Land on the wild Labrador shore at Henley Harbour — a hauntingly beautiful cove littered with the ruins of 18th-century British fishing rooms — and hike a coastal trail to sweeping views of the Strait of Belle Isle, the narrow channel where Vikings and Basque whalers once passed.
What to expect
A local heritage guide collects your small group by boat from the Red Bay or L'Anse-au-Clair dock and crosses to Henley Harbour, a cove sheltered by dramatic headlands and virtually unchanged since British fishing rooms operated here in the 1700s. Walk among the stone foundations and read the landscape: boat sheds, flake platforms for drying cod, and the remnants of an entire seasonal economy that connected this remote coast to Bristol and Bordeaux. The trail climbs to a clifftop panorama over the Strait of Belle Isle — the same narrow passage where Basque whalers anchored their galleons 500 years ago. Return via Red Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site preserving the world's best-documented Basque whaling harbour.
Good to know
Red Bay is a dedicated port call on some Gulf itineraries; Henley Harbour requires a short additional boat transfer. Wear sturdy hiking boots and weatherproof layers — Labrador weather changes rapidly. This is a tide-dependent landing; confirm timing with the operator against your vessel's schedule.