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Explore Newfoundland by sea
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Using the Atlantic Ocean as your guide, discover the many gems Newfoundland has to offer.
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By Adrienne Robertson
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When you think of Newfoundlanders, a few stereotypes may come to mind: they're easy-going and extremely friendly, they know how to party and their lives work around two things -- fish and the Atlantic Ocean.
Fortunately, it is the ocean that makes travelling around Newfoundland fairly simple, especially around the Avalon Peninsula. Most towns are developed close to water and the best way to see what the province has to offer is by following the coast.
How to see the sea
There are many ways to hit the water without getting wet. Hundreds of companies offer boat tours in vessels of various shapes and sizes. Most are similar to large fishing boats with double decks for the best viewing. Some are enclosed and some are open to the elements. For a truly authentic experience, hop on board a schooner for a tour of the coast near St. John's.
If you'd rather be the one who is in control, try a guided tour of a protected harbour by kayak. In the span of two to four hours, depending on your adventure, your guides will show you what Newfoundland has to offer both above and below the sea. They might pass by sea life such as mussels, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers, sea stars and a variety of sea weeds, then take you to a waterfall and into a cave. It's a fun science lesson, an exciting nature tour and a good dose of exercise all wrapped together!
If that's still not up-close and personal enough, many companies such as the Ocean Quest Adventure Resort offer SCUBA diving right off the coast of Newfoundland where you can check out the wrecks of different whaling ships -- as long as the weather and sea act in your favour.
Newfoundland's layers of history
The Atlantic may be known for its rough waters and high swells, but it's no match for the jagged cliffs and rock faces that rise as high as 5,000 feet out of the water. These are no ordinary rocks, either -- there is extensive Canadian and world history stored in the rocks and underground in Newfoundland.
The Colony of Avalon in Ferryland, Newfoundland, is a stone's throw away from the ocean and was a buried treasure until 1992. Since then, archaeologists have been excavating the Colony, which was founded in 1621, and uncovered more than a million artifacts while continuing to unearth new discoveries.
Nearby is Mistaken Point, where 565 million-year-old fossils were discovered in the 1960s. Scientists continue to study the fossils and their importance in understanding the earth and its life forms as a whole. The fossils are exposed to the elements and lie just above the Atlantic's crashing waves.
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