Geraldine depicts her time on the island as profoundly grounding, referring to it as a ‘little piece of heaven. She was charmed by Battle Harbour’s inherent simplicity, a sentiment she fondly carried with her. ‘You get here and you just realize how simple things can be… Or should be. There’s no way I won’t carry that feeling home,’ she reflects. – Geraldine Hollett (October 2023).

I’ve been giving it some thought, and I don’t like large crowds, and you can come to Battle Harbour and what is there, 30 odd people who get to share the experience- this solitude you know… It kind of grounds you and puts things into perspective. A good reset for the soul you know. If things are weighing you down, come on into Battle Harbour and feel more connected to whats around you. The people who are here, grew up here and they’re so welcoming and fourth-coming. It’s just great to talk about the history and what it was like for them. I don’t know, I just feel really connected to the place. – Sherman Downey (October 2023).

It’s quite difficult to get to Battle Harbour, but it is definitely worth it. Spend two nights here walking around the tundra-like landscape surrounded by the ocean and the salty air. The people are super friendly, and the food is fabulous. Thinking of baked apples, we went out on a boat ride, and salt orcas were all around us. There is a definite vibe to this place. Two nights in Battle Harbour definitely belong on the Great Canadian bucket list.

I think the biggest thing that struck me being here is a tour guide who lived here as a child, and to have that heritage brought forward to you by someone who’s lived here and experienced it firsthand, there’s nothing like it. It’s not like going to a museum; you have to experience somebody who knows this is what they did. I think all Canadians know about the Cod Fishery, but to come to this island and see a part of the experience and how it was done, it’s definitely different. It has its own fingerprint.

Interestingly enough, the people I’ve spoken to talked about hardships, but it was a matter of fact. It was this is the way we lived. Yeah, it was cold, and we needed firewood. You know, I woke up in the morning, and the kettle was frozen solid because we couldn’t use wood overnight, or you know, we just kept the wood for the daytime while we were in the cabin. It was really just a very matter of fact, this is how we lived, which was fascinating.