Questions for my trip to Labrador and Newfoundland

[Keeled Over]

Hello folks,

Trip is getting fleshed out. Leave Rochester NY, drive around to Toronto for fun and then head straight up to Hwy 389, then over to 500 and down to 510. All seems pretty straightforward. I have been fascinated with Newfoundland forever and want to make sure I cover "The Rock", however I want to check out Labrador as well. Most things I read say at least 2 weeks for NF, and more if you have it.

I will be entering at Blanc Sablon. Some folks seem to then drive to St. John's and then ferry over to NS on the way out. As I research NF I am getting a better feel for the size of this island. I would like to see as much as I can so I would like to enter and depart at Blanc Sablon, hugging the east coast on the way down and then cutting back across to the west coast and heading back to Blanc Sablon. Following that plan I could then take the ferry again to Hwy 138 in Quebec on the north side of the St. Lawrence, down to Quebec City and back to NY.

Top line question - with 2 plus weeks in NF, does my plan even make sense? I am thinking about adding a couple more days, if need be.

I need to see Labrador too but it looks like there are fewer scenic wonders - can I get a nice feel for Labrador in a week?

For both of these I am not too worried about seeing cities - I'll always go to museums if I have the time, but I am primarily looking to see as much country as I can. I like driving - never hit 900 miles in a day but quite a few in the 850 range so I am willing to put in the time to get there and get back quickly to maximize time spent.

And if you happen to know of any Atlantic salmon fisheries along they way I'd be very interested in that. All of this in September.

At this point my plan is a bit vague so I appreciate some intel. However, I MUST include a side trip to the town of Dildo so I can take a picture of Chick in front of the city limits sign. Dildo. I think we are too uptight in the States for that one, but now that I understand that in the 1700's it was all about nautical stuff. (know how you make pickle bread? use dill dough)

Thank you - a year to go before the trip and I'm already jacked up!

 

[Art D]

Is this a canoe trip?

 

[Penns Woods]

Good Luck on your trip, it sounds like a trip I have been planning and wanting to do all my life. I will be watching for your trip reports.

 

[Keeled Over]

Is this a canoe trip?

Up until 2 am it was! After looking at the things I wanted to do I figured I better push harder to get to NF. Things huge. So while this was only going to to be day tripping/fishing, trip logistics have killed the canoe.

I'll probably get banned!

 

[scratchypants]

On your way back, turn South early. Either go through Sherbrooke and Magog to pick up I91 in VT before heading back West; or, drive the other end of the 138 and follow it all the way to the Trout River/Constable border, and then follow 30 down to I88. This takes you through Paul Smiths, Saranac, Tupper, et al. (you'd also drive right by my house).

 

[Modified Ottertail]

@Keeled Over , I am envious! Newfoundland is one of my favorite places in the lower 48 and Canadian provinces.

I've been up there twice, though it's been a couple of decades since I was last there. Hopefully not much has changed. Some thoughts and suggestions:

1) You'll need that month, especially if you plan to go to Labrador, too.

2) Do a deep-dive into the geology of Newfoundland—read as much as you can. From a geological perspective, Newfoundland is one of the most extraordinary places on earth. You can see the entirety of the oceanic crust stratigraphy, the boundary between oceanic crust and the earth's mantle, and mantle rock. There are places in Gros Morne National Park wear you can see the boundary between old mantle and oceanic crust. This book is probably worth getting.

3) The absolute two most important places are Gros Morne National Park and L'Anse aux Meadows, the latter being the only known Viking settlement west of Greenland. The boat tour of Western Brook Pond—a former fjord—in Gros Morne is well worth it, if you don't paddle it.

4) Both the northeast coast, e.g. Baie Verte and Twillingate, and the Port au Port Pennisula are worth exploring.

5) Consider chartering a fishing boat to explore the coastline, for example, along the northeast coast. Just go to a dock and ask around.

6) If you do the Trans Labrador Highway, don't overlook Quebec's Lac Manicouagan, the sixth largest known impact crater on earth. Just to the north, on the east side of the road, are Monts Groulx (webpage w/info). There are supposed to be some great hiking trails and off-trail hiking above treeline.

7) I'm not familiar with the Blanc Sablon ferry—the 510 extension of the Trans Labrador Highway didn't extend that far down when I was there. As for going South, would you take a ferry from Blanc Sablon to Natashquan? If you take the north shore of the St. Lawrence, paddling the Saguenay is a must-do. An alternate route would be to take the Trans-Labrador>Blanc Sablon Ferry to Newfoundland and take the ferry from Argentia (SE coast, 12 hours) or Port Aux Basques (SW coast, 6 hours) to Sydney, NS. From there take the Cabot Trail around Cape Breton Island, and then head along the north coast of NB up through the Chic Choc mountains of the Gaspé and drive the south shore the St. Lawrence to Quebec City. In the Gaspé, you could rent boats and paddle the Bonaventure River.

Whatever route you take, that's a dream trip. It will be spectacular.

 

[Keeled Over]

Thank you Modified!

This is great stuff you have provided. You directly nailed one of our favorite landscapes - you had me at "exposed mantle". Geology Field Guide ordered. (I do love field guides - read 'em like novels). I recall hearing about the crater - thank you for pointing it out.

I'm very excited about this trip, as is Chick. So much in fact, last nite she said we should start shopping for a "4 wheel camper" which I didn't know was even a thing. Pretty intriguing they are, so our rental van scheme might have ended. But these things look cool. The Project M is the one we are considering. We will see.

Thanks again!