ADVENTURE

CANADA

Dennis Minty

NEWFOUNDLAND
CIRCUMNAVIGATION

NEWFOUNDLAND
CIRCUMNAVIGATION
JUNE 19JUNE 29, 2016
ABOARD THE OCEAN ENDEAVOUR
This summer sailing is ideally timed for viewing whales, icebergs, and breeding seabirds. The islands charm and
geographic diversity are best appreciated when visiting by ship. At Gros Morne, the planets mantle frames fjords that
would be at home in Norway; on the Avalon Peninsula, a chunk of what was once Africa meets remnants of the Appalachian
Mountains. We will visit Red Bay, learn about the Viking history in North America at LAnse aux Meadows, and see the
legendary French Shore Tapestry at Conche.
Starting and ending in historic St. Johns, we experience Newfoundlands lively culture and dramatic scenery in daily
expedition stops. A visit to the French island of Saint-Pierre caps the adventure. The welcome we receive in Newfoundlands
outport communities is warm and genuine; the music and stories unforgettable. Experience the provinces legendary
music, food, and hospitality the way it was meant to be experiencedby sea.

PROPOSED ITINERARY
Day 1: St. Johns, NL
Day 2: Trinity Bay
Day 3: Conche
Day 4: LAnse aux Meadows
Day 5: Red Bay
Day 6: Woody Point / Gros Morne National Park
Days 7-8: South Coast, NL

HIGHLIGHTS
Explore the phenomenal landscapes of
Gros Morne National Park
Share the warmth of a classic Newfoundland
kitchen party
Hear traditional stories and songs from our
talented musicians

Day 9: Miawpukek (Conne River)

Day 10: Saint-Pierre, FR
Day 11: St. Johns, NL
Passengers are responsible for arranging their own transport
to and from St. John's. Pre- and post-expedition hotel nights in
St. John's are available upon request.

View icebergs and whales at an optimal time of

the year
Discover the Viking history of North America
Sail Newfoundlands remote south coast
Travel in the company of internationally acclaimed
artist J.C. Roy
Visit Miawpukek (Conne River), Newfoundlands
only Mikmaq community

Dennis Minty

DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: St. Johns
Welcome to St. JohnsNewfoundlands historic, vibrant
capital. Picturesque and welcoming, with a world-famous
harbour, St. Johns has been continually fished since 1498,
allowing it to boast the designation of North Americas oldest
European settlement.
We will offer an optional afternoon city tour to those
interested. Afterwards, we will rendezvous at the docks and
board the Ocean Endeavour to begin the adventure proper.
Passengers will meet the staff and crew, and prepare to leave
the harbour. Sailing out of St. Johns has to be experienced to
be believed; Signal Hill keeps watch over the world-famous
Narrows as we head for open water.
Day 2: Trinity Bay
Newfoundlands history is intricately bound up with the cod
fishery. In the heyday of sail, smaller centres like Trinity could
claim to compete with St. Johns. Abandoned communities
nearby, like the ghostly Ireland's Eye, add to the character of
this region, as do the roles it played in the motion picture The
Shipping News and the TV series Random Passage.
Day 3: Conche
On the Great Northern Peninsula, the people of Conche
welcome us into their charming community. Complete with ties
to its history, religion, fishery, and wildlife, Conche is made up

Dennis Minty

Day 5: Red Bay

Labrador is home to the Red Bay Basque Whaling Station,
Canadas newest unesco World Heritage site. Beginning in
the 1500s, Basque whalers operated out of the Red Bay
harbour, making it at one time the largest whaling station in
the world. The site includes six hundred acres of terrestrial and
aquatic protected area. Among the important artefacts found at
Red Bay is the whaling ship San Juan, lost in a storm in 1565
and found centuries later submerged in the harbour in only ten
metres of water. A large number of tools, personal items, and
navigational instruments have been recovered from the wreck.

Dennis Minty

of mostly Irish descendants. We will explore the colourful town

on footand dont be surprised if locals invite you in for a mug
up! Conche is home to the legendary French Shore Tapestry,
over two hundred feet of linen and wool telling the story of
Newfoundlands French history: its fishery, its conflict, and
its people.
Day 4: LAnse aux Meadows

Day 6: Woody Point / Gros Morne National Park

Gros Morne is internationally famed for its geographic diversity
and majesty. The parks mountains are both picturesque and
highly unusual: the Tablelands, a 600-metre plateau, forms
one of the worlds best examples of ancient rock exposed from
the earths mantle. The parks fjords are equally stunning, and
the town of Woody Point has become widely renowned for its
annual Writers Festival.

