Joys of Summer
Thank you so much for helping us out by answering the questions in our summer survey. Most responses came from within the province, but we also heard from Nova Scotia, Fort McMurray - a few surveys were filled out from the United States, Switzerland and China. In all, 86 surveys came in from people like Joe from Fort McMurray; Andrew, Nicholas, Mike, Holly, Bob and Tammy from St. John’s; Louise from St. Anthony, Kim from Topsail and Angela from Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Of course, our results aren't scientific, but they are fun and informative. That's one of our joys of summer.
Where's the best place to go for a hike?
Gros Morne National Park
"Gros Morne National Park is absolutely beautiful!"
Signal Hill, East Coast Trail
Up the 500-odd steps at fisherman's point in St. Anthony to the top of the hill by the lighthouse. Quite a climb but the view of icebergs, whales and back along the harbour is worth every breath
Deep Water Creek walking trail here in St Lewis
I enjoy hiking to the Bay Bulls light house or the swinging bridge at LaManche
Grand Concourse
Skerwink Trail
Pendragon trail in Northern Arm; the Mark Walker trail in Tickle Cove , Bonavista Bay
Down to the lighthouse in Port de Grave
Where is the best place to have a picnic?
Bowring Park in St. John's
"Always loved Bowring Park."
Ferryland Lighthouse, Signal Hill
Ferryland Head if catered. The bluff in New Melbourne when the surf is running
Silent Witness, Sandy Cove Beach, or your own back yard!
Out where you can smell cut hay or nice pollen, away from people; Bottle Cove, Bay of Islands
The lighthouse at Woody Point; Sunday Hill in North West River, Labrador
Mount Sophia in Nain
Along the East Coast trail - in a truly natural surrounding; in Labrador, anywhere there aren't any flies!
Torbay Point in Outer Cove. 15 minute hike in to a fabulous view!
The beaches in Colliers; We love to picnic and in NS we go to the beach or the park, but back home we love to picnic at mom's property in New Chelsea
Anywhere off the beaten track... Cape Spear on a warm day is always nice for a picnic
There's a tiny little picnic ground off the road going into St. Anthony Bight -- picnic tables, a gorgeous view, long hours of sunlight and just enough breeze to keep the bugs at bay
Pasadena Water Supply in Pasadena
Top of George Cove Mountain in Holyrood
Tell us about the best meal of fish you've ever had.
Cooked by Mom/Nan/Mother-in-law
"The best meal of fish I have ever had was in Mary's Harbour cooked by my fiance's mother, Myrtle Rumbolt, who also cooks at the Battle Harbour historical site."
5 a.m. breakfast sea trout, just caught, along any of our beaches, specifically Big Barachois river/beach, near Robinson's River, west Newfoundland
This happened when I was a boy many years ago. Caught by baited line, cleaned and in the pot 10 minutes after it was caught. Steamed in to a cove under Hopeall Head in Trinity Bay while it was cooking dropped our hook and had dinner. Fresh baked home-made bread, fresh cod fish stew, home-made bakeapple jam and tea. NOTHING compares
While fishing in Serpentine Lake, caught some nice brook trout, and fried them up on the spot. Cast iron frying pan, a little salt, pepper and flour, and a box of Kraft Dinner for a side dish...yummy!
Past co-worker brought a pan of salt fish to work with him more than ten years ago that ranks as the best I've ever had; Down by Bell Island there are some delicious fish places. They were good, but I felt guilty after and had to work out; the best meal of fish I have ever had was cooked over an open fire on a secluded beach area that could only be accessed by boat
My boyfriend once did a favour for some fishermen. He's a scuba diver and was assembling his gear near a wharf with a friend one day when one of the fisherman flagged them over. Something was caught in their props and they couldn't get it out. He went down in his scuba gear and untangled it all for them, and was rewarded with fresh swordfish steaks. We cooked them on the BBQ with some pepper and olive oil. Probably the best fish I've ever eaten. They were absolutely delicious
Fresh cod barbecued in foil with cilantro, salt, pepper and drizzle of olive oil, mmmm
I was talking to the mother of a family of crab fishermen. That morning they'd caught a bunch and, of course, given some to their ma. She pulled a couple of legs out of the fridge, extracted the meat and fed them to my husband and me as we stood in her kitchen. Stunning
I don't eat fish.
