Kayaking in Newfoundland
 

I'll start by saying that we've never kayaked before. Planned to in British Columbia or San Juans, but it didn't happen.

Definitely want to do it this year on our trip to Newfoundland and would like any suggestions as to favorite or best places.

We will have multiple days in Twillingate, Rocky Harbor, Port Union and Witless Bay, so those would be the areas we'd most likely go from.

I'll be watching this thread as we're planning to kayak in Newfoundland as well.
I had a pleasant e-mail exchange with Stan Cook of Wilderness Newfoundland Adventures (http://www.wildnfld.ca/about.asp) but I don't have first hand experience with them.

We had a wonderful experience with kayaking and I'd never done anything like it. I'd only ever been in a canoe a couple of times in my life, never mind a kayak!
When we got to the visitor's centre at Grose Morne, it was a young woman there who told us we MUST try it and she recommended a fellow in Norris Point, not too far from Rocky Harbour.
IT was amazing! We paddled all around Bonne Bay.

Sorry, I can't be more specific as to the company, but I'm sure if you ask at the visitor's centre , they will help you.

Gros Morne is a spectacular area. If I recall, unfortunately when we travelled (2005) it was too early in the season for kayaking to be offered there.

I've kayaked a reasonable amount but don't own my own (yet!) - multi-day tours, day trip tours, sometimes we rent and go out on our own for a day.

I did a few hours' trip with Stan Cook and the kayaking itself was superb! (However, the business end of things was frustrating. Hopefully by now they have smoothed out their operations.) You can find more details in my trip report.

My experience all over NF was that just because their websites say activities/tours/transportation will be running, it doesn't mean they will. For example, they may decide to close the tours for the afternoon to celebrate an employee's birthday.

Even tho we experienced these types of disruptions to our itinerary, we still had a wonderful time. I recommend people travel during peak season as this may increase the likelihood that everything is up and running - and don't worry the place is huge and any "crowds" would be considered inconsequential any where else. My point only being, after all your planning, to remain flexible.

Enjoy-la!

&quot;<i>My experience all over NF was that just because their websites say activities/tours/transportation will be running, it doesn't mean they will. For example, they may decide to close the tours for the afternoon to celebrate an employee's birthday. </i>&quot;

Yes Bye dat's life on de rock!

And much of the rest of the developing world.8-)

While I totally agree with SalmonSam that for some things there is a bit of a casual attitude in NL to appointments for specific times, that is NOT so with Stan Cook. If they say there is a kayak available, there is. However, they will NOT let you go out on a day when they might lose you! Newfoundland loves to play host way too much to mislay guests in the deep blue sea.

And thats a good thing...and besides you can always stay home in any of Twillingate, Rocky Harbour, etc, safe and sound, find a bar and order a brew-pretty soon it will turn into a kitchen party!

There are lots of places to have wonderful kayaking experiences here in Newfoundland. It sounds as if you'll be in many of the places where that is likely to happen. I love Witless Bay and Trinity is simply gorgeous although it isn't on your list. You might also check with Joe Dicks' at www.explorenewfoundland.com which is on our West Coast and recommended by National Geographic. I've also heard good things about Stan Cook although I haven't used his services. Enjoy your stay here on the rock!

NLspirit: Actually, we chose to stay in Port Union because we thought we'd be able to enjoy both Trinity and Bonavista, so we could consider kayaking there.

From photos I've seen, it appears as though the scenery will be beautiful where ever we go, but just wondered if any place is especially nice, particularly for beginners,

Clousie. I guess, like most, I have favorite spots that I like to visit too. The whole island is beautiful. The east coast is quite different from the western region and each has its own special charm. Central is different again, as is the northern peninsula and the south coast. If you had time ... perhaps not this trip ... I'd suggest a very unspoiled area which you can only access by a 4 hour ferry ride from the south coast community of Burgeo .. Francois. It's very tiny, no cars or roads ... just gorgeous and culturally preserved in many ways. While there our 'B&amp;B' host shared a professional video made by an American group who were rock climbing. Wow! The province is also much bigger than one realizes. Woody Point near Rocky Harbour is also great and each August hosts the Woody Point Writers Festival which sells out ages in advance. Twillingate isn't far from where I live and although it is lovely and certainly historic I prefer places that as yet haven't been 'discovered'. About 20 minutes drive from Twillingate is the small community of Moreton's Harbour ... beautiful and still relatively unspoiled. Change Islands is also very pretty ... you will often see artists ... 'from away' ... during the summer months. I love the scenery near Witless Bay ... the views are magnificent from Elaine's B&amp;B by the Sea. My all time favourite community .. albeit a 'discovered' one ... is Trinity. It's beautiful and the Skerwink trail is one of the most scenic trails around. You can also kayak there. Theatre is at its best in Trinity all summer long ... indoors and out. Although small, it also boasts several B&amp;B's but the good ones book up quickly. I hope I haven't bored you with too much information ... I think I may have gotten carried away!