Little did I know that in arriving in Triton and Brighton, Newfoundland & Labrador for an Iceberg, that I’d find myself in the middle of my own version of the 2014 Central Newfoundland movie, The Grand Seduction, with me as the leading lady.
Iceberg Hunting in Central Newfoundland
I’d promised an 8-year-old boy I’d send him a picture of an iceberg, so in departing from Gander, Newfoundland & Labrador with no set plans for my exploration of Newfoundland & Labrador in June 2024, I decided to make Triton and Brighton, Newfoundland & Labrador my first stop as all reports were that they had one of the few icebergs still remaining along the shores of Central Newfoundland. While I’d been dreaming of seeing my first iceberg, I figured this would be a night’s stay and then I would continue to meander my way slowly along the Coast in the direction of Western Newfoundland and Gros Morne National Park, which my mom told me I needed to spend some time exploring. Little did I know I was about to become the leading lady of my own version of the 2014 Newfoundland & Labrador movie, The Grand Seduction, only I wasn’t a doctor with a cocaine addiction coming to town, rather just a car camping woman with a cat addiction, currently minus her cat.
Wandering back from the washroom in Triton’s municipal campground – Maple Ridge RV Park, I stopped to introduce myself to my new neighbours and ask if they knew where the iceberg was. 5-minutes later I found myself being chauffeured to that iceberg by Lynn and Craig Fudge, as they joked that only in Newfoundland & Labrador would a young gal hop into a car with strangers she’d just met to go hunting for an iceberg. I couldn’t help but chuckle as this was so very true, I would not normally hop into a car with people I’d just met, but it just felt right, and right it was. Plus hadn’t they just called me a young gal?!? Clearly they were impeccable judges of character and didn’t need their eyes checked at all.
An Iceberg in Brighton, Newfoundland & Labrador?!?
What a glorious first night in Triton and Brighton, Newfoundland & Labrador! We drove the winding road to Brighton to the North Western tip of Brighton Tickle Island, while my new friends regaled me with tales of the iceberg and all the iceberg hunters that had been in town to see it. They weren’t sure if it was still close enough to the shore to see or even if it was still in Green Bay, but if it was, they were fairly certain of where to look. So we crossed the causeway to Cobbler Island, parked at the end of Cobbler’s Road and set off up the steps of a portion of Cobbler’s Trail. As we reached the look out at the end of the boardwalk, there it was!!!! My first 10,000-year-old block of ice!!!
Through my awe, I could hear the murmured apologies from Lynn and Craig that so much of the iceberg had melted. I didn’t care, she was beautiful!!!
Handing a Dildo Brewing Brew to Craig, we cheersed and the three of us took in the beauty of the iceberg, Green Bay and the sunset together.
On the ride back to the campground, I discovered that my new friends were a part of the local folklore, being Fudge’s (and Roberts, in the case of Lynn) for whom many things around Triton are named. This lead to a family history tour of the area, which really is a fabulously funny and insightful way to discover a new-to-me town. Only in Newfoundland & Labrador!
Green Bay Adventures with Clarey’s Diving and Eco Tours
As I tucked myself in for the night, with visions of icebergs dancing through my head, I murmured a quiet wish that, that iceberg might still be in Green Bay, come morning, so I could get out on the water to see it. Seems my lucky stars were aligned just right, as shortly after breakfast I found myself in the postcard perfect setting of Cobbler’s Tickle clambering on to a 22’7″ CC Bayliner, as I headed out on the water with Clarey and Rockey Roberts of Clarey’s Diving and Eco Tours.
What a way to start the day and to get up close to the beauty of that ancient ice in Green Bay!
It really was breathtaking, magnificent and awe inspiring, and it was rather delightful to be joined on the water by an adult son and his mom who were similarly exploring Newfoundland & Labrador for the first time, seeing their first iceberg.
Being situated on iceberg alley, Clarey and Rockey kept murmuring apologies at the diminished size of this iceberg. In my humble opinion, I was needing to thank them, not them apologise. Being late in the iceberg season, and this one of the last icebergs in Central Newfoundland, I felt so incredibly thankful to be sitting in a small craft gazing at this icy work of art. The iceberg we were gazing at in all likelihood broke off a glacier in Greenland (or perhaps in the Canadian arctic).
More than 40,000 icebergs break off the glaciers in Greenland every year. Of those, only about 400-800 make it as far south as St. John’s. The ones that do, have passed through the Davis Strait and into the Labrador Current, which carries them south into Iceberg Alley. This is a 1800 nautical mile journey, which takes an average of 2 to 3 years. Once in the warmer waters off of Newfoundland & Labrador, the icebergs melt and eventually disappear. Growing up, I’d always heard that the dangers of getting too close to an iceberg was that 90% of it was underwater, posing a risk to the hull of your ship, but as I learned from the wide berth that Clarey was giving around the iceberg, that in warmer waters (at least on iceberg standards) additional risks come into play, including ice chunks breaking off the iceberg and the iceberg actually flipping (which I had no idea was a thing). Iceberg flipping, a process called foundering occurs as submerged ice generally melts faster than that above the waterline. This shifts the centre of gravity of the iceberg, causing it to tip, then rock, and sometimes flip over entirely. It can even explode, sending great shards of ice into the air as though launched through a cannon. As such, the typical rule of thumb is to stay at least as far away from the iceberg as the iceberg is long or double the iceberg’s height (depending which is further away). So, if you heard of the visitors that camped on an iceberg in June of 2023, that was an incredibly dangerous and ill advised thing to do, as aside from potentially drifting back offshore, the iceberg could have flipped without a moments notice. I was fairly certain this one had in the night, as the shape was different. See for yourself below.
