Newfoundland Circumnavigation

Our Newfoundland Circumnavigation starts in North America’s oldest port, St. John’s, where we will embark on a voyage that will feature coastlines steeped in history, with ancient archaeological sites and UNESCO World Heritage sites set against a stunning landscape and the soundtrack of the east’s lively music. We will be welcomed in the outposts by the famous hospitality of some of Canada’s friendliest people and keep watch for the whales and marine life that inhabit these magical waters. The Straits of Belle Isle are particularly rich with puffins, shearwater, jaegers, Razorbill, Northern Gannet, dolphins, and whales. We visit L’Anse aux Meadows, the first known site of European occupation in North America at over 1000 years old and a wonderful window into how these ancient settlers may have lived. Gros Morne National Park is truly one of the most scenic areas of Newfoundland with deep fjords and fascinating geology that is known worldwide. Welcome receptions at some of Newfoundland’s villages that are accessible only by boat will add a charming touch to a wonderful voyage.

Highlights

• 11 days onboard the Clipper Adventurer amid stunning scenery
• Diverse and engaging resource team
• The charm of Newfoundland and her people
• Dramatic fjords of Gros Morne
• Viking history at L’Anse Aux Meadows
• Easternmost city in Canada and the capital of Newfoundland & Labrador, St. John’s
• The earliest known European settlement in the New World at L’Anse aux Meadows
• The remains of a Basque whaling station at Red Bay
• Visit the “Galapagos” of geology hiking the tablelands in Gros Morne National Park
• Visit France at the island of St. Pierre
• Follow in the steps of Captain James Cook during our visit to Ramea
• Experience a piece of the Miawpukek culture during our community visit in Conne River
• Enjoy the quaint outport community of Fogo, the oldest settlement on Newfoundland north of Bonavista Bay

 

Itinerary



Day 1: St. John's, Newfoundland
We meet in St. John's, Newfoundland's historic, vibrant capital. Picturesque and welcoming, it has been continuously fished since 1498, allowing it to boast the designation of North America's oldest European settlement. We will join the Ocean Nova here.

Day 2: Fogo Town, Fogo Island
Located 15km off Newfoundland's northeast coast, Fogo Island was originally named ?fuego? or ?fire? by the Portuguese, after fires set by early fishermen were seen burning on the island. A lucrative crab fishery has since replaced the salmon and cod fisheries that once supported the outport communities of the island. Fogo Island supports 11 communities, and a landmark proclaimed by the Flat Earth Society as one of the four corners of the Earth. We spend time experiencing island life in Fogo Town before heading further north.

Day 3: Battle Harbour, Labrador
Once a bustling fishing community and the epicenter of the Labrador fishery until the codfish moratorium in 1992 forced it to cease its fishing operations, Battle Harbour has undergone extensive restoration work and is now open to curious travellers. A walking tour of this restored fishing community suggests how daily life might have been for Battle Harbour's past inhabitants.

Day 4: L'Anse aux Meadows and Red Bay
L'Anse aux Meadows, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the only authenticated Viking settlement in North America. Located at the tip of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula, it is widely regarded as one of the most important archaeological sites globally.

Red Bay is a fishing village and former site of several Basque whaling stations occupied between 1550 and the early 1600s when they hunted right and bowhead whales. The remains of three Basque whaling galleons and four small chalupas haunt the depths of the waters in this area, making it an important archaeological site and earning it a UNESCO nomination.

Day 5: Gros Morne National Park
It has been said, "Gros Morne is to geology what the Galapagos are to biology." Spectacular scenery including Precambrian cliffs, deep inland fjords and volcanic "pillow" rocks formed as lava cooled underwater- is just one of the reasons we stop here year after year. Highlights on this day include time spent exploring the Tablelands, a 600m (1900 ft) high plateau that forms one of the world's best examples of ancient rock exposed from the earth's interior, and exploring the fjord by ship.

Day 6: Bay of Islands
Bay of Islands drains one of Newfoundland's major rivers and is also a sub-basin of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. We spend the morning cruising one of the bay's dramatic arms and are witness to one of Newfoundland's haunting tales, that of the resettlement program as we visit an abandoned community. In the afternoon we will enjoy the hospitality of the welcoming folks of Cox's Cove, home to our very own musician Tony Oxford.

Days 7-8: The South Coast: Garia Bay, Francois & Ramea
The last of the true outport communities are found here, and we will visit two of them. First, we visit the tiny village of Francois. Dramatic rock strewn cliffs surround the village, a delicate waterfall runs through the centre of town and there is a short hike to a picturesque pond overlooking the community. Thirty miles away by ship is the neighbouring community of Ramea. Though fewer in number now than at the peak of the cod fishery, the friendly residents of Ramea are no less hospitable. Tonight we are treated to music by the local band at an authentic Newfoundland "Kitchen Party".

