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CCA CRUISING GUIDE TO NEWFOUNDLAND

SPECIAL APPEAL FOR FUTURE UPDATES
The editor of this guide makes a special appeal to all cruisers sailing to Newfoundland - PLEASE keep notes on your travels and send us updated information and pictures to this email: guides@cruisingclub.org

CCA CRUISING GUIDES – CRITERIA FOR HARBOUR SUBMISSIONS & UPDATES

HARBOR DESCRIPTIONS – WHAT EDITORS WANT

  • OVERVIEW of harbour -- the key factor(s) that make it worthy of consideration
  • LAT/LON and local chart number
  • APPROACH to harbour identifying buoys, landmarks, ranges, any dangers that could help make a safe entry in limited visibility
  • ANCHORING/DOCKING options with details, including depths (at MLW). If a harbourmaster is in charge, please provide details and contact info. Also, the degree of protection from wind and wave action
  • FOR THE BOAT – describe facilities including water, fuel, electrical hookups
  • FOR THE CREW – showers, laundry, groceries, restaurants, museums, car rentals, taxis, etc.  Plus, nearby places of interest to visit, such as hikes or natural phenomena
  • ADVICE – any special recommendations – for or against
  • HISTORY – local stories and history of significance
  • ALTERNATIVE ANCHORAGE(S) NEARBY (if appropriate)
  • UPDATES – anything that corrects info in the current edition of the guide.
  • SKETCH CHARTS (carefully drawn with as much detail as possible) for areas where existing charts do not exist or accurately portray the harbour’s characteristics
  • PHOTOS that:
    1. Provide useful perspective of features not obvious from existing charts, such as the location of docks or the best place to anchor
    2. Are beautiful shots that make the area and your boat look appealing

We realize that’s a lot of detail. For many harbors, only some of these factors will apply.

CCA CRUISING GUIDES – CRITERIA FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

QUALITY

  • High-resolution images at 300 dpi with a minimum frame dimension of 4 x 4 inches – larger sizes preferred
  • Unadjusted/retouched images in JPEG, TIFF, or RAW file types. Others may be possible 
  • The relationship between digital image pixels and maximum print size is as follows: 600 x 900 pixels = 2 x 3 inches; 1200 x 1800 pixels = 4 x 6 inches; 2400 x 3000 pixels = 8 x 10 inches. The more pixels a photo has, the better the clarity will be when printed.
  • If an Apple user, please be certain files are JPEGs or TIFFs that are Windows and PC compatible

SUBJECT MATTER

  • Harbor/village shots that help readers understand “the lay of the land” and water
    • Approach and entrance with important identifying marks, rocks, unusual land features or lighthouses
    • Dockage or wharves where available
    • Where to land to get ashore
    • Town or waterfront area (harbormaster’s office, fuel depot, shops, etc.)
    • Anchoring area(s) with protection from seas and winds
    • Overview shots from a high hill or drone are particularly welcome
  • Beauty shots that add to the allure of area or province depicted, all well-lit (ideally with sunrise or sunset colors)
    • Sailboats under sail or anchored in especially beautiful settings*
    • Ditto for power cruising boats.
    • Wildlife shots, including whales, seals, seabirds, etc.
    • Shoreside flora and fauna
    • Interesting people when there is a story to be told
    • Icebergs (for Newfoundland and Labrador)

       *    These shots will be considered for covers and will need to be 8 x 10 inches at 300 dpi or larger

CREDITS

  • All photos will be credited to the photographer owning the copyright
  • Photos submitted must be your own, or you must obtain the photographer’s written permission.

