The Lure of Labrador

LANDING ON LABRADOR'S WINDSWEPT SOUTHERN SHORE

Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula provides the most accessible route into Labrador. A ferry departs from St. Barbe, N.L., located roughly three and a half hours north of Deer Lake. It takes an hour and 45 minutes to cross the Strait of Belle Isle to the remote Quebec village of Blanc-Sablon, where a mix of French-speaking Quebecois and English-speaking residents with roots in Newfoundland creates a unique local dialect and cultural landscape. From here, the Labrador border lies roughly five kilometres to the east.

As you follow the Trans-Labrador Highway up crests overlooking the sea and down into villages, you’ll see landscapes that are quite distinct even from those in nearby Newfoundland. The ocean’s strong winds stunt tree growth significantly, leaving only low vegetation. The sightlines carry on for many kilometres on clear days. Keep an eye out seaward: from May to July, iceberg sightings are frequent. ESSENTIAL LABRADOR ADVENTURES ON LAND AND SEA About 30 km from Blanc-Sablon, on a rocky outcropping between Forteau and L’Anse-au-Loup, stands Point Amour Lighthouse. At a height of 33.2 metres (109 feet), it’s the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada and the second tallest in the country. This lighthouse was first illuminated in 1857 and remains active today. It’s now designated as a provincial historic site. Climb the 132 steps for breathtaking views of the Strait, then explore the exhibits detailing daily life for 19th- and 20th-century lighthouse keepers. Every robust hike deserves a rejuvenating reward. But, really, at any point in your stay in The Big Land, warm up with some woody, floral Labrador tea. Though the shrubs that make it can be found in bogs across Canada and into the United States, it was northern Indigenous peoples who first brewed it for its medicinal properties. Red Bay, approximately 60 km beyond Point Amour Lighthouse, is one of the south shore’s essential destinations. The Basque people set up a whaling station here in the mid-16th century to harvest the oil used in lamps across Europe. Its remains are now designated both as a national historic site and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Parks Canada interpretive centre features fascinating artifacts and exhibits detailing the whaling station’s history and the Basque way of life. From here, take a short ferry to Saddle Island to see the remnants of the whale oil processing camps. On the opposite side of the bay, hike the Boney Shore Walking Trail to see the centuries-old whale bones, and climb Tracey Hill for a glorious panoramic view of Red Bay, across the town and out into the Strait of Belle Isle.

Whaler’s Quest Ocean Adventures operates boat tours out of Red Bay. If an iceberg is in the area, your tour may circle around it for an amazing up-close look; if not, you’ll likely head off in search of whales. But you won’t just be shown the sights; their guides are skilled storytellers, weaving captivating tales of ghostly encounters and maritime mysteries that can send shivers down your spine. About 90 km beyond Red Bay is Mary’s Harbour, a scenic coastal community on the Labrador Straits known for its fishing industry. Here you can board a ferry for Battle Harbour, a restored 19th-century fishing village once considered the salt cod capital of the world. An overnight stay in a centuries-old home, which can be researched and booked at Battle Harbour’s website, allows you to take in the night sky uninterrupted by modern household amenities like electric lights.