2017 Newfoundland Photo Tour

2017 Newfoundland Photo Tour

In 2017 we are returning to Newfoundland with a focus on iceberg ally, humpback whales, landscapes, lighthouses, night skies and the northern lights, and the endless seascapes.   

Price of Workshop: $4595CAD including taxes (equivalent to $3370USD - please check currency conversion at time of booking for actual USD amount. You can check using www.xe.com)
Deposit: $1000 with the balance due on March 15, 2017

Dates: Workshop - June 17, to June 24, 2017

Instructors: Kevin Allen Pepper

Maximum attendees are 8 people

Includes: Unlimited mileage vehicle, 7 nights high quality accommodations (three at Quirpon Lighthouse Inn - meals and boat transfers included during your stay at the Lighthouse), dinners for rest of trip not included, little theater performance, park passes, site passes at L’Anse aux Meadows and Grenfell Historic Properties, fjord boat tour, zodiac tour.

Not Included: Items of personal nature, alcohol, international flights, visa to enter Canada (if required), anything not listed as included.

Itinerary of This Trip

Day 1 -  Head off to the south side of Gros Morne National Park. Start at the Discovery Centre for an interpretation of the natural and cultural history of the National Park. From the centre you were able to see the Tablelands, the remarkable stretch of Mars like geology that makes this park a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Wander “downtown” Woody Point to explore the shops and waterfront.  After building an appetite it is time to head for a meal on a balcony overlooking Bonne Bay. I know the food will be great, but keep one eye on the ocean so you don’t miss whales that might be chasing the capelin into the bay, looking for their own seafood supper

To top the day off, before the sun goes down, it’s a great photoshoot at an impressive waterfall… but the waterfall is not the star of the show, it’s the Atlantic salmon that are jumping up the falls to their spawning grounds. These massive, 20-30lb fish throw themselves just meters from out feet and you can capture them in air, backs arcing… a photoshoot you only see on the Nat Geo channel.

Overnight: South side of Gros Morne

Day 2 - Feeling energetic? Today we will hike the Green Garden Trail that leads you through remarkable biological and geological wonders which are not equaled anywhere else on earth. This is approximately a 45-minute walk down a park trail to the coast. Wander along the coast as long as you like enjoying the seastacks, pillow lava, wild meadows, sea cave and semi-wild sheep. Then - more strenuous walking as you head back up the valley to our vehicle. You will be gone for a few hours, at least, so we will make sure we pack a lunch.

Trout River is a picturesque working fishing village wedged between the Tablelands and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Take a gentle walk on the Boardwalk and visit the museum, interpretation centre and historic house of Jacob A Crocker, the first settler of Trout River. There are also some wonderful craftspeople so you may be able to get a new pair of socks directly of the clothesline. A visit to the wharf is a must, not only for the photos, but because it gives you a chance to meet the local fishers and see what is destined for your plate later. Trout River boasts some beautiful walking trails and be certain to drive in back of the community to visit Trout River Pond. When you are overlooking it you have to realize that, as impressive as it is, you can only see about one third of it! There are several restaurants so we won’t go hungry eating local cuisine.  

After supper, time to drive around Bonne Bay to the north side of Gros Morne.

Overnight: Neddie’s Harbour Inn, north side of Gros Morne

Day 3 - Today we head north to tour L’Anse aux Meadows.  This ‘UNESCO World Heritage Site’ is the only Viking site in North America. Meet a Viking (perhaps the self titled but questionably named ‘Bjorn the Beautiful!’) in this 1,000 year old village which has been brought to life. L’Anse aux Meadows shows where European Vikings first set foot in North America, 500 years before Columbus.

Along the way we will stop and photograph an abandoned lighthouse and old fishing boats.

Overnight at the northern tip of Newfoundland where Quirpon Lighthouse Inn will draw you into the life of an isolated lightkeeper. This is Newfoundland’s best location for spotting whales and icebergs. There should be bergs so try to beat the captain at spotting them and the whale spouts.