DELIVERY

  • Via email to the respective editor for individual files or guides@cruisingclub.org
  • Upload multiple photo files to Dropbox using a public guide specific link such as:

https://www.dropbox.com/request/mXPmIwQaHNKwPvEfsMRQ?oref=e

NOTE ABOUT VIDEOGRAPHY: Video files may also be welcome under certain conditions. Please contact the CCANP Publisher at guides@cruisingclub.org

Information Utility for Newfoundland’s Coastal Mariners: The Coastal Marine Informatics (CMI) Website
CMI consolidates web-accessible information from a variety of sources to support the activities of Newfoundland’s coastal mariners. Special CMI editions have been created for owners of the 2020 edition of the Cruising Guide, along with a downloadable tutorial applicable to this edition.  CMI supplements a Guide’s content with information from other sources (e.g., The List of Lights, Buoys, and Fog Signals, marine district climatology reports, etc.) and extends a Guide’s currency with localized, real-time information (e.g., current weather conditions, met-ocean data from Internet-connected ocean observation systems, etc.).  Please note that CMI is a non-commercial, continually evolving, experimental facility for planning and informational purposes and is made available to all its users with the usual 'not-to-be-used-for-navigation' proviso. http://iprox.mi.mun.ca/CcaNewfoundland and a special tutorial may be found here: http://iprox.mi.mun.ca/CcaNfldTutorial.pdf

 

INTRODUCTION TO UPDATES FOR 2023

A new edition was introduced in May 2023 and is now available at chandleries, nautical bookstores, and online. It incorporates all updates received before March 2023. What follows are updates from 2020 (and earlier) that are in the 2023 guide. Updates received after March 2023 will be incorporated on this site as they are received. Please contribute your updates using the email address guides@cruisingclub.org 

 

HARBOUR DESCRIPTIONS

GAULTOIS IN BAY D’ESPOIR, SOUTHWEST COAST -- Easy entrance. There is lots of room on the fish plant wharf even though the plant has been closed for about 20 years. Although deteriorating, the wharf was still feasible for tieing up. We first headed for the floating dock, where we landed a spot where clearly someone had made themselves a nest of fenders and lines but were told we could tie up there.  The next day the resident boat came back, and we were asked to move, so went to the fish plant wharf.

The Thos. Garland store has closed, but in July, housed a very pleasant art show featuring a local artist. Walking uphill in a northerly direction takes you past the school (now 13 children, used to have 170) and down the hill to the market and another small and very picturesque group of houses.

HIKING Past the market (ask there for directions), find a trail going along the shore out to the grassy areas and the point. It is easy to follow but un-maintained and entails some scrambles on rocks and pushing aside branches.

The hike over to Piccaire (roughly 3 hrs. round trip) was one of the primo walks we have done in Newfoundland -- about 150 meters of vertical gain, nothing too strenuous, mostly trail, some wet bog, some boardwalk. You pass seven particularly beautiful ponds. The last downhill part as you approach Piccaire was not as well maintained but was easy to follow. Reports are that on a still and sunny day, the bugs can be challenging, but on a cool, cloudy morning, we had few. On return, there was a prominent sign pointing inland saying “trail”; do not take it as it is not maintained (probably a winter snowmobile route) but continue straight on the lovely trail along the pond.

Credits: Text and photo by Dick & Ginger Stevenson, August 2019

Chart of St. Brides courtesy of Navionics. Not for navigation.

ST. BRIDES, SOUTHEAST SIDE OF PLACENTIA BAY -- Easy entrance and tied to the gov’t wharf with power. Glenn, the harbormaster, is quite helpful.  There were many fishing boats in this area that is once again rich in cod.  No cell service or wifi. The market up the hill has wifi (password, “kyleisgreat”). There is a restaurant, The Bird’s Eye, another ¼-mile down the street (had lunch there and it was very good) as well as a cemetery out on the point worth a visit. Brendan Daly (709-337-2401) lives locally and gave us a ride to the bird sanctuary, about 20 minutes away (we called from the harbor office phone; there is also also a pay phone in the convenience store). The bird sanctuary was amazing: very worth the effort to get there. Getting back is no problem as it is easy to get rides from out of there.

