Hello Everyone,

I finally have a moment to sit down and thank all of those who have come rafting with us this summer so far. Our new canyon tour has been a little slow starting as expected with any new venture but I am sure that later this season it will pick-up as we get some numbers through and word gets around! It is a very exciting trip….short and sweet! Gyula and I have been guiding all the canyon trips so far. Between the two of us we have over 40 years experience paddling, guiding and teaching on rivers all over the world. You would think the canyon would be nothing too exciting for us but we are like two kids down there and having a ball! Have a look at our Canyon Adventures face book page for pictures but don’t be discouraged by the size of the rapids. If you are comfortable in the water and are looking for an adrenaline filled afternoon you should definitely try the canyon trip!

Recently my family and I went on our annual poster run down the Twillingate highway for a day. Usually it is a quick trip to stop in a few key places to put up our posters and chat with owners but this time we decided to spend the night and do some things. We started off with a hike down to the sea from the lighthouse. I must say the locals certainly put a lot of work into those trails and the scenery is astounding! We saw several whales from the cliffs but no icebergs. They were far off-shore and needed a Northerly wind to blow ashore. On the way down from the lighthouse we noticed a coffee shop. We were thinking it might be a good place for a poster but when we saw how small it was inside we figured maybe not. However, we it was a very nice place and decided to have a coffee and lunch. I had a strong black cup of Americano and a homemade rhubarb muffin, both which were very good! I have found only a few “real” coffee shops in the province and I will never pass this one again! After getting to know the owners they gave us an excellent poster placement. After asking a few locals where to find some good seafood for the evening meal it was obvious the hot spot was Dockside Dining, a seafood eatery which was situated right on the wharf. It was about 20 minutes South of Twillingate but it sounded worth the drive. When we got there the first thing we noticed was the lobster pool. Many of the lobsters were of the biggest I have ever seen! In an adjacent building the owner spent his days boiling lobster to perfection. The restaurant was simple and obviously for summer use only. It was clean and pretty quiet with some good ol Newfie tunes playing. We ordered snow crab, cod and seafood chowder all of which was absolutely delicious! With our bellies full we went back to our friend’s house for the night.

The next day we visited the Auk Island Winery. The first thing we noticed was the newly renovated interior and a very large gift shop with very good prices. We only had a few minutes before a meeting with a collegue but the manager gave us a quick tour of the front part of the establishment and allowed us the privilege of sampling some of the many wines they make there. We loved them all! The next time in the area I will be taking the full tour there for sure! Our last stop before heading home was at the fisherman’s museum called Prime Berth. Now we had passed by here many times before but always after hours and other than checking out the few things they have outside, we have never had the pleasure of visiting the museum past the front door. The whale skeleton mounted near the water had always intrigued me and this trip we were making sure to visit the entire site. Well worth the time indeed! David, the owner has a very creative way of displaying how it once was with the fishery. Dave’s offerings are more than just the whale skeleton and museum. During the food fishery (July 21^st –Aug 12^th and Sept 22 and Sept 30^th) Prime Berth can take you out for a cod fishing trip where he practically guarantees you 5 nice fish which you will be taught how to filet on the spot! Now if you take a picnic basket with cookware Dave can drop you off on a beach where you can cook your catch over an open fire. Another option would be take your filets to one of several local restaurants to have your catch prepared for you. Dave has several he can recommend. Or, if you like you can just take your fish home. Either way, the way I see it, it would cost you Dave’s charge of $50 (fish included), to buy that much cod at the store! So if you love to eat fresh cod but don’t have a connection to get out on the water, you can’t beat this offer! We are heading out this week!

Twillingate is an area blessed with a beautiful coastline that rivals anywhere on the island. If you want to get on the water there are many choices to do so. Besides Prime Berth, there is Twillingate Island Boat Tours, Twillingate Adventure Tours, Iceberg Quest Tours, and Skipper Jim’s all of whom offer excellent services. So if you are in Central, be sure to block out two days to visit this area. It’s a Newfoundland treasure!

Why not try something new for your annual Christmas party?  Our four luxurious Riverfront Chalets offer the perfect ambiance for your holiday get together.  Each two bedroom chalet can sleep up to six people allowing us to easily accommodate groups up to 24.

This intimate natural setting is ideal for team building, staff appreciation events, board meetings, or corporate retreats.  We would be more than happy to work with you and provide the perfect experience for you and your team.

After spending quality time together in the chalets, you can all bask in the luxury of our river side saltwater hot tub, or gather around the fire sharing stories and admiring the beautiful clear skies.  Night time at the chalets provides a true stargazers paradise!

If you are planning your event on a weekend, please book as soon as possible as dates will fill up fast.  Give your team a Christmas party they will never forget, and stay with us on the banks of the Exploits River. 

For more information, and to book your retreat, please call us at 709-486-0892.

Tired of cramming your family into the family home?  Why not spend Christmas at Riverfront Chalets? Our 4½ Star Riverfront Chalets will provide the perfect getaway for your family over the Christmas holidays. Each of our luxurious two bedroom chalets include a full kitchen with everything you need to prepare your holiday dinner.

Decorate your chalet for the holidays and cut a tree with-in walking distance of the chalets.  Head outside and relax under the stars in our riverside saltwater hot tub. Imagine sipping a glass of cold wine as you lay back in the warm saltwater gazing at the endless stars.

Before retiring to your chalet for the night, you can all gather around our riverside fire pit (firewood included) and share stories about your day as you watch the flames dance the night away. This will be a Christmas your family will never forget!

So forget worrying about making sure your house “is just right” for company and avoid spending needless time preparing your place to accommodate all your holiday visitors. Let us worry about the details, and you can enjoy your loved ones in true luxury without the stress that normally comes with it.

Book your family Christmas vacation now to ensure you won’t miss out! Hope to hear from you soon!

This will certainly be a summer to remember for all Newfoundlanders, but there is no need to shut yourself indoors!  Although it’s still a fair bit cooler this year than it was last, the weather in Central Newfoundland has been consistently about 10 degrees warmer than on the Avalon.

For example, our friends in St. John’s today had to suffer through another 10 degree day with the R.D.F. weather everyone is so tired of, while here in Central we’re rafting on a beautiful sunny day and 18 degree weather!

Don’t get me wrong, a nice 26 degree day would be fantastic, but it’s still great rafting weather here in Central!  So common’, escape the fog and join us for a day you’ll never forget on the Exploits River!

See you soon!

In March 2010 we started a very public fight to bring awareness about the industrialization of the Exploits River, and its devastating impact on the tourism industry and on the quality of life for the people of Central Newfoundland.  At the forefront of this fight was an application for a gravel pit submitted by Penney’s Paving Ltd; an application we were vehemently opposed to. 

We launched the website www.SaveTheExploits.ca to help spread awareness on the issue, and to give people the tools they need to fight back.  Through SaveTheExploits.ca, we collected over a thousand signatures on our petition, over 4,000 members on our Facebook Group dedicated to saving the Exploits, and several hundred people used our government contact list to email members of parliament and ask them to take a stand and protect our river.

Thanks to the overwhelming tide of public support to save the river the government was not able to approve the pit to begin operation in the summer of 2010 as Penney’s Paving Ltd had requested.  Instead the approval of the application was delayed over a year, until they finally came to a conclusion.  Although their conclusion neither suits Penney’s Paving Ltd, nor saves the Exploits River from industrial development, it is still a small win as the restrictions it places on the operation still allow for summer enjoyment of the river.

Here is the official release:

Released from further environmental assessment subject to the following conditions:

• • Operation of the quarry is to be limited to areas above the design flood high water mark and a minimum 100 meter undisturbed vegetated buffer between the proposed quarry operations and any watercourses must be maintained;
• • A minimum 50 meter undisturbed vegetated buffer shall be maintained between the proposed quarry operations and the existing quarry to the east;
• • A requirement to restrict quarry operating hours to be conducted between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays only and not to operate the quarry between June 15 and September 15.

The proponent is also required to complete a Development Plan as well as a Rehabilitation/Closure Plan to the satisfaction of the Department of Natural Resources.

The Rehabilitation/Closure Plan must provide details on the progressive rehabilitation of the site, which will be completed annually to limit the area of disturbance, and also on potential visual impacts and how this will be addressed through the life of the quarry.

Based on these operating restrictions, the impact of the pit’s operations on Riverfront Chalets & Rafting Newfoundland will not be catastrophic. We will no longer be able to offer weekday rafting trips in May & October, but overall the impact will be minimal. With the pit dormant through the summer, the proposed 100m buffer will likely preserve the feeling of untouched wilderness as we float down the Exploits River.