The thing about joining Clarey on one of his eco-adventures is that he has so much to share of Green Bay, whether or not there is an iceberg to see, and if you hit the right season, you can join him for a bit of fishing too. So after taking the time to enjoy the glory of the iceberg, we continued on to spend the morning viewing eagles and their nests, peeking into sea caves, watching lobster fishermen, and learning about the local mussel fishery. It was both fabulously fascinating to explore the area by boat, and to learn more about local fisheries and life for people in Green Bay.
Almost everywhere else on the planet, that boat tour would have been the end of my local adventure, and I would have grabbed lunch at a local eatery, possibly taken a hike, and enjoyed a brew from the local brewery, Bumblebee Bight (on Pilley’s Island) before continuing my meander west along the coast. This my friends though is Newfoundland & Labrador, meaning that ‘normal’ doesn’t find its way into the local vocabulary. So as we clambered on to the dock, Clarey asked me if I was sticking around Triton and had plans for the rest of the day. Note: if you are asked this by a local in Newfoundland & Labrador, for the love of lobster, the answer is something to the effect of “I haven’t got that far yet, I’m just off in search of lunch in town.” To which Clarey responded, “We might go scallop diving later today. Do you want to come?” Me: “YES!!!” Clarey: “Great, I’ll text you later.” That later text asked, “Do you like lobster?” Again the answer to this is, “YES!!!”, which happily resulted in a family meal in the home of Clarey and Lorraine, which was such a treat and an honour. Admittedly those YESes, also had me saying “yes” to eating a raw scallop on our afternoon adventure, after ascertaining that the Roberts’ brothers weren’t having me on. It was a bit of alright, even if the photo below shows me in all my awkward trepidation.
Discovering Triton and Brighton, Newfoundland & Labrador – Beyond the Iceberg
Foodie Delights in Triton, Newfoundland & Labrador
With a rumbling belly, and some time on my hands, I decide to spend my afternoon in search of food, and it was worth it!
Dining at Bistro on Route 380
I got some of those locally farmed mussels at Bistro on Route 380, which was warm, friendly and full of charm. They also carried Fudge’s Fudge, so that I could sample the sweet treats of my new neighbours, Lynn and Craig Fudge. With the choice of Cookies n’ Cream or Salted Maple Pecan, I chose the Salted Maple Pecan, which was good, but the fudge that Lynn gave me later, was quite outstanding, unlike any fudge I’d previously tried. The delectable flavours in question are their Orange Chocolate fudge and their Big Turk. Both scrumptiously delicious, particularly the Big Turk.
I find food gives one an insight into the local culture and the people. It carries its own stories with it, and one of the places that helps capture those stories are the local markets and grocers. Hence, that afternoon, I found myself wandering through the aisles of the Dorman Roberts Ltd. Super Grocer, lifting open the freezer doors, with delight to discover wild game, local seafood and home baked goods.
Vinegar Jam Pie?!?
Curious as to what moon pie are, I asked, and while they sounded good, I was told if I truly wanted something local, I had to try the vinegar jam pie. “Vinegar Jam?”, I asked, as they carried out a warm and freshly baked pie from the back for me. “Oh yes, vinegar jam. People come all the way from St. John’s for it.” I laughed, thinking they were pulling my leg. And then it got weirder, as they started to describe how it was made with the vinegar collected from a vinegar jelly plant that their grandmother grew in a jar. “A vinegar jelly plant??? In a jar???” I asked. I mean it had been years since my days working in botany and other areas of biology, but I’d never heard of a vinegar plant. At what point was everyone going to burst out laughing, as surely they were having me on. Nope, straight faces remained, and it smelled good, so off I went with my vinegar jam pie and a can of Fussel Thick Cream, which I was told it should be eaten with.
Still thinking this was an elaborate joke, I asked the locals sharing the campground with me (yes, it was just me and locals with houses in town, staying in the campground), if they’d like to join me in sharing the vinegar jam pie. They were delighted, and in short order the pie was split amongst us and everyone was eating it with pure joy. Cautiously I took my own first bite, and to my great surprise my taste buds thought this was quite scrumdillyumptious.
Telling the story over dinner that night, I discovered everyone around Triton and Brighton loves a good vinegar jam pie, so before leaving town, I returned to the Super Grocer for more Fussel Thick Cream, Partridge Berry Pie and Vinegar Jam Pie, as thank yous to many of my new friends in town.
