Annual Alumni Expedition

The destination for our 14th Annual Alumni Expedition is the Southwest Coast of Newfoundland. We begin our journey in Rose Blanche [a short distance from Port-aux-Basques] and paddle east to the abandoned outport of Grand Brit, hugging random patchwork of coves, inlets, and headlands defining a splendid isolation. The islets and islands are often little more than desolate bedrock covered with grasses or crowberry mats but offer a stark beauty, as well as providing frequent shelter if the seas are choppy. The contrast with the deciduous hardwoods of the Cape Breton Highlands, a mere 60 miles away, is striking.

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This is as a much a place for hiking as for sea kayaking and Grand Bruit is a departure point for one of the best. Although these "Highlands" rise a mere 1,000 feet, this is from sea level and the summit affords a grand panorama of the ragged coastline.

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During our journey we will encounter remnants of early settlement now abandoned as well as one of the few remaining outports in the province only accessible by boat and from where we will take the coastal ferry to return to Rose Blanche.

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Newfoundland is always a special sea kayaking destination. However, unlike our other tours here, this one doesn’t involve driving half way across the province. In fact, once you reach the ferry terminal in North Sydney you are almost there as you can book a cabin onboard [you have to sleep somewhere before the tour] and arrive rested early the following day, only short distance from the departure point.