Where the best place to go for a swim in fresh water?
Windmill Bight Park, Lumsden, Bonavista Bay
"Windmill Bight Park's freshwater lagoon. Late summer bath tub temperatures. Great fun to go from salt water beach to the fresh water beach."
La Manche Falls, Deer Lake Beach
The best place to go for a swim in fresh water is the ponds in Northern Labrador; Fitzgerald's Pond Park on the way to Placentia
Pond at the bottom of Blue Hill (Terra Nova)Thorburn Lake; Twin Camps - outside Bishop's Falls. Sandbanks Provicinal Park
The community park in Sandy Cove on the Eastport Peninsula, not sure of the name. The water is always crystal clear and cool
Main Brook which runs into Freshwater Pond. Golden Sands in Burin
That is a well kept secret. Secluded little spot where not a lot of people go and I would like to keep it that way.
Where's the best place to go boating?
Conception Bay
"Conception Bay. When the weather and winds are just about right, it is fabulous."
In punt out around Flower's Island in Bonavista Bay North. There really is no place like home is there?
Anywhere in Newfoundland. I love the inner part of Bonavista Bay with Terra Nova Park, but Newfoundland has so many great places they are numerous beyond mention
The harbour in Clarenville, right in front of my parents' house. The view is spectacular!!!
The best place to go boating is in Battle Harbour where there are thousands of whales
I enjoy boating in Placentia Bay or Trinity Loop
Gotta be anywhere on the good 'ol Labrador coast....the view is spectacular :) The icebergs, whales, seals and the view of the outports
Exploits Bay
Holyrood
Big Pond near the Twin Mountains at Cape Ray
I get seasick, so it's the shore for me.
Where did you have the best hot turkey sandwich ever?
At home.
"At home. The restaurants have not yet learned to make good gravy."
Irving at Goobies/Clarenville/Deer Lake
Ches's; Breen's
A place called Harry Toms restaurant in Port aux Basques. It closed a long time ago, but I still remember the food
That would be at Cozy Corner
R and J's Restaurant, Twillingate
I had the best hot turkey sandwich at Lavinia's Country Kitchen in Happy Valley-Goose Bay
Vegetarian.
Where's the best place to sit and look at the stars?
My back deck/my backyard
Happy Valley-Goose Bay
"Pope's Hill in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. It is very high up and away for the lights of the community. You can see the community down below but the sky is huge and beautiful. Best on a nice clear winter's night."
Red Cliff ( which should be a provincial park ) outside St. John's
Big Fall Park
Barachois Park
At Jonathan's Pond Campground on the beach, or at the cabin
Outside the city as the lights ruin it - I did stargazing one night up in Cape Broyle and it was fantastic
Shallow Bay campground at Cow Head. Walk across the dunes to the beach ... the gentle lapping of the waves and the soft sand underfoot. Stunning; Mary March Wilderness Park
Signal Hill, if you've got a lady friend. Far away from the city lights if you don't
At my cabin in Horsechops on the Southern Shore. I am on the top of a hill so I get no light interference.There have been nights when it looks like one big star there are so many of them to be seen.
What's the best lighthouse in the province?
Cape Spear
"Cape Spear. Not just for the lighthouse, but for the wildlife, whales and scenery."
Bonavista, Ferryland
Fort Amherst - I got engaged there!
They are all beautiful, but Twillingate, cause it leads you to the icebergs!
Hmmmm.....I'd have to say Lobster Cove lighthouse is pretty awesome
Are you being political here???????? Coady-ite, are we???????
Where is the best place to go fishing?
Exploits River
Gander River
Fogo Island...best fish in the world
Pemiak Pond...if I could ever find it again...it's on the west coast, down the old railroad track bed, and follow a little stream to the pond. Tiny, tiny place, but lots of nice big trout
My secret. Fishing holes near Gander, Benton, etc.
