St John’s & Conception Bay
The adventure begins at the Royal Newfoundland Yacht Club in Conception Bay, where sheltered waters give us the perfect chance to practise sail handling, safety drills and generally build our competence as individuals and crew. The bay itself is rich in history and scenery: abandoned whaling stations, and small fishing villages We anchor beneath steep headlands, where seabirds circle above and bald eagles patrol the skies.
Northeast Newfoundland Coast
We now navigate our way along Newfoundland’s remote northeast shoreline. It is a wild mixture of rugged cliffs, sea stacks, and hidden coves. This is iceberg country, and where we can go is entirely dictated by conditions and access at the time. Twillingate is an amazing stop – known worldwide as the “Iceberg Capital of the World,”, sitting astride Iceberg Alley, where hundreds of towering bergs drift past each spring and early summer. The fishing village has a rich seafaring history, with saltbox houses, a lighthouse perched on the headland, and welcoming local pubs.
Fogo Island is another highlight: a windswept outpost dotted with brightly painted homes and the striking, contemporary Fogo Island Inn, a bold architectural landmark perched above the Atlantic. Nearby Change Island is a glimpse of Newfoundland’s past with wooden stages and fishing stores balanced on stilts above the water. Along the way we’re rarely alone – humpback whales breach offshore, minke whales surface in the bays, and vast colonies of puffins and gannets wheel overhead. These days offer a superb mix of hands-on sailing, coastal navigation, and exploration ashore.
Labrador Sea Approach
Turning north around Cape Freels, we sail into wilder waters along the southern Labrador coast. This is a region of deep fjords, stark cliffs, and remote outports where fishing remains the lifeblood of the community. One prized stop is Battle Harbour, a perfectly preserved 19th-century fishing settlement where salt stores, wharves, and church buildings tell the story of Newfoundland and Labrador’s cod and sealing heritage. Another option is Red Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site once home to Basque whalers in the 1500s. Excavations here revealed the wreck of the San Juan, a Spanish galleon that sank in 1565, making it one of the world’s most important archaeological finds from the early transatlantic era.
Passage to Greenland
This is the serious offshore stretch – a 400–450 mile crossing of the Labrador Sea. It will take around three days, depending on conditions. The Labrador Sea is icy cold, powerful, and often unpredictable. The East Greenland Current can carry vast icebergs far south, and brash ice and growlers demand constant vigilance, especially in low visibility. At night, the sky comes alive with stars, and at this latitude the northern twilight lingers for hours. Wildlife encounters are a highlight: humpback and fin whales, pods of dolphins, and perhaps even the towering spout of a blue whale in the distance. This passage is a rite of passage for many sailors – a chance to test yourself against true high-latitude ocean sailing.
Greenland Landfall – South Coast Fjords
Few landfalls are as awe-inspiring as the first glimpse of Greenland’s mountainous coastline, rising sheer from the sea. Depending on conditions, we may enter through the fjords of Narsarsuaq or sail to Qaqortoq, the largest town in South Greenland, known for its brightly painted houses, lively harbour, and outdoor sculpture park. The fjords here are vast and cathedral-like, with glaciers calving icebergs into waters of brilliant turquoise blue. We will be weaving through channels dotted with bergs, anchoring in sheltered coves with the crack of ice and the call of thousands of seabirds. Ashore, there are opportunities to hike to Norse ruins, climb ridges for sweeping views, or soak in a natural hot spring under the endless Arctic twilight.
West Coast Of Greenland
Our final legs take us north along Greenland’s spectacular west coast. Each day brings a new discovery: the fishing port of Paamiut, with its painted wooden church and thriving seal hunt; the tiny settlement of Arsuk, framed by mountains and fjords; or remote anchorages where waterfalls plunge straight into the sea. This is Greenland at its finest – a land of ice, mountains, and resilient communities living at the edge of the world.
Arrival in Nuuk
The voyage ends with a memorable arrival in Nuuk, Greenland’s colourful and vibrant capital. Approaching through a maze of islands, we see red, blue, and yellow houses scattered along the waterfront, backed by towering granite peaks. Nuuk combines modern Arctic life with deep Inuit heritage – cafés and museums sit alongside turf-roofed buildings and historic trading posts. After nearly three weeks of sailing, from Newfoundland’s fishing harbours and iceberg-strewn coasts to Greenland’s dramatic fjords, we have arrived.
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