Day 9: Conne River / Miawpukek
A visit to Miawpukek (Conne River) will reveal a First Nation's community that has the mandate of turning the community into an economically self-sufficient community guided by traditional values. Miawpukek became a permanent community sometime around 1822. Before 1822 it was one of many semi-permanent camping sites used by the Mi'kmaw people who were at the time still nomadic and travelling throughout the east coast.

Day 10: St. Pierre Island, France
A population of approximately 6,500 resides on the island of St. Pierre, all from various descents: French, Basque, Breton, and Normand. St. Pierre's houses somewhat resemble its history: an eclectic collection of colours and style all aligned on picturesque cobblestone streets and alleys. French settlers from Saint-Malo set up a curing and salting station in St-Pierre during the beginning of the cod fishery. Later, tribulations of war between Britain and France resulted in the Treaty of Utrecht, forcing Saint-Pierre's inhabitants into exile on Isle Royale in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The islands were once again returned to France, only to be taken away again twice, and finally returned to France for good in 1816.

Day 11: Cape St. Mary's and St. John's
After breakfast, we disembark our home away on the Avalon Peninsula. En route to St. John's we will stop at the world famous Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve where we will have the chance to view Northern Gannets, Black-legged Kittiwakes, Common and Thick-billed Murres, Black Guillemots, Razorbills, Northern Fulmars and Great Cormorants. The most wonderful part of the 64 km2 reserve is the close proximity from which the birds can be viewed. As we meander along the cliff-side the many different species can be spotted from as close as 10 m (32 ft). We return to St. John's in the afternoon for flights home.

Featured Birds:

• Red-throated Loon
• Greater Shearwater
• Northern Gannet
• Glaucous Gull
• Great Black-backed Gull
• Black-legged Kittiwake
• Atlantic Puffin
• Razorbill

Dates: October 1 - 11, 2012

Duration: 11 days

Prices: $3,595-$9,295 (USD)

Tour Starts & Ends: St. John’s, Newfoundland

Vessel: Clipper Adventurer

Your Voyage Includes:

*All entry & park fees
*Your complete itinerary
*Team of resource specialists
*Educational program and pre-departure materials
*All shipboard meal
*All Zodiac excursions
*Service charges and port fees

Your Voyage does not Include:

*Commercial flights
*Mandatory medical / evacuation insurance
*Personal expenses
*Additional expenses in the event of delays or Itinerary changes
*Discretionary gratuities to ship's crew (approximately $10 - 14 per passenger per day)
*Visas, or inoculations, if required
*Physician's fees confirming you are fit to travel
* Possible fuel surcharges
* $250 Discovery Fund Fee




 

What to Expect

• Includes all meals
• Exact itinerary is weather dependant
• Onboard educational program by diverse resource team
• Shore excursions by zodiac
• Easy to moderate walking

Our program features activities such as walking, wildlife viewing and Zodiac cruising, all at a relatively easy to moderate level of exertion. You will need to be able to climb in and out of the Zodiacs (assistance is provided), and some of our landings will be “wet”, requiring that you wear waterproof boots. A reasonable level of mobility is required to fully enjoy this travel program and to ensure the steady movement of the larger group of passengers. If you have any questions regarding your level of mobility, please contact us prior to booking. A complete clothing list and suggested reading list will be provided upon your registration. Meals are a great opportunity to meet new friends and recount the day’s adventures, and special diets can be accommodated with advance notice. Safety is also a top priority with Eagle-Eye Tours – our team has extensive experience in the field, and all of our Voyages are run in conjunction with operators with the highest safety standards.

The Clipper Adventurer

Capacity: 118 guests

Registry: Bahamas

Overall length: 90m (295 feet)

The 122-passenger Adventurer, among the very few vessels in the world specifically constructed for expedition voyages to the far reaches of this remote land. Her ice-strengthened hull permits her to glide easily and safely through ice-strewn waters that are not accessible to conventional cruise vessels.

She has advanced communications and navigation equipment, and newly installed, state-of-the-art Sperry Gyrofin stabilizers. In 1998 the Adventurer had a $13 million conversion done in Scandinavia. She is a handsome expedition vessel, done in the style of great ocean liners when ships were ships. With lots of varnished wood, brass, and wooden decks, the ship has all new outside cabins, with lower beds and private facilities.

There is a Main Lounge, bar, Clipper Club, library/card room, gymnasium, sauna, gift shop, and beauty salon. American staff serves American and Continental cuisine. The ship has a fleet of 10 Zodiacs and a special loading platform. An ice class rating of A-1 allows the Clipper Adventurer to go to places larger cruise ships can only dream of, and she does it in comfort and style unsurpassed by other vessels her size.

Cabins: All cabins have a window with outside view. Each has private facilities and climate controls.