Sheffield Lake
Any of our salmon rivers in southern Labrador or if you are looking for rod fishing for trout check out Port Marnham Brook, Deer Harbour, Long Harbour or in St. Lewis Bay
Trouting --- Thorburn Lake area, can't reveal my secret spot other then that. Cod fishing -- Burin, Placentia Bay
Can't tell you that, I may have to kill you :)
What's the best concert in the province you were ever at, and why?
Great Big Sea
"I think the Great Big Picnic with Great Big Sea and Blue Rodeo, I think in 1999 - it was a gorgeous, cool night, and the fog rolled in just like a smoke effect. Awesome music, great company, and a perfect setting."
Hey Rosetta!; Black Eyed Peas
The Novaks at CBTG's several years ago because the atmosphere was like that of a religious outing.
Rod Stewart at Quidi Vidi, I love listening to his music and songs and the weather was great. Saw a lot of my friends there and not get hungry or thirsty.
Nickelback in Bay Roberts. The band was amazing. It was good times with good friends. But also because some random strangers that we met that night invited us to come stay at their home in Bay Roberts ... where else in the world would you find that generosity?
The Once at Gros Morne Summer Music in 2009. They were totally fresh and Gerry Hollett has the most beautiful voice in NL
Any outdoor concert is always great. I really enjoyed the George Street festival about four years ago when they had groups like Matt Mays, Dr. Hook, and Spin Doctors. Back then great bands would play at the festival. Over the years the bands have gotten worse. Although a good outdoor concert with Newfoundland music is always good.
Snowjob '97 at Marble Mountain because I body surfed and Collective Soul covered Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne
I've seen a lot of concerts, but the best one I was ever to in this province would have to be the BTO concert in GFW for the Salmon Festival only because the crowd was rocking. Other than that it would go by performer, and I love Blue Rodeo so any of their concerts no matter where they play
Alpha Yaya Diallo, Club One as part of the Sound Symposium some years back. And the Discounts at the Ship of course.
A community hall in Goose Cove. Old buddy was up with an accordion, then put that down and started banging the spoons and yelling "YOOOP." When he tired of that, he grabbed a local lass and started waltzing around the room with her.
Ron Hynes, while visiting NL 10 years ago, in a little cafe-by-day/smoky-bar-by-night. There were about 12 people in the place and my then boyfriend (now husband) asked if he'd played St. John's Waltz yet. He hadn't. He said he'd play it if we'd dance. He did and we did and it was at THAT moment that I fell in love with Newfoundland and knew we'd some day live here. Now we do live here and see R.H. as often as we can.
Where have you had a close encounter with a ghost?
No ( i didn't have an encounter)
"Eh???????????????"
Real ghost? Not ever but, the conjured ones are all over Greenspond.
I would say in Nutak, Labrador. I heard a chair move across the floor of an old house while stopping for a boil up on the way to Hebron. There was no one in the old house at the time.
In Carmanville at my grandparents house.
A graveyard on Woody Island on Halloween. Very creepy.
Camping at Alexander Lake, Goose Bay, Labrador.
I saw that movie with Patrick Swayze in it once.
Back home in Newfoundland after my mother-in-law passed away. She came into my room, sat at the foot of my bed, with a long white gown on she told me to give it up and that everything was going to be alright.
Working at a shop in a very old building downtown St. John's. The cash register buttons started to push down all on their own. This happened a few times while I was working there in one day. Quite strange.
Where's the best place to go camping?
Gros Morne
"Love going to Shallow Bay in Gros Morne ... they have beautiful camp grounds, two nice playgrounds for kids, a fantastic long beach and it's very clean!"
Terra Nova
Dildo Run Provincial Park, south of Twillingate.
Sandbanks Provincial Park in Burgeo. I love that place!!!!! The setting with the beaches and dunes, the hike to the hill, and yet close to the town of Burgeo for when you run out of beer and ice :-)
Cape Island Beach. One of Newfoundland's best hidden treasures.
A gravel pit on the Burin Peninsula
Bellevue Beach campground. You can watch whales from your campsite.
Lumsden - no cell service and a sandy beach. What could be better?
