel, gas ended up costing about $5.25 (usd). Some of our usual and/or beloved grocery items (ie ... Cheetos and chocolate chip cookies) were MIA. Of course, a freshly caught fish & chips dinner was still a bargain at any price!

Rough roads

Welcome to pothole paradise! Nine months of winter takes a toll on the roads ... just be prepared to drive slow, brace for bumps, and enjoy the spectacular scenery along the way.

The weather

Sun, rain, fog, and cold only to be followed by excessive heat warnings the next day. Bring your winter jacket and be grateful if you don't need it. The ''normal'' weather forecast usually includes a 60 - 100% chance of RDF = Rain, Drizzle, Fog ... and no one is going to fire the weatherman if by some lucky chance, he is wrong!

Drinking water

They tell me that it's because there are so many tannins in the water streams, but whatever the reason, we found Newfoundland's water to be a slightly tan color and have a ''unique'' fishy taste to it ... or maybe we were just eating too much seafood!

Sporadic internet coverage

Doug learned to be happy if he had one or two bars of Internet and/or one or two dessert bars!

Lots of local radio

A local talk and ol' time radio station was better than nothing at all ... sometimes. It kinda made me feel like I wanted to learn the Newfie stomp while listening to the lively Celtic folk music.

The most popular and ''hyped-up'' hiking trails are not always the ''best'' hiking trails

Doug usually finds our hiking trails and plans the hikes. But I had read about the ''best hike in Newfoundland'' and convinced him to try it out. The Alexander Murray Trail boasts of 2,200 steps leading to spectacular vistas. Well there were at least 2,200 steps that led us up and up and up ... to a platform overlooking a river valley. As my mathematician husband pointed out ... that was not a high enough reward for the high percentage of effort. He's in no danger of losing his ''Master Trail Planner'' position any time soon.

Finding the RV services that we need (dump, water, showers, etc) 

Life would be easy if we always stayed in full-service campgrounds ... but what fun would that be? Thankfully, the iOverlander app came through with places to take care of all of life's necessities.  

Where is the fresh summer produce??

I had to keep reminding myself that we were on the Rock, and that not much grows on a rock. Consequently, there is not much for local produce aside from ground vegetables like carrots and potatoes. But on one of our last hikes, I spied some delightful island treasures. The small but sweet strawberries were at their peak, and if we could have just stayed around another few weeks, ripe blueberries, partridge berries, and bakeapple berries would line the trails and fuel a few more magnificent hikes! Next time ...

What language are they speaking?

The Newfoundland accent is a unique combination of English, French, and Irish along with local colloquialisms. Between the thick accent and the abundance of unusual phases, it can sometimes be difficult to decipher. But you don't ever want to get left out on the fun, so here are a few to get you started.

How's ya gittin' on b'y? = How are you?

Whadda ya' at? = What are you doing?

Are you a ''come from away''? = someone who is not from Newfoundland

God love your cotton socks = Thank you

Havin' a time = Having a good time

If someone asks you, ''Hows ya' gittin' along?'', your answer should be, ''Best kind''.

And if they call you ''me duckie''  or ''me ol' trout'' you should take that as a sincere compliment or a term of endearment

''My Dougie'' has now become ''Me Duckie''!

As our time on Newfoundland came to a close, we found ourselves grateful for every tasty seafood meal, quiet boondocking spot, and colorful sunset. Moreover, we're grateful to have been able to meet so many fun-loving, kind and welcoming Newfies. There are so many beautiful areas in Newfoundland, and we have come to realize why they love the ''Rock'' that they call home. 

It was a Grand Ol' Time!

Passing on this traditional Newfoundland wish on to you,

as summer comes to an end ...

''Long may your big jib draw''

May each and every day bring you good fortune!