Overnight: Quirpon Lighthouse Inn

Day 4 - Up early to discover Quirpon Island and visit the island’s unique sites and delicate biology.

Don’t forget to ask about Tuckamore and the story of the mass murder that took place on the island. Take a walk along our cliff-top trails or explore the island following only your whims. Kittiwake colonies and Eider ducks nesting in tiny coves where there used to be a fishing village are favorites. There is also a Northern Gannet colony that we will be able to photograph from above as they fish for their meals. 

A popular option with our guests is to take a Zodiac tour to explore the area around the island and visit the bergs and whales. If anyone feels less adventurous? They can wander down to the indoor whale watching station with their books or cameras and have a good read – not to worry, the sound of the whales will tell you when to look up!

Overnight: Quirpon Lighthouse Inn

Day 5 - Now that you have wandered by land and taken Landscape and seascape photos, it is time to visit the whales and the dozens of icebergs by sea in our private kayak.

Our kayak guide will take you on an exploration of the coastline not only in search of the massive wonders of this area that float aimlessly down the coastline from Greenland, but also the more subtle beauty... 

You will also photograph the Gannets, the Kittiwake colonies and Eider ducks nesting in tiny coves where you can pick mussels from the kayaks if the tide is low and tiny tickles which your boat can squeeze through ensure fun and dozens of photos.

Overnight: Quirpon Lighthouse Inn

Day 6 - Back to Gros Morne.  Just north of Gros Morne keep an eye out for The Arches. This unique rock formation is an ideal spot to stretch your legs. I can never resist the temptation to climb up on the top for a look but perhaps you will have more self-control! A few years ago an adventure race started at The Arches and then headed straight across the Great Northern Peninsula.

This was done on foot and was only the first leg of a multi-day adventure that had the participants hiking, climbing, kayaking and biking in some of the harshest terrain imaginable. If you have been out wandering in the Tuckamore and looking at the mountains, you will appreciate the endurance of these folks.

The white sand beaches near Cow Head which are wonderful and usually empty, very nice for a walk (or a swim, for hardier souls). Tonight enjoy some great local theatre at the Gros Morne Theatre in Cow Head, if you would like to experience the local culture.

Overnight in Gros Morne National Park     

Day 7 -  Today you enjoy one of the icons of Gros Morne National Park. A 45 minute boardwalk hike across a bog (known locally as a “mish”) takes you to the dock of the Western Brook Pond Boat Tour. This journey will take you into a deceptively innocuous notch in the granite cliffs that open into a landlocked fjord surrounded by 2000 foot cliffs. Penetrate miles into the mountains in this ‘UNESCO World Heritage Site’ with Hanging Valleys and waterfalls dropping from a height that makes you dizzy just to see them.

Visit some of the sites on the north side of the park including Lobster Cove Head Lighthouse, Norris Point Look-off, the Ethie shipwreck and Rocky Harbour. 

If time permits we will do a return trip to Sir Richard Squires Provincial Park where the Atlantic Salmon jump the falls in their struggle to reach the headwaters of the Humber River. This is a great spot to relax and watch the salmon leaping while you try for the perfect photo of them in the air. This actually is the spot where National Geographic comes when they are looking for that ideal shot.

Overnight on the shore of the Humber River, one of the top salmon rivers in the world. While there, we will have a meal at Madison’s, one of the top restaurants in the province, where they take a new twist on local favorites. 

Day 8 - An early morning trip back to photograph the jumping Salmon and then, its back to reality! ... or you can continue on with us on our annual "Puffin, Gannet, Whale and iceberg extension". If you would like to inquire about our four day and three night extension, please ask for the details. You get to see the other side of Newfoundland and the largest seabird colonies in the world, not to mention the whales and icebergs. :-)

Ready to hear the whales echo off the icebergs? Contact me here, http://www.kevinpepperphotography.com/contact-me