CHANNEL-PORT AUX BASQUES sits by the ocean right in the southwest
corner of Newfoundland, serving as the region's fishing and
transportation centre, with regular ferry connections to North Sydney in
Nova Scotia , and a daily bus service to St John's, about thirteen-hours'
drive away. The town is divided into two distinct sections, an older
part stuck on a bare and bumpy headland behind the ferry terminal, and a
newer section spread out around Grand Bay Road, about 2km to the west.
Apart from the ferries, there's no possible reason to come here, but in
emergencies it's useful to know that the place has a clutch of
reasonably priced accommodation . Walking out of the ferry port, turn
left towards the old part of town, along Caribou Street, where you'll
find the Heritage Home , 11 Caribou St (tel 695-3240, www.bbcanada .com/2665.html
; $40-60; May-Oct). Alternatively, in the newer part of town, there's
the Caribou Bed and Breakfast , 30 Grand Bay Rd (tel 695-3408,
home.thezone.net/~gibbons ; $40-60; May-Oct), which is near the Hotel
Port aux Basques (tel 695-2171 or 1-877/695-2171,
www.gatewaytonewfoundland.com ; $60-80). The Harbour Restaurant , on
Caribou Road, is the best place in town to eat , but for a taste of real
home-cooked food in a typical outport community, drive 10km east on Hwy
470 to Margaree , where you'll find the reasonably priced and friendly
Seashore Restaurant .
The only tourist attraction in Channel-Port aux Basques is the Gulf
Museum , 118 Main St (June-Sept daily 10am-8pm; $2; tel 695-7604), which
has a collection of marine artefacts, all of which are rather unexciting,
save for an early seventeenth-century astrolabe. The tourist information
chalet , overlooking the town about 1km north along the Trans-Canada (daily:
mid-May to Aug 6am-11pm; Sept & Oct 7am-8pm; tel 695-2262), has a range
of literature dealing with the whole of Newfoundland.
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