Newfoundland & Labrador - Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island - page 435

And you thought the Northern Peninsula was commanding? Sail the 28km across the
Strait of Belle Isle and behold a landscape even more windswept and black-rocked.
Clouds rip across aqua-and-gray skies, and the water that slaps the shore is so cold it's
purplish. Unlike the rest of remote Labrador, the Straits region is easy to reach and exal-
ted with sights such as Red Bay and a slew of great walking trails that meander past ship-
wreck fragments and old whale bones.
'Labrador Straits' is the colloquial name for the communities that make the southern
coastal region of Labrador. Note that your first stop in the area will not actually be in
Labrador at all, as the ferry terminal and airport are both in Blanc Sablon, Québec. Once
in Labrador, Rte 510 is the road that connects the Straits' communities. South of Red
Bay, it is sealed and open all year. From Red Bay north, it's hard-packed gravel but in the
process of being paved. Check conditions with the Department of Transportation &
Works (

709-729-2300; www.roads.gov.nl.ca ) .

LABRADOR FAST FACTS

» Population: 29,800
» Area: 294,330 sq km
» Biggest town: Labrador City
» Time zones: Labrador Straits are on Newfoundland Time, while the rest of Lab-
rador (starting at Cartwright) is on Atlantic Time, ie 30 minutes behind Newfound-
land.

Blanc Sablon to L'Anse au Clair

After arriving by ferry or plane in Blanc Sablon and driving 6km northeast on Rte 510
you come to Labrador and the gateway town of L'Anse au Clair. Here you will find the
Straits' excellent visitors center ( 877-931-2013, 709-931-2013;
www.labradorcoastaldrive.com ; Rte 510, L'Anse au Clair; 9am-5pm Jun-Oct) in an old church
that doubles as a small museum. Be sure to pick up hiking trail information for the re-
gion.
The town makes a good pre-ferry base. Norm at Beachside Hospitality Home (
709-931-2338; [e-mail]; 9 Lodge Rd; r with shared bathroom $55-65; )
plays the accordion for guests in the evening. Quilts await on the beds, while homemade
jams await in the kitchen at this three-bedroom, two-bathroom B&B.