Newfoundland's Coastal Towns
About a year back, I became a member of some Facebook travel groups to plan a trip to St. John's, the capital of Newfoundland & Labrador. Just to give you a bearing of where this not-so-small island is located on the- NFLD is not only the eastern most province in Canada, it is also geographically the eastern most in all of North America. While that trip did not happen, these groups led me down a rabbit hole, and enlightened me about some incredibly magical places in the province. The vast blue sky and ocean beckoned and I dreamt of visiting Newfoundland continuously until I set foot in this fascinating place six months later. (The provincial website itself has great resources. If you choose to go digging, you've been warned.) St. John's, while being a charming city at first sight, does not hold a candle to the rest of the province. Over five days, I drove around 1400 km making my way, through the tiny coastal towns of Twillingate, Bonavista and Trinity (population of 2000 - 3000 people).
Twillingate, nicknamed the Iceberg Capital of the world, located along the Iceberg Alley, is actually a group of islands on Notre-Dame bay. As we drove up to the town, we kept our eyes peeled for icebergs and it was quite something to finally spot one quietly floating miles away from the Coastal Guard's Wharf. Later, when we visited Sleepy Cove, at the far end of Northern Twillingate, we were blown away by how many icebergs there were in the bay and how gigantic they were. Some of them had been there since early spring, slowly melting in size! (Newfoundland & Labrador has an iceberg finder map where you can see the numbers, sizes, locations and photos of bergs floating by.)
Bonavista, by Bonavista Bay is a quaint little town, steeped in history owing to the theory that John Cabot, the first European explorer in North America since the Vikings, is said to have first landed here in 1497. The town lies sprawled out on an open plain- exposed to the elements and the tumultuous winds from all directions, giving the town the ill repute of being the windiest place in Canada. A short distance away, was Trinity located on Trinity Bay, by far the most touristy place we visited on the trip. Being located more inland than the other two towns, the less severe weather promoted the growth of wildflowers and vegetation. Rows of Lupine flowers welcomed us everywhere we went.
Each town was different and yet unified by the distinct architectural style of brightly colored Salt-Box houses huddled together on the rugged cliffs against the back drop of the ocean. As you walked through the streets, you would catch glimpses of the ocean between them. Driving along the province's coastline was another surreal experience, you would come across towns nestled in coves and with every corner you turned, the ocean would be waiting for you.
(Photos taken around Newfoundland, July 2023)
On the Battery hike, St. John's
Quidi Vidi, St. John's
Quidi Vidi Brewery, St. John's
Chance Cove
Chance Cove
Icebergs floating in the channel between Northern & Southern Twillingate
Northern Twillingate
The first time I caught sight of an iceberg from the Coastal Guard's Pier, Twillingate
Icebergs, Twillingate
Crow Head, Twillingate
The community of Crow Head, North Twillingate Island
Twillingate
The view out of the window at the AirBnb, Bonavista
Walking around Bonavista just after sunrise
The town of Bonavista
The town of Bonavista
The town of Bonavista engulfed in morning fog rising from the ocean
The town of Bonavista
Brightly coloured, a century old houses, Bonavista
The town of Bonavista
A sudden thick blanket of fog descended on us at Elliston
Trinity East
Lupines welcomed us along the highway as we drove into Trinity
The town of Trinity
The town of Trinity
The Lester-Garland Premises and the Rising Tide theater form important parts of the fishing trade history and current cultural scene in Trinity
Lester-Garland Premises behind Lupines
Across Trinity Bay
The town of Trinity
The town of Trinity
Port Rexton
Port Rexton