 

Gannett nesting sanctuary near St. Brides

Credits: Text and photo by Dick & Ginger Stevenson, August 2019

SHIP’S COVE – BURIN, SOUTHEAST SIDE OF PLACENTIA BAY -- Easy entrance from either outside direction.  We expected to anchor in the North Cove (Little Burin Harbor) as we were anticipating a gale from the NE, but we went into Ship Cove for a look-see and were waved onto a fishing boat and helped to moor. This was a lucky happening as Burin is a terrific place to visit. The outer wharf is where fish boats offload but appears to be a good place for a visiting boat to tie up and get sorted.

With the new breakwater, there is good protection inside the harbor from all directions, and we weathered the gale comfortably.  The friendly and helpful harbormaster, Marguerite, is there in the mornings. A washer and drier, toilet and shower are located in the building on the hillside of the harbor–go up the outside stairs to the second floor to the red door (always open) and walk to the far end. No cellular on our phones, but the blue house just on the left before leaving the harbor has a small cellular antenna in it that can be used on their porch if no one is inside to let you in. The Harbour internet was usable, depending on one’s location. Please note: in the far corner of the harbor is a constantly running hose with spring water where many locals come to fill their jugs.

There is a nice museum about a 15-minute walk (out the driveway and to the right), which also has a Heritage house that is well set up to visit. Ask for a tour to get the details about the 1929 tsunami, Al Capone, and the planned marijuana greenhouse in the old fish plant.  Next door to the museum is a café with good food.  Both grocery stores have closed. Look up to find a bright blue VW bug perched high on the rock with a turnkey on its stern and moose antlers on the front (also a ship model).

If you can wangle a car or truck (there is an Enterprise car rental dealer somewhere close-ish at hand, I believe), the driving in almost every direction is marvelous -- the more remote choice of roads, the better. There is a tidal wave memorial a few miles away.

HIKING We hiked up to Cook’s Lookout (CL), which is marked by the large pole on the hill to the North of the marina. We took a shortcut up the backside (no trail) from the cemetery past the church near the wharf. It took 30 minutes and had gorgeous views from the top. We came down by the trail, which was one of the loveliest in Newfoundland. If going up via the trail, leave Ship’s Cove and take a right on the road heading to the museum/café and then a left at the intersection just before the museum. Walk about a ½-mile to an exhibition hall (former school), take a left, and go straight up the hill till you see a sign for the trail to CL. The trail is well-marked and quite easy-going, probably 45-60 minutes to the top.  In 2019 they were adding stairs and boardwalks.

Just off the road from the harbor to the left (look for a sign on the side of the road) is a hike up and over Man O’War hill to the next bay where the United Church is located that is so prominent upon entrance to the harbor.

Up farther on the road to the left from the harbor is Jerry Cheeseman’s lookout, another terrific view.

Also, the RC Cemetery on your way to the museum is newly refurbished and worth a wander around. Historical placards are planned. Also, just beyond the church across the street, in the woods, are numerous very old graves interspaced in the trees, many only marked by re-bar crosses, unique in my experience and worth a visit.

Burin is one of the more lovely and special places we have visited. Just gorgeous.

Credits: Dick & Ginger Stevenson, August 2019. Chart courtesy of Navionics, not for navigation

 

GOOSE COVE, NORTH SIDE OF HARE BAY – A very pretty town just south of St. Anthony.  We tied up to the wharf and took a lovely walk around town and out to the point where there were well-delineated trails. Electricity was not functional on the wharf, and it was busy with fishermen bringing in cod, so we went out and anchored for the night. We were given a cod by a boat that was getting its catch weighed by a fishing inspector.

Credits: Dick & Ginger Stevenson, August 2017. Chart courtesy of Navionics, not for navigation

Call for Updates

Mariners: You are our greatest resource. If you are sailing these waters, you are in the best position to share timely updates based on your observations. Please send your updates to this guide to guides@cruisingclub.org.

Thank you!