Botwood Park. It has 30 camp sites,water and electrical hookups,a great walking trial and the best swiming spot. It's close to town with restaurants, museums, boating,scenery and more.
I loved the park out by Port Rexton - Lockston Path - that was fantastic - Notre Dame close 2nd.
Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland
Where is the best place to go berry picking?
Brigus
"Brigus has some good blueberries. On the West Coast logging trails near Deer Lake was exceptional as well for blueberries and raspberries. Strawberries I thought were best in U-Picks around the province."
Labrador
Used to be Blow-me-Down Mountain, blueberries, but that was a few years back.
It used to be on the grounds off Logy Bay Road,before the Outer Ring Road ramp was put there.
Joe Batts Pond Road (Central)
In Lethbridge. I think the access road is called Old Mill Road, but I am not positive. It's very plentiful and the view is very nice.
Blueberry Barrens in Mount Pearl. Do I see that they are putting in a subdivision now? Crying shame!
On the big bog near Cape Ray lighthouse. the bakeapples are great there!
To be honest I think blueberry picking just outside of Vancouver is the best place. Sorry, Newfoundland.
Sobeys. I don't care how beautiful this province is, no one is getting me out berry picking.
That's a secret!
What was your best summer ever, and why?
2009 (though it's hard to come up with a definitive answer)
Any summer where the weather was good.
2005 in recent years. We rode our new motorcycle to New Brunswick, and met up with our kids on a weekend pass from summer cadet camp. Later we went back, picked them up and went camping in Gros Morne for the first time. We spent the entire summer dragging our family hardtop all over the province and saw some wonderful sights and met some wonderful people.
It's still ahead of me - every summer is great, and every single one is a gift ... more to come, I hope!
I had just graduated from High School. I was making good money crab fishing for the summer. It was my last summer at home before moving away for University. Let's just say I made the most of it.
1994 was the best summer for me because we had an absolutely beautiful summer with HOT temps and EVERY DAY was SUNNY and the HUMIDEX was@ 30-35. We were developing our rock gardens and lawns and could not ask for any better weather, needless, to say, we got it all done and some years later, we just maintain it.!!!
This summer. I am getting married to the man I love!
The best summer I ever had was the summer of 2008. My husband and I moved from Happy Valley-Goose Bay back to NL and settled in Grand Falls-Windsor. We had a fantastic drive as we took the long way and we stopped at some great places. It's the first vacation that my husband and I got to take.
My best summer ever was when I went on vacation to Halifax, then drove to P.E.I. as we did a lot of sight seeing and taking in all of the different cultures was fun.
The Summer of 2006. I spent it on the west coast of the province attending festivals and events and had a fabulous time!
Summer after I graduated highschool. We camped every weekend and enjoyed time with all my friends before heading off to university.
The best summer ever was 1987. My dad was working in Labrador as a foreman of a fishplant. We had lots of friends there from all over NL that were fishing for the summer. I was really missing my grandparents who lived next door back in NL and one morning early there was a knock on the door and when we opened it there stood my Nan and Pop. They stayed with us for three weeks. It was the best time ever.
The summer I spent doing field courses at the Bonne Bay Marine Station in Norris Point (Gros Morne). My first time living away from home. I met some amazing people, had some great adventures in Gros Morne, learned a whole lot of marine biology, and fell in love with the west coast of the province. I go back every chance I get.
Every summer spent here in NL. The air is fresh and pure. The ponds are lovely to swim in. The beaches are amazing. The ducks, rabbits and squirrels are fun to visit.
The summer I turned 19 ;) I won't go into detail, but it was a lot of fun.
What's your favourite summer thing?
Swimming
Hiking; walking; relaxing
A cold beer. A hot BBQ. And as many friends as city by-laws will allow.
We see lots of family from away because they come home for vacation.
Walking downtown St. John's.
Writers at Woody Point festival.
Whale watching on a hot summer day.
We see lots of family from away because they come home for vacation
Boating, whale watching, cod jigging and suntanning! :)
Just to be in Newfoundland with summer sun(when we get it) and the fresh air.
When the ice cream at Berg's runs down my hand when I try to eat it outside!