26 August, 2026 0 comments Leave a comment

Even last winter, as we finalized plans for our epic Labrador adventure, I had a feeling that Battle Harbour, our final stop, would be the highlight of the trip. I was so right!

In my last post, I shared the warm welcome our Airstream caravan received in Red Bay. The community kindly watched over our trailers while we traveled north to our final destination. Read my Red Bay story here: An Iceberg and a Whaling Tale in Red Bay Labrador.

Battle Harbour lies on a small island just off the coast from Mary's Harbour and was the economic and social centre of southeastern Labrador for two centuries.

Today, the historic settlement is experiencing a renaissance.

Its vintage buildings are being stabilized and restored, with some converted into guest accommodations, while tourism revenues help preserve this remarkable piece of Labrador's past.

Our group of six couples would spend three days and nights here, immersed in its history and entertained by people whose families had lived on the island for generations.

GETTING THERE

We boarded a small passenger ferry for the journey of just under an hour.

The weather was windy (they called it a Nor'easter), and the boat was tossed about on the waves. One passenger even slid off her bench onto the floor when the boat heeled over! But we didn't mind. We were thrilled to spot an iceberg along the way (as well as on the day we departed), and I captured this video. Turn on your speakers and enjoy three minutes of bergs:

OUR STAY

Upon arrival, we were welcomed and shown to our guest quarters. My husband and I had a lovely corner room with four windows on the second floor of the Merchant Building. 

It had a comfortable bed and modern private bathroom. Some friends stayed in other rooms in the building, while others had one-room cottages heated by wood stoves.

On the second floor of the building housing the gift shop, we had a large gathering place with a wood stove, Wi-Fi and comfortable chairs and sofas. 

A nearby dining hall was where we were served generous meals three times a day.

Everything was prepared from scratch by chef Jeannette and her team. 

She came out to chat with guests after every repast and was such a dear lady.

I love to bake, so I asked her about their delicious dinner rolls, and she said they were baked fresh every day.

That conversation led to Jeannette giving me her recipe and taking me on a personal tour of the commercial kitchen, cold storage, storerooms, and pantry. What a thrill!

THE PEOPLE AND THEIR STORIES

We explored the island's 2-km footpath several times, climbing over the rocky hills to see gorgeous views of the village and sea. It was a photographer's delight.

High in the hills on the far side of the island, we also discovered weathered remnants of a crashed float plane and a small memorial plaque from 1976.

One afternoon, a fifth-generation resident and retired fisherman led us on a walking tour of the village.

He shared wonderful stories of growing up on this remote island and showed us the cooperage, forge and museum exhibits housed in two historic warehouses near the docks.

We were astonished when he revealed that he was one of two ten-year-old boys who found the wrecked plane. It had crashed shortly after takeoff in heavy fog, and the village didn't learn of the tragedy until the boys found the wreck and three bodies a few days later.

Battle Harbour Historic Trust, a charitable non-profit corporation, owns and is restoring all of the historic buildings near the docks plus guest accommodations.

These structures are rare surviving evidence of the fishing industry and way of life that once extended along the Labrador and Newfoundland coasts.

A BRIEF HISTORY

Battle Harbour's commercial fishery began in the 1770s, and by the early 1800s it had become a major port for Newfoundland fishing schooners.

Each summer, as many as 1,500 vessels traveled north to the rich Labrador fishing grounds, bringing families, livestock, furnishings, and supplies with them. At its peak, as many as 18,000 people participated in this seasonal migration.

Local merchants procured salt, food staples, and manufactured goods from Europe. Huge warehouses near the docks stored these supplies, which were then doled out to fishermen each spring. Merchants purchased the salted cod from fishermen and then forwarded the fish to European markets.

For 150 years, fishermen in Labrador operated under the 'truck' system, receiving supplies on credit from merchants in exchange for their seasonal catch. At the end of the season, the value of their fish was calculated against their debts, often leaving families dependent on the merchant from one generation to the next.

The fishery began to decline in the early 1900s as cod stocks were depleted and markets weakened. By the 1920s and 1930s, falling prices and oversupply accelerated the decline, and by the 1970s the traditional migrant fishery had disappeared. Battle Harbour's permanent residents were resettled on the mainland by 1970, although some families still maintain seasonal homes on the island.

Battle Harbour is a remarkable place where the past still feels wonderfully present. We felt privileged to spend three days immersed in its history, scenery and stories.

With that, our Expedition 51° caravan adventure concluded.

We returned to Red Bay to collect our trailers, and three Airstreams continued on to Newfoundland for a summer tour. We and two other couples retraced our route through Labrador and Quebec to the St. Lawrence. Then my husband and I headed east to explore the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I'll share highlights of that unexpectedly delightful journey in an upcoming post.

If you're traveling in Newfoundland and would like to visit Red Bay and Battle Harbour, I highly recommend it. You can reach both destinations from Newfoundland by ferry in a single day, rather than making the 1,700-km journey through Quebec and Labrador.

I'd love to hear what you think of our epic adventure. Please click the Leave a Comment button at the top of this post to share your thoughts.

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