Bonavista, Newfoundland: Ryan Premises and the Harbour

Bonavista and its harbour played an important role in the fishing and sealing industries in Canada beginning in the 16th century. Fishermen from Spain, Portugal, France and England traveled across the ocean to reap the bounty of the nearby fishing grounds that teemed with wildlife.

The Ryan Premises, once owned by fish merchant James Ryan, is a preserved example of a large merchant operation. Now a national historic site, it features five buildings that tell the tale of the region’s fishing past.

Fishing remains an important commercial industry in Bonavista, as seen by the many fishing vessels in the harbour, each with their own unique character and name.

Cape Spear and Brigus, Newfoundland

A trip to Newfoundland isn’t complete without a visit to Canada’s most easterly point - Cape Spear, home to Newfoundland’s oldest surviving lighthouse. It was misty and moody on the day we visited - no hope of seeing across the ocean to Ireland. And the drizzle/rain was intense, we were soaked through in minutes, absolutely sopping wet even beneath our rain coats.

The mists had settled into the surrounding areas, giving the small fishing villages a ghostly atmosphere. As we traveled west, the sun appeared through the clouds and we stopped briefly to view the memorial to Captain and Arctic explorer Robert Abram Bartlett in the town of Brigus.

Twillingate: Iceberg Alley

Twillingate, a small village spread out on the rocky coastline of Iceberg Alley, is known as the iceberg capital of the world. Although we visited late in the year, we were lucky to see a number of these gorgeous ice queens during our short stay. Our icebergs were not the towering monsters that we’ve all seen photos of in magazines and in videos on climate change, but they were still a sight to behold. Beautiful in their shapes and colours, they cracked and snapped in the still waters as we sat enchanted by their icy grace and charm.

We also visited the Durrell Museum to learn about fishing history and see the mounted polar bear but unfortunately we have no photos to share. The museum is worth a visit if you ever find yourself in Twillingate.

Gros Morne National Park to Twillingate

Our last day in Gros Morne National Park was overcast and moody. We went on a short hike and drove through the foggy Tablelands on our way to the next destination - Twillingate. That morning, while doing our laundry, we met a couple who told us there were icebergs in Iceberg Alley, which was unusual given the time of year. We immediately decided that we would head directly to Twillingate, some 400 km away. After camping for the night beside a quiet lake, we awoke to a peaceful, sunny morning and wandered from fishing village to fishing village in search of the elusive ice queens.

This year, 2021, marks the 10 year anniversary of our trip to Eastern Canada and I realized it was past time to finish posting images from our adventure. And really, it has not been a hardship to go through these old photos and reminisce of times gone by.

Did you miss the earlier posts about our trip? Read parts one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten.