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 21st –Aug 12th and Sept 22 and Sept 30th) 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!