COME IN OUT OF THE COLD : FOGO ISLAND

Two years ago, the world of travel looked very different. It felt like the world was our oyster, and the chance to uncover a new location was the best work of all. Working on assignment for Nimmo Bay Magazine, alongside travel writer Jen Murphy, I travelled with my family to remote and beautiful Fogo Island in Newfoundland. We spent a week at the incredible Fogo Island Inn in February of 2019 during a serious cold snap for a group of west coasters (-20 C!) in February of 2019. The feeling of landing in Gander, NL and being immediately welcomed in by the Fogo family was incredible; there is a real sense of connection in a place this far removed from city life. On our way to Fogo Island, the ferry captain even let my daughter drive the ship for a minute as it broke through the ice (with the help of a stationed Coast Guard ice breaker). Along the way, we got to see the beauty of this archipelago and meet some of the locals who call its many islands home. At the inn, we met owner Zita Cobb and learned about her work supporting artists with a residency program, as well as her Shorefast non-profit. Zita grew up here as the local fishery was collapsing, like so many people in her shoes, she left at the soonest opportunity to pursue a faster pace. Her decision to return to her roots and open the Fogo Island Inn was inspired by a desire to support the local economy, which she does now through her support and sale of local artisan goods at the inn.

One afternoon, we rode snowmobiles out into the tundra with the local Foley brothers, who hosted us for a salt cod cookout in the snow, then introduced us to other locals who invited us in out of the cold for tea. The food experience all around was something to remember. Despite the cold temperatures, this was a trip my family and I won’t soon forget.