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Writer's pictureLori King

Petty Harbour in Newfoundland Labrador is the Picture of Perfection!

Petty Harbour, Newfoundland is the absolute picture of perfection. I had been there many times. It never disappoints. The perfect town to spend the day and like many small towns in NL it is the perfect place to get all the Newfoundland feels flowing. Proud to be a Newfoundlander this place is quite the gem. It Almost feels like you go back in time. The bustling little town has been on wheels since Alan Doyle from Great Big Sea put her on the map years ago….. Not really but he did help and he is a very proud Newfoundlander as well. Very picturesque and full of personality it is certainly a must see.

The local restaurant Chafes Landing is a popular hot spot. Known for its Fee and Chee ( That’s what townies call Fish and Chips. Lol )and other Newfoundland specials you have to pop in For a bevie and a snack. I had the Moose Mess and Sean had the Wings and fries. The Moose Mess was yummy. Fries, dressing ,gravy, peas and moose get in my belly. Yup. We sat on their deck and the lovely view was the perfect start to our adventure.

We took a jaunt around the harbour and soaked up the sunshine and the scenery. I spotted the rainbow dory and the fishing stage looked like a great place to explore. The colours were vibrant and the locals were inviting. Fishing for Success is a non-profit organization located in Petty Hr for years. A belief that the rich history of Newfoundlanders and their culture shall be instilled in our children. They run programs such as Girls who Fish, Youth Cod Fishery and Dory Club and the Wharf walk teach our people traditional fishing knowledge and the skill of our ancestors. So interesting and cool. You can rent a dory for the day or take a little motor boat out during the food fishery and jig your cod. Get your fish for the winter the old fashioned way. Loves it? Instilling pride in our people Leo and Kim were very willing to tell us about their family business and we could feel how proud they were of the successful business they created. Very knowledgeable on flat bottom dories and the rowing dory they could keep the stories going. All profits go back into community programs in the area. I am so glad we stopped by to have a chat.

Petty Harbour puffin chairs
Puffin chairs at Petty Harbour

Cod chairs ! I love them?

There are other attractions in this scenic small town as well. Tinkers Ice Cream Shop is a local favourite. The most delectable treats are perfect for your Sunday drive destination. Lots of local berry toppings for your sundae, ice cream tacos and a variety of other sweet treats you will tickle your taste buds for sure. It’s a must see on your adventure for sure. The Water Shed Cafe is there as well. They have a lovely little patio that overlooks the harbour. Also if you are an adventure enthusiast you can check out North Atlantic Ziplines as well as Ocean Quest Adventures. We Ziplined twice in the past. The views are top notch and the experience is world class for sure. They even have The Trappers Cabin if you enjoy off the grid and unique experiences. The staff is friendly and you will not be disappointed.

Cod fish
The codfish catch of the day!

Cod fish?

After our leisurely walk around the picturesque harbour we made our way over to the Ocean Quest Adventure dock where we were met with Leah and Sandy. Two of the most friendliest people ever. They were awesome. Very experienced and knowledgeable in their area of expertise. We got suited up with our lifejackets and got ready for the ocean tour in the zodiac. AMAZING. The views of the coastline were stunning and the ocean breeze incredible. Watching the little puffins almost scurry across the oceans surface was so cool. I don’t know why I thought puffins were large birds but there are not. Lol. They are fairly small and now I want one. Lol. The gannets and the other sea birds were eye catching as well. Just the sounds of the birds and the roar of the waves simply was almost hypnotic. Then Sandy with his eagle eyes spotted the ocean sprays from miles away. Whales! Straight ahead. OMG. Did they ever show up. So Staycation Summer 2020 seems to be the year of the whales along our coastline. Everywhere there are whales. They are frolicking and breaching and diving and blowing and it is awesome! They circled our zodiac and just hung out. Swimming under us and around us feeding so it seemed. Apparently they chase schools of capelin pushing them towards the shoreline. They were Humpbacks. We also saw a minke whale. We even saw a little seal taking a little sun tan. To be out on the ocean waiting and anticipating that we see the big fish of the sea felt relaxing and almost majestic. If you have experienced it you will know what I mean and if you have not you need to put it on your bucket list.

Whale watching excursion Petty Harbour
Whale watching adventure in Petty Harbour

Gettin ready!

Whale watching captain
The captain of the ship!

Captain Leah!

crew of the whale watching tour
Eagle eye Sandy takin in the view

Eagle eye Sandy

Whales
Whales off Bay Bulls

Mama Whale

Breaching!

sea stacks
sea stacks on the tour

Caves and cliffs!

Bat Bulls newfoundland
rugged coastline cliffs off the coast

Magnificent!

The swell on the ocean was enough to make me a little nauseous but the beauty trumped the queasy feeling in my stomach. We ended the perfect day of exploring and adventure with a little dip in the hot tub and a cocktail to cap off the evening. Thank you Petty Harbour for the perfect day❤️

hot tub drinks
Warm up drinks!

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