Overview:

Two tours (2 – 11 Jul & 13 – 22 Jul 2025)

At the eastern edge of North America where the sun rises first, you will find the island of Newfoundland Canada with a dramatic coastline, rugged cliffs, sea stacks, natural harbors plus sweeping barren and boreal forests.  The waters are rich with food for millions of seabirds, fish, and  whales.  Millions of puffins, murres, and gannets nest on its cliffs, island, and sea stacks.  

Newfoundland is one of my favorite places to photograph.  My first and second visits were in 2004 with a photo tour in 2005.  In 2023 I returned again and have not been able to get the location out of my mind.  There are so many subjects to photograph, both landscapes and wildlife. I love being able to explore areas without the crowds that are found in many popular destinations, including in U.S. national parks. So in 2024 organized and led two photo tours on the Avalon & Bonavista Peninsula’s.  They were so successful and productive, I decided to repeat them in 2025, just shifting the dates a bit  for better chances of photographing whale activity.

As last summer, we will travel in a Chevy Suburban or similar vehicle.  The number of participants is limited to 3 in each session so people will be comfortable while traveling and also due to the limited accommodations near where we will be photographing.  Each person will have their own bedroom with a private bath in all but one remote location near St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve where we will spend two nights in apartments with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath.   To spend adequate time in each location, as in 2024 I limited the tour areas to ones with the greatest photo potential and limited travel time between sites- the Avalon and Bonavista Peninsula.  I reserved accommodations in St. John’s, St. Brides (near dramatic cliffs with the largest gannet colony in North America) and the town of Bonavista.  Each tour is scheduled for July, the best time for close encounters with whales and nesting seabirds.  As I do with each. program, I will arrive before the first tour group and scout locations observing current conditions and the best opportunities for photography.

Avalon Peninsula

You will fly into St. John’s airport in Newfoundland and take a hotel shuttle to  the Holiday Inn Express, Airport.  From there we will branch out to other locations..  The itineraries cover the same territory but in slightly different order to be able to schedule the boat charter in Bonavista.  On the first day of your tour, we will meet for an orientation when you will meet your fellow travelers and I will review travel plans.  As usual with my programs, I will arrive in Newfoundland ahead of the first group to scout the locations for the best photo opportunities.  

St. John’s

St. John’s has a past stretching back centuries. Founded in 1497 by Italian explorer John Cabot, it is one of North America’s oldest European settlements.  In older areas of the city, the narrow angular streets reflect a time when travel was by primarily by horse and carriages. The city has colorful architecture (the jelly bean and victorian style houses), well-preserved historic buildings, and unique communities such as Quidi Vidi.  From St. John’s harbor, we will board a boat to photograph the shoreline and whales.

Signal Hill

 Signal Hill was an integral part of the defense systems of St. John’s, protecting the harbor from the 1660s to the Second World War. On a lower level there is a visitor center.  From its parking area, there is a road that climbs to the summit.  From both levels, you can photograph panoramic views of the city, harbor, and Ft Amherst and the lighthouse at the entrance to the harbor.  At the top of Signal Hill is a stone structure, Cabot Tower, erected to commemorate John Cabot’s historic voyage to the coast of North America in 1497.  This was the earliest exploration of North America since the Norse landed at Vinland in the 11^th century. It is also where the first transatlantic wireless signal was sent by Guglielmo Marconi.

Battery Hill

For protection, overlooking the harbor are several former batteries, i.e. gun emplacements for the defense of St. John’s.  Although the guns emplacements are gone, there is a community called Battery Hill.  Here colorful historic homes cling to cliffs above the harbor. 

Quidi Vidi

Quidi Vidi is a historic community in St. John’s.  Its  houses and piers are nestled along the shoreline of a narrow inlet where fishing/crabbing boats are tied up.

Cape Spear

Cape Spear is a wind-blown headland at the most easterly point in North America. On it stands two lighthouses.  Whales are often seen off-shore along the rocky coast.  One of the lighthouses with the keeper’s house at the base is operational.  The other lighthouse is the oldest in Newfoundland.  Afterwards photographing here we will stop at the quaint town of Petty Harbor.

Witless Bay

On the Avalon Peninsula about an hour from our hotel in St John’s is Bay Bulls and Witless Bay Ecological Preserve where hundreds of thousands seabirds nest and raise their young on four islands.  Located here is the largest colony of Atlantic puffins that exist in North America.  The surrounding waters at times are frequented by Humpback, Killer and Minke whales plus other marine life.  If conditions are favorable for photography, we will board one of the tour boats to explore this remarkable biodiverse area.

Cape St. Mary’s

On the tip of the other side of the Avalon peninsula is the small community of St. Brides which is a short distance from St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve.  After a brief stop at the visitor center, we will  follow the footpath across a subarctic treeless plateau. It leads to a viewing location a few hundred meters from “Bird Rock”, a large sea stack with several thousand nesting gannets. The nearby cliff walls are also covered by nesting birds.  We will be able to photograph the seabirds carrying nest materials, flying, courting, fighting over territory, and caring for young.  As you follow the path towards Bird Rock, there are places to photograph the walls of the beautiful high cliffs where other seabirds nest including kittiwakes, murres, and guillemots. 

St Brides

Nearby our hotel at St. Brides is a harbor where a number of fishing boats. used by waterman to seasonally catch lobster and snow crabs..  It is an excellent place to photograph the workboats, gear, and fishermen.   At St. Brides, we have two units in the hotel where we are staying. It overlooks the water and each apartment has a living area, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, and bath.  (Bird Island Resort)

Bonavista

Another area to be explored is Bonavista Peninsula several hours from St. John’s and St. Brides.  On the way to the tip of the peninsula we will stop at the historic town of Trinity.  In the 16^th and 17^th centuries, it was a migratory and permanent fishing station.  In later centuries the town became a major center of trade on the Notth East coast of Newfoundland. Today many structures of historic significance have been preserved.   If road conditions permit, we will visit Fort Point Lighthouse.

