As you are coming out of the ferry terminal in Port aux Basques, the first exit to the right is Route 470, Isle aux Morts. Follow that road for 20 km to the east.
Newfoundland Travel Tip:
If you are coming towards Port aux Basques on the Trans Canada it will look like you are driving into the ferry terminal. You’ll pass signs thanking you for visiting the province. Don’t be fooled, just before you get to the terminal, there’s a final exit for Route 470.
Hairyman’s Save Haven Café:
As you are driving through town, you’ll see a community hall on your right. That’s also home to The Hairyman’s Safe Haven Café & Craft Store. We stopped here for lunch and I tried some moose soup. The windows at the back of the restaurant have a nice view of the Harvey Trail and the ocean. You can also learn about the Harvey family and their famous Newfoundland dog Hairyman, who twice made heroic rescues at sea in the early 1800’s.
While you are at the Hairyman’s Café, ask about the scalded buns (also called pork buns). They are awesome, you can order a dozen to take with you.
Isle aux Morts Tourist Attractions:
The Café is a good place to stop if you are going to Rose Blanche, because it’s the last restaurant you’ll come by. While chatting after lunch, we found out about a dinner theatre that was coming up the next night. We decided to go and went down to the town hall and picked up the last two tickets. It turns out we were very lucky, they only do 3 or 4 shows every year. It’s a community event to raise money to build a museum. The dinner theatre is held at the community centre and The Hairyman’s Safe Haven Café serves the meal. We met many of the locals and saw one of the funniest shows ever. The Theatre group is called Da Koodens. Check the Isle aux Morts website for announcements on the show schedule for the summer.
The Harvey Trail is a must do. Very well maintained, clearly marked, fairly level terrain and spectacular scenery make for a great hike. Signs along the way tell the Harvey story and the history of ship wrecks along this coast.
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