3 Things You can Only Do in Atlantic Canada

ATLANTIC CANADA, June, 2011 – Atlantic Canada is a paradise for active travelers. The region boasts some of North America’s last unexplored wilderness, lots of beautiful, and very accessible, scenery, thousands of miles of untouched coastline and the opportunity for life-changing experiences.

From sea kayaking on the Bay of Fundy with the world’s highest tides and diving with whales in Conception Bay, to cycling the Cabot Trail, one of the world’s iconic coastal roadways and hiking the rugged Torngats, visitors will find a rich selection of soft adventure opportunities – all just around the corner from New England.

New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (PEI) are closely tied to the sea – so it’s no wonder there are plenty of water-based activities to enjoy. Learn wreck diving off Newfoundland or surfing in Lawrencetown in Nova Scotia, try kite boarding off New Brunswick’s Acadian Coast in the warmest waters north of Virginia or reel in a tuna off the waters of PEI.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Where in the world can you see humpback whales (some 5,000 pass this way each year) and 10,000-year-old icebergs only two hours from New York? Head for Newfoundland and Labrador which offers some of the last unexplored frontier in North America. From June to August, the best whale watching is in Conception Bay, just 20 minutes to the west of St. John’s. Another great place is half hour south of the capital at the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. That’s also the best area for puffin-viewing as up to 2.5 million Atlantic Puffin gather here – the largest concentration in North America. To hear the snap, crackle and pop of icebergs, between April and July, it’s a safe bet that the further north you go, the better your chances. Head to St. Anthony and Twillingate in Newfoundland or further north up the coast of Labrador. When Rick Stanley of Ocean Quest Adventures says you can get eye level with a humpback, he’s serious. The company offers snorkeling and diving with whales (about $199 for a half-day snorkeling) and a half-day “Iceberg Close Encounter” is about $149. If wreck diving’s your thing, the company will guide you to Bell Island with some of the world’s best preserved shipwrecks, 400-feet-long ships sunk by German torpedoes. A seven-night package costs about $1,359 per person, double and includes seven nights’ accommodation in a 4-star lodge; five days of diving (two dives a day); tanks; air; breakfast; lunch aboard the boat, and roundtrip airport transfers. Nitrox and equipment are extra.

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Cruise Forum Registration

Register before August 1 to qualify for the Early Bird registration fee of $300. Registration after August 1 is $350. All prices include HST.

Registration includes all conference sessions, Wednesday evening welcome reception, Thursday breakfast/lunch/dinner, and Friday breakfast/lunch.

There are 2 ways to register:
1. Register online at CruisetheEdge.com/cruise-register.asp. Note that payment is not available online.

2. Contact Laurie at 709 738-7530 or info@CruisetheEdge.com for a registration form.

Please make cheque payable to Cruise Newfoundland and Labrador and mail to:
Cruise Newfoundland and Labrador
PO Box 21088
St. John’s, NL
A1A 5B2

Receiving Titanic

Few events in human history have resonated around the world like the Titanic disaster.  “People everywhere want to reach out and connect with the Titanic.” says Larry Daley of Titanic Exhibits/Expeditions, Inc. “Cruise ships that are going to be over Titanic on the centennial date of April 14/15 are sold out, and this is why more of us are going to be at Cape Race, Newfoundland for April 2012.”  “Cape Race is the closest point of land to the Titanic,” explains Titanic enthusiast Dave Snow, “And the whole land-based side of the story was documented there. This is the place that coordinated the rescue and sent the news to the world.”  “For April 14/15 we will be at Cape Race remembering minute-by-minute the centennial of the tragedy, and participating in the Worldwide radio commemoration of those pioneering days of radio and wireless,” continues Larry Daley. “The records from the disaster are all on Cape Race time, and there is no other place on land more appropriate for remembering Titanic and personally connecting with the tragedy. We will be standing overlooking the same North Atlantic with other engaged people, and we will remember that time and that event.”  For more information, please visit www.receivingtitanic.com.

Cruise Season Underway in St. John’s

Mayor Dennis O’Keefe, Chairman of Cruise St. John’s, is pleased to announce that the 2011 cruise season will get underway this week with the visit of the MV Silver Whisper of Silversea Cruises. The Silver Whisper is the first of 16 cruise ships scheduled to visit St. John’s this season and will visit port on Monday, May 23 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Silver Whisper is on a transatlantic New York City to Southampton itinerary which began in New York on May 17 and includes visits to Newport, Halifax, Sydney, St. John’s, Cork, Waterford, and

Fowey before finishing in Southampton, U.K. on May 31. The vessel has a total capacity of 382 passengers and 295 crew. The Silver Whisper first visited St. John’s in 2001 and has made frequent port calls since this time with her most recent visit in September 2010. The Silver Whisper is scheduled to return to St. John’s again on Sept. 15, 2011 and Sept. 26, 2012.

“Numbers of cruise visitors continue to grow each year and 2011 promises to be another great season as Cruise St. John’s hosts almost 19,000 visitors expected to arrive by cruise ship.” said Mayor O’Keefe. “Vessels including the Ocean Princess, Maasdam, Eurodam, AIDAluna, Jewel of the Seas, Silver Whisper, Polar Star, Clipper Adventurer and Aurora will return to St. John’s again this year while P&O Cruise’s Arcadia will make an inaugural visit in September.”

The season will conclude Oct. 9 with the Clipper Adventurer’s visit upon completion of a Newfoundland Circumnavigation cruise program in St. John’s.

Find Your Edge…

Cruise NL is organizing the third provincial Exploration Cruise Forum providing an opportunity for delegates throughout Newfoundland and Labrador to interact with Cruise Line owners/operators and planners. Representatives from the international adventure/expedition cruise sector along with provincial cruise stakeholders will come together from October 12–14, at the Delta Hotel in St. John’s for what promises to be an exciting event. Entitled “Find Your Edge…in Newfoundland and Labrador”, this Forum is designed to provide an opportunity for cruise ship operators/planners to explore the destination possibilities, discuss the issues surrounding cruise tourism and examine ways to increase our appeal as a cruise destination in order to grow the industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. Registration will be opening soon!