Bonavista Lighthouse

In the town of  Bonavista I have booked rooms at the Ellis B&B.  I have rented the whole house with 4 bedrooms and with a view of the harbor and water.  Incredible breakfasts are included.  From here we can drive a short distance to check out Dungeon Provincial Park where from a grassy bluff you can see a massive crater created by the collapse of two sea arches eaten out by crashing waves. Also nearby is Spiller’s Cove where numerous sea stacks rise from the sea.  This site includes the geological wonder, named the Chimney, a prominent unusual narrow and tall sea stack.  We will also explore the area around the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse.

Puffins

A short distance from our lodging in Bonavista, we will visit a puffin colony at Elliston where you can photograph the tiny  birds from land. The majority nest on an off-shore rock a short distance from the cliff where we can photograph.  Besides the bird activity on the rock, often puffins fly over to the mainland where you will be standing. At times, these handsomely marked birds casually hop past photographers, sometimes too close to photograph.  

Also, while based in Bonavista, weather permitting, we will board our privately chartered boat (Seas the Day Tours) for exploration of Bonavista Bay hoping to photograph humpback whales when they first arrive in the area following one of their favorite foods, capelin.

The itinerary for each tour follows.  The itineraries are subject to change depending on what I find on the scouting trip, weather, safety, desires of the group.

Itinerary

ON = Overnight

First July TOUR

2 Jul: Arrival at St. John’s and orientation meeting (ON St. John’s Holiday Inn Express, Airport)

3-4 Jul: Explore St. John’s, Signal Hill, Quidi Vidi, Cape Spear, Petty Harbor, 2 boat trips to photograph seabirds and whales. (ON Holiday Inn Express, Airport)

5 Jul: Drive to St Brides to photograph Northern Gannets & St. Brides Harbor (ON St. Brides, Bird Island Resort)

6 Jul: Photography of Gannets, St. Brides harbor and surroundings (ON St. Brides, Bird Island Resort)

7 Jul: Drive to the town of Bonavista stopping at the town of Trinity (ON Ellis B&B)

8-9 Bonavista:  Explore Bonavista area. (ON Ellis B&B).

Photograph puffins, Bonavista lighthouse, Dungeon Provincial Park, and Spillers Cove.  Chartered boat trip to photograph whales & puffins at sea (sea conditions permitting).

10 Jul: Drive to St John’s with stop at Brigus Harbor (ON St John’s Holiday Inn Express, Airport)

11 Jul: Depart for home.

Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve

2^nd JULY TOUR 

13 Jul:  Arrive at St John’s & orientation meeting. (ON St John’s Holiday Inn Express, Airport)

14 Jul: Dive to St. Brides for Gannets at St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve and St. Brides Harbor. (ON: St Brides, Bird Island Resort)

15 Jul: Photography of  gannets at St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve and St. Brides Harbor. (ON: St Brides, Bird Island Resort)

16 Jul: Drive to the town of Bonavista, with a stop at Trinity on the way (ON Ellis B&B)

17-18 Jul: Bonavista area (ON Ellis B&B)

19 Jul: Drive to St. John’s. Stop at Brigus Harbor on way. (ON St. John’s Holiday Inn Express, Airport)

20 Jul: Explore St. John’s, Cape Spear, with O’Briens Boat trip to Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. (ON St. John’s Holiday Inn Express, Airport)

21 Jul: Boat trip from St. John’s harbor to photograph whales and the shoreline including Battery Hill. Visits to Signal Hill, Quidi Vidi, etc. (ON St. John’s Holiday Inn Express, Airport)

22 Jul: Depart for home

Limited to 3 people in each tour.  Spaces fill rapidly.

Price

$500.00 deposit to reserve your spot.

Total Cost: $5195/ person single accommodations

$4695 person – if sharing room in St. Johns.

Price includes  transportation to photo sites around Newfoundland, single accommodations, park fees, & 2 boat excursions.   Personal items and food are not included. 

Payment Schedule ($500 deposit plus 2^nd & final payments)

First July Tour:

Deposit – $500 to guarantee space

Second payment is due 2 April 2025 = $2347

(If shared room in St. Johns = ($2097)

The final payment is due 2 May 2025 = $2348

(If shared room in St. Johns = $2098)

Second July Tour:

Deposit – $500 to guarantee space

Second Payment is due 13 April = $2347

(If Shared room in St. Johns = $2097)

The final payment is due 13 May =$2348

(If shared room in St. Johns = $2098)

Cancellation Policy

Notifications of cancellation must be in writing.

The following charges apply per person at the time I receive your written notification of cancellation:

• Cancel up to 121 days prior to departure date – full refund.
• 120 to 61 days prior to 1^st day of tour, $125 administrative fee charged.
• 60 to 46 days prior to 1^st day of tour, 50% of workshop or tour cost.
• 45 days or less prior to departure – NO REFUND

Medical circumstances or emergencies do not constitute grounds for exception to the cancellation policy nor does weather. Therefore, trip cancellation and interruption insurance is HIGHLY recommended. Travelers Insurance Company and others provide such policies at a reasonable rate. In the unlikely event that the trip is canceled due to insufficient enrollment, your money will be refunded in full, with the exception of expenses you personally incurred while preparing for the trip.