A Homemade Supper in Triton, Newfoundland & Labrador
Also that night after our scallop diving, I got to enjoy another local delight with my lobster, mustard salad. Again, I took my first bite cautiously, but yum was it ever good. Turns out it was made with mashed potatoes, yellow mustard, mayonnaise, green onions and hard boiled eggs. Additionally there was beet salad, made with mashed potatoes, pickled beets and mayonnaise, particularly delicious to a beet lover like me, and something I will be making for my fellow beet loving mom.
With dinner, came another question from Clarey “Can you be up at 4 am.?” Me: “Sure.” Clarey: “Great. Mike will swing by, so you can follow him to his stage (his working wharf), and you can help pull in the lobster traps. Dress warmly in things you don’t mind getting mucky.”
Immersing Myself in the Life’s of Triton, Newfoundlanders with Badger Bay Boat Tours
Lobster Fishing in Badger Bay
While 4 am is not my preferred hour for waking, am I ever glad I said yes. You see, Mike Roberts of Badger Bay Boat Tours and Clarey’s brother, is also a lobster fisherman, and I was being invited to take part in something a little special. Rather than on Clarey’s fancy boat that is high off the waves with comfy seats, that while still intimate in size with room for 8, Skipper Mike’s open skiff is an actual working fishing boat, meaning I was being invited to experience life on the water as a Newfoundland fisherman does, low on the water with the wind and salt spray in my face.
Donning our life vests, we headed out on the water in the dark of night, to be met with the golden light of the dawn, a sunrise I will never forget, as we hauled up the lobster traps.
@ericahargreave Was fortunate to join Mike Roberts of Badger Bay Boat Tours in #BadgerBay, #TritonNL to pull up his #lobstertraps at #sunrise. Both a beautiful and educational morning, as I learned about #LobsterFishing off of #NewfoundlandLabrador. #ExploreNL #ExploreCanada #LobsterFisherman #Fishing #Newfoundland #ILoveNewfoundland #Support4Local #TMACNL30 #TMACtravel ? original sound – ?? Erica Hargreave ??
Exploring Badger Bay with Mike Roberts
All the while Mike shared with me his working knowledge of Newfoundland’s fishing industry and pointed out other wildlife along the way.
When we’d finished pulling in the catch for the morning, Mike took me about in his skiff, exploring Badger Bay. Oh, how I dream of returning and exploring further, and taking my time at it. He took me to an island where terns lay their eggs in amongst the lichen and mosses, we enjoyed the beauty of Pismere Falls, we clambered ashore at Gilligan’s Island sparking dreams of a stay on an island of my own for the night with a lobster boil up on the beach, and we watched the mussel fishermen at work tending to their farms.
By the time we got ashore and headed to join Mike’s friends for their ritual 8 am breakfast at Nevaehs Cafe at Triton Garage, every bite of the full hot breakfast was relished and ravenously devoured after an early morning on the water.
This time it was Mike’s turn to start asking the Roberts brother questions that you say YES to from “would I like to come to a crab boil up” on his stage that evening to “shall I introduce you to …”, and “would you like to visit …” So once warmed up with a full belly, I had a busy day ahead of discovering more about life and industry in Triton.
Discovering Triton Industry at Green Bay Marine Service Centre
First stop, Green Bay Marine Service Centre to learn about the work they do from servicing enormous ships (and on the smaller but not so small side, Gregory Roberts of the local Roberts and owner to Mary Brown’s Chicken’s boat, Miss Georgia) to crafting the light tower for a lighthouse.
Exploring Triton Sperm Whale Pavilion
Next I stopped in at the Triton Sperm Whale Pavilion, where Clarey had recommended I say “Hi” to his Uncle Terry and check out the museum.
Little did I know that what I thought would be a quick visit to see the sperm whale skeleton and to peruse the exhibits, would turn into a guided tour of over an hour. Terry also known as the Whale Whisperer for his innate ability to spot whales along the shore in Butler’s Bight, is a retired school teacher with a love of research, local history and ecology, and of sharing his findings with others. He’s also a great storyteller with a gift for the gab. Listening to him share was an utter delight, helping me to better understand what I was looking at with the sperm whale skeleton and its significance.
Alas with the Maple Ridge RV Park already fully booked for the night, I left Triton to settle in at Crescent Lake RV Park by nearby Robert’s Arm for the night.
Crab Boil Up on Mike’s Stage
Sadly enjoying one last return for a night on Mike Robert’s stage, boiling up crab, enjoying the sunset, shucking the crab (in my case, quite poorly), chatting with the locals, and enjoying a grape soda over 10,000 year old ice.
I didn’t want to leave and say goodbye to Triton and Brighton, the Roberts and the Fudges, and all of the other welcoming residents, but with my 4 am wake up and a longer drive back to my campground and bed for the night, I bid everyone a sad and fond farewell and headed off the island of Triton one last time, at least for this trip. I will return one-day, but until then I have many fond memories, new friends, and new adventures to look forward to when I return, hopefully next time with my camper van and cat as my co-pilot. After all, Mike did text me, shortly after I arrived in Rocky Harbour, later that day, to ask if I was still in town. So it would only be polite to return to reply with a few more “YESes”, as I’d hate to leave things on a “No, I just arrived in …”.
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