(click here to find location on the map)
St. Brendan's is a small outport community on Cottel Island. You get there by taking a one hour ferry ride from Burnside. The island has a gravel highway that joins the ferry dock to the town of St. Brendan's, which is on the northern end of the island. St. Brendan's includes several smaller communities including; Pennys Cove, Clay Cove, Shalloway Cove, Dock Cove, Hayward's Cove and Shoal Cove. You'll see signs for all of these along the road.
It's a fairly large island, about 10 miles long. Most of the island is wilderness, along with all of the surrounding islands. St. Brendan's is serviced by a school, church, post office, community centre, power plant and a couple of convenience stores.
We took the morning ferry and had a few hours to explore, before returning on the afternoon ferry. It's a good idea to bring a lunch and water with you. We visited on a Saturday in September and all the businesses in town were closed.
The ferry arrives at the harbour authority dock where you will see long liners and other smaller fishing boats. There was a transport truck on the ferry which was picking up the catch for the day.
Just down the road from the ferry dock, the community has built a roadside stop for tourists. They have a large sign that shows you the names of all the islands you can see. Drive along the road and take a turn into all the little coves. There are lots of great spots to take photos. As you drive into town you'll see signs for the Island Snack Shack. If you go in the summer months, they'd likely be open. There are several older building that mark St. Brendan's history. The town and the island is beautiful and still a vibrant community.
(click photos to enlarge)
Before you head to Newfoundland, you may want to consider one or more of the great field guides that are available. We have done short reviews of the following:
