Fogo Island

As soon as you drive off the ferry, you know that Fogo Island is different.

For one thing, if you join the ferry at Change Islands, it means you are driving off the ferry backwards. That was a bit of a shock, but the locals are no doubt used to the peculiarities of a drive-on, drive-off ferry that has Change Islands vehicles facing each other. 

Once through that slightly stressful initiation, the landscape is the next indication of Fogo's uniqueness.  

Fogo is the largest of Newfoundland's offshore islands. But rather than stubby trees or grass as on Change Islands or Twillingate, Fogo is rocky and almost barren. We feel as if we are suddenly on the moon.

It's also very quiet. There are few places to eat, and most of these are closed. Museums and other such attractions of interest are also closed. Even though this has been the same as everywhere, we thought the popularity of Fogo and being well into June would make this place different. But, the story seems to be the same as everywhere - low wages, no staff, few supplies.

The elephant in the room is probably why people know about Fogo, the Fogo Island Inn. There has been so much press about this unique place, we will write more about it later.  a

We stayed instead at Peg's Place, a bed and breakfast in Fogo town. B&Bs are where we tend to meet like-minded travellers, and sometimes get into great conversations, and here we did - and we did. 

We even heard more about the famous Beulah from Change Islands, who we never did meet and who has still not arrived. One of the other guests at Peg's Place told us she was going on to stay at the Seven Oakes at Change Islands, and had just received a long phone call (it's never short) asking if she would pick up la B and her u-haul of supplies in Gander, as Beulah's doctor told her she should not be driving. This woman was rather relieved to say that she was in Fogo and so could not do it.

There is a herd of caribou on Fogo Island, but alas we never did see any of them. We did have some marvelous hiking - Lions Den trail on a stunningly sunny day (still cold tho')

and Joe Batt's arm which locals call the Auk walk in honour of the bronze statue of a great auk at the end. This penguin-like bird became extinct in the middle of the 19th century. Its flightlessness was no doubt why is was unable to evade humans' instinct' to hunt whatever we can.

lonely auk

trying to comfort....

and converse with

the Inn in the distance

Meals were tricky, as there was so little open, but Cod Jigger's diner provided the usual deep fried combination of local items that filled a gap. 

brown food is always on offer

great table support, resembling a fish hut's support

We wanted to get in Turpin's Trail, but ended up spending too much time chatting to Jennifer, the proprietor at the tiny (she is moving to larger digs) but wonderful Tilting Cup in the quiet village of Tilting. She was officially closed that day but actually opened up for us to provide coffee (roasted onsite) and fantastic soup. That's Newfoundlanders for you. We left a big tip.