That said, this fight was never really about our business, it was, and remains, about protecting the Exploits River. We want the government to establish a sustainable use plan that will protect the river from all future harmful use applications like this gravel pit. We want there to be binding legislation to ensure the river will be able to be enjoyed by generations of Newfoundlanders and tourists to our beautiful region. We will not stop fighting until these objectives are met, and we would appreciate all the support you can muster to help make this a reality. Remember, THIS IS AN ELECTION YEAR IN THIS PROVINCE!

Without the support we received from all of you, without the 4,000+ members of our Facebook Group, without the several hundred emails and letters you all sent to the government, without the support from the Ministry of Tourism, Adventure Central DMO, and many, many others, these concessions would not have been possible. We owe you all an incredible debt, and are forever grateful, but we beg you all to not give up the fight.

The single best way to build up support to protect the river is to USE the river! The entire Exploits River, starting at the Red Indian Lake dam, is a paddler’s dream! Whether you prefer canoes, kayaks, or rafts, you will have the time of your life! Once you have experienced it, you will want to fight all the harder! As a business, we’re going to come up with a way to get as many people as possible on the river the first week of July; expect an announcement in the days to come.

If you have your own watercraft, please feel free to use our river access right here on the chalet property at NO CHARGE. We can provide you with any safety gear you might be missing, with a detailed river map, and we can even arrange shuttle service for after your trip. Just call us any time and we’d be more than happy to help you plan your own day on the river.

Once again, thank you all for your continued support.

All the best,

Jason Nault
Office Manager
Riverfront Chalets

Hello everyone!  It’s been a while since I posted to our blog but it’s been a very busy summer!  We have two more rafting tours to go before hauling the snow machines out.  Can’t wait!  I was sitting on her in the shed a few times over the summer dreaming of snow.  I hope we get at least as much snow as we did last year…it was the best year yet for climbing Hodges all the way to the “ice castle”.  We had some late season trips to Hinds Hill right up until early April.  Our last Hodges tour, Easter Sunday was a blast as I think we skipped more water than we drove on snow.  We were nominated for the Ernest & Young award for that one….came close but never won.  Unfortunately, with several days of 20 degrees, it softened up the road to the point where we couldn’t reach the snow anymore.  I did drive in a few colder mornings and get a few more days riding in though.  My last trip of the year was to Mount Peyton which was around mid-April.  (Hodges is nicer though ha ha!).  Looking forward to seeing many of you back again this year.  We recruited lots of new customers aboard the rafts this summer, many of which have already booked their sledding trip so if you’re coming back, I wouldn’t wait too long to book.  Remember, it’s cheaper on week-days!  See you!

Paul

Hello everyone,

We have had a great summer this past season.  The weather was awesome (for the most part) and we all had fun.  Please let others know how much fun you had by submitting a testimonial to our site.  It would be great if you could attach a picture too!  If you stayed in our chalets or even had a tour of them, we would love to know what you thought of those as well.  Testimonials are very benificial both to us as well as anyone thinking of paddling or staying with us so please take a few minutes.  Thanks.

Paul

I would like to thank everyone who visited us this past summer.  I expect we had our last tour last weekend (but don’t stop coming…the river is still flowing and Fall canoeing is the best!) and we had several swimmers at the chute.  We all had a blast!  We enjoyed each and everyone’s company over this past season and consider you all to be friends.  What a great job we have!  I am looking forward to this winter for skiing and snowmobiling but I sure miss being on the river everyday.

Three out of four chalets are completed and the fourth is near.  We have had over 30 rental nights since late August and the response is extremely positive.  The hot tub is a huge hit!  We have had families, reunions and many honeymooners.  Suprisingly almost half of the chalet clients were from Grand Falls-Windsor.  This is great to see as they are sure to be back.  We have already taken bookings up to Labor Day next year!  We are nearly full for New Years….anyone for Christmas? 

As many of you know we design our business growth and changes around what you guys want.  At the later part of the rafting season, we asked you all if you would like to see UTV rentals (those side by side ATVs that are all the rage) .  Pretty much all of you told us it would be a great option to have at the chalets.  Well, we bought a 4 seater; basically a small jeep like vehicle.   We had a honeymoon couple rent it yesterday and they had a great time touring around the back trails.  They even took Key and Nook.  I am sure many of you will try this thing out.  It is great fun. 

Anyway, sorry for the lengthy blog entry but it is the first to the site and I had a lot to say.  Hope to see you guys this winter.  We will take a run into our backcounrty chalet and have a boil-up!