Join us for a unique experience at the Surgeon Cove Point Lighthouse premises which we’ve appropriately labeled “The Escape”. Below are packages that are designed for you to get the most from your stay. From the spectacular scenery to the cultural experiences, we hope they will peak your interest and generate some excitement for incorporating us as a new vacation destination. Follow the link to our “ Artist Workshop” for a unique experience with one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s most famous painter. Take a look and feel free to contact us at any time for more information.
Photo Credit: Joe Brazil Photography
Solitude Itinerary
This package includes 3 nights at the Escape. If more solitude is your thing, we have designed the itinerary to have all activities take place on the remote side of Exploits Island.
Day One: Travel to Exploits Island by boat. Arrive at the historic Harbor and have lunch while taking in the village sights! Gear up and begin a guided hike over a boreal forest trail which will bring you to the most westerly side of Exploits Island and to the Surgeon Cove Point Light House property. Get settled while taking in the scenery. Dinner at 6 pm. Evening relaxation, either outside on the front deck overlooking the bay or in the Inn’s lounge/ library.
Days Two and Three: Breakfast. Choose your activities of choice such as an interpretive coastal walk along rugged headlands (half day), see how we get our supplies up from the ocean below (nearly 200 feet) with a spar and boom rigged with a block and tackle. We’ll do a demonstration and you can participate if you wish. Spend a few hours with a former light keeper, learn their profession and listen to the stories they accumulated over several years (half day), take a half day traditional marine navigation session or an introduction into the dying art of orienteering with a map and compass. Or take a guided and interpretive hike to Jone’s Cove and Surgeon Cove to enjoy a shore lunch in a beautiful ocean environment where settlers once lived (Full day).
Day Four: Breakfast and prepare for mid- morning departure back the trail to Exploits Harbor and then catch your boat ride back to base camp.
Price: $2,495.00 per person plus hst.
Includes your room based on double occupancy, all meals and activities. Transportation to and from Exploits Island not included.
Harbor Exploits Itinerary
The harbor Exploits package includes two nights at the Escape and one night at the historic village of Exploits
Day One: Meet at our base camp on route 352 at mid-afternoon and travel to Exploits Island by boat. Get settled in at a prearranged campsite and enjoy a traditional Nl meal. Take in some harbor sights before enjoying a beachside campfire.
Day Two: Activities will be centered around the old village of Exploits and can include the following: A guided kayaking tour of Exploits Harbor, a guided village walkabout which includes a visit to the old cemetery, the breakwater wall and the lookout. Pick mussels at low tide or fish for cod. If you catch some cod you can try your hand at “making fish” See how the cod were split, salted and dried and learn the history of the cod fishery from time of the first European settlers to its total collapse in the early 1990s. Visit some summer residents who live seasonally in restored traditional houses and hear their stories of their connection to Exploits. It would be difficult to take in all of these activities in one day but you can provide us with your choices before your trip. Late afternoon you’ll be on your way along the trail to the Surgeon Cove Lighthouse for a fine evening meal and two nights at the Light keeper’s Inn.
Day Three: There are numerous activities you can choose to fill your day with great experiences. You can choose from: an interpretive coastal walk along rugged headlands (half day), see how we get our supplies up from the ocean below (nearly 200 feet) with a spar and boom rigged with a block and tackle. We’ll do a demonstration and you can participate if you wish. Spend a few hours with a former light keeper, learn their profession and listen to the stories they accumulated over several years (half day), take a half day traditional marine navigation session or an introduction into the dying art of orienteering with a map and compass. Or take a guided and interpretive hike to Jones’s Cove and Surgeon Cove to enjoy a shore lunch in a beautiful ocean environment where settlers once lived (Full day).
Day Four: Breakfast and prepare for mid- morning departure back the trail to Exploits Harbor and then catch your boat ride back to base camp.
Price: $2,495.00 per person plus hst. Price includes all meals and activities. Includes your accommodations based on double occupancy, all meals and activities. Transportation to and from Exploits Island included.
Combination Solitude/Harbor Exploits Package. 4 nights, 5 days
Many of our visitors say there is never enough time to take in everything Exploits has to offer. While this will be true no matter how much time you spend out here, we have added an extra day to the above packages to combine them and give you extra time to see and learn more about the village. This package includes two nights at the light keeper’s inn and two nights at the Village of Exploits. It includes all the activities in the above packages plus more.
Price: $2850.00 per person plus 15% hst.
Weekend Adventure Special
This adventure will take you on a weekend journey to Historic Exploits Islands in the Bay of Exploits, Nl. It’s centered around the resettled village of Exploits and as a bonus, includes one night at the Surgeon Cove lighthouse premises (The Escape) located on the western of the island.
Itinerary
Friday evening: Meet at our base camp at Lawrence’s Harbor and travel To Exploits Island by boat. Get settled at a pre-established campsite. Enjoy a traditional meal followed by a campfire if conditions permit.
Saturday: Saturday’s activities can include the following activities. A guided kayaking tour of Exploits Harbor, a guided village walkabout which includes a visit to the old cemetery, the breakwater wall and the lookout. Pick mussels at low tide or fish for cod. Maybe visit some residents who have made Exploits their summer home. It would be difficult to take in all of these activities but you can provide us with your choices before your trip.
Late Saturday afternoon you’ll be on your way along the trail to the Surgeon Cove Lighthouse for a fine evening meal and a night at the Light keeper’s Inn. Relax on our front deck overlooking the ships run.
Sunday morning: Have breakfast at the inn and check out the beauty of the rugged headlands. Check out the spar and boom and get a demonstration of how we get our supplies up nearly 200 feet from the ocean below. After lunch, return to Exploits harbor and depart for base camp.
We supply all meals up to and including lunch on Sunday, all required kayaking and camping equipment. Please see the list of things you will need to bring.
Price $450.00 per person plus 15% hst.
This is a weekends only special and runs for July and August 2021
Check out the list of the things to bring list below for multi-day tours and please contact us for how the list can be modified to suit this special.
Accommodations
Please note that we are promoting the Escape as an experiential tourism destination where you can come and immerse yourselves in our history, scenery, culture etc. Because of our remoteness, we can’t offer competitive accommodation prices with local B&Bs, efficiency units, hotels etc that you normally look for as a place to sleep while travelling from point A to point B. Having said that, you can certainly come and relax without engaging in any of our itineraries. Simply come and put your feet up for the duration of your stay. Our prices are as follows:
Price: $595.00 per night plus hst. Based on double occupancy. All meals included.
Three day rate: $1,650.00 plus hst
Please note that we have special rates to offer to people with close family ties to the resettled village of Exploits. Contact us to explain your connection and we’ll go from there.
Private Rental
We have 5 rooms at the Escape and if privacy is your wish you can book the whole facility if available at the time. Price includes all meals, guiding services or any activity you choose from the above itineraries. Lots of advanced notice required.
Price $3500.00 plus hst
How to Get Here
As we have mentioned before, the Escape is located on the western side of one of two islands that form what is locally known as Exploits Island. The resettled village of Exploits lies nestled between the two islands which were once connected by a bridge. The island is accessible by boat from many communities around the Bay of Exploits. Our packages include boat transportation to and from Exploits Island in the price listed. Please note that the activities listed require a reasonable level of fitness as there is quite a bit of hiking involved.
If you are not a hiker but still wish to stay at the Escape and enjoy the immediate surroundings, access via helicopter is available from Appleton, with NL helicopters. The helicopter can accommodate 4 passengers plus some luggage so the flight cost (not included in the room rate) can be shared with other customers who may be booked at the time. Please contact us for more details.