A unesco World Heritage Site, LAnse aux Meadows is the only

authenticated former Norse settlement in North America.
The archaeological remains found here in 1960 date to
approximately 1000 AD. Amazingly, the location of the ruins
was first established by a close reading of the Viking sagas.

There will be a choice of walkscatering to all levels of skill

and interestas we explore the surrounding area. The beauty of
Bonne Bay will surely be a highlight, as will the subtle charms
of Woody Point.

Today, a superb interpretive centre and reconstructions of the

several Norse-style sod buildings make LAnse aux Meadows a
must-see for any visitor to Newfoundland.

Days 7 8: South Coast

The wild and windswept coast of southern Newfoundland is
home to a few remaining outport communities, still largely cut

Dennis Minty

off from mainstream travel. Visits here are often a highlight of

our trips. There are many unique bays and coves to explore via
Zodiac or land excursions.
Day 9: Miawpukek (Conne River)

St. Pierres architecture reflects its history: an eclectic

collection of colours and style aligned on picturesque
cobblestone streets and alleys. We will have time for a tour
of the city and independent exploration in the surrounding
area. Take advantage of this day in France to enjoy some wine
and cheese, and unwind in a tiny slice of old Europe nestled into
the North American coast.
Day 11: St. Johns
On the final day of our expedition, we will say our farewells and
begin the process of departure. Staff will be on hand to assist
you with luggage and transportation arrangements.

The First Nations community of Miawpukek has a mandate

for economic self-sufficiency, guided by traditional values.
It became a permanent settlement sometime around 1822.
Before then, it was one of many semi-permanent camping
sites used by the Mikmaw peoplewho, at the time, travelled
throughout the east coast. Since its establishment as a reserve in
1987, Miawpukeks employment rate has increased from 10% to
nearly 100% and Indian and Northern Affairs often references
the community as a model for other First Nations.
With the help of community leaders, we will receive a formal
welcome into Miawpukek and meet the locals.
Day 10: Saint-Pierre, FR
Explore Saint-Pierre, a last bastion of Frances colonial territories
in North America. The islands 6,500 residents are of varied
descent including French, Basque, Breton, and Normand.

Scott Forsyth

Dennis Minty

FEATURED STAFF

DR. MARK ENGSTROM

ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM

KEVIN MAJOR
HISTORIAN
Kevin has published seventeen books
and won numerous awards, including
a Governor Generals Award for his first
book, Hold Fast. The best-selling As Near
to Heaven by Sea: A History of Newfoundland and Labrador
traces the story of his homeland from continental drift to modern
political upheaval. His novel No Mans Land tells a tragic tale
of the Newfoundland Regiment in wwi. His most recent novel,
New Under the Sun, explores the many cultures to inhabit
southern Labrador and the northernmost tip of Newfoundland.

After receiving his doctorate in wildlife

and fisheries from Texas A&M University,
Mark worked as an assistant professor of
biology at Angelo State University for six
years. He joined the Royal Ontario Museum (rom) in 1988 as
Assistant Curator of Mammals and held a variety of curatorial
positions over the next twenty-seven years before becoming
Deputy Director of Collections and Research in 2003. In 2014,
he led a team from the rom to Newfoundland to salvage two
blue whale carcasses that washed ashore. He is also a professor
at the University of Torontos Department of Ecology and
Evolutionary Biology. He dreams of building the largest and
most comprehensive research collection of whales in the world.

JEAN-CLAUDE ROY
ARTIST
Jean Claude was born in Rochefortsur-Mer in 1948. He first went to
Newfoundland at seventeen as a marine
electrician aboard a French cable ship,
and fell in love with the landscape. Since 1971, he has divided
his time between his two countries. In 2011, he published
Fluctuat Nec Mergitur, a page book that includes paintings of
every community in Newfoundland, the culmination of fortyfive years work; he is now preparing a companion volume on
Labrador. He and his wife Christina designed the French Shore
Tapestry, for which he received the Prix Champlain in France.
*This is a small sample of our talented team of Resource Staff
for a more complete list, please visit adventurecanada.com.

Scott Forsyth

Dennis Minty