Trepassey: Aviation History on the Irish Loop

Trepassey lies on the Irish Loop and tells a story of transatlantic flights, fishing, and a historic railway connection. Nearby routes and seasonal tours also offer different ways to focus a trip. Trepassey is the closest community with visitor services for the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve. However, official tours of the reserve begin in neighbouring Portugal Cove South. When choosing a vacation rental, it is therefore worth planning the town’s history and the actual starting point of possible excursions separately.

Transatlantic Flights and Railway Connection

Trepassey is associated with the NC-4’s first transatlantic flight in May 1919. The flight of the Friendship is another chapter: on June 17, 1928, the aircraft took off from Trepassey Harbor in Newfoundland and reached Burry Port in Wales about 21 hours later. These references belong to different years and flight histories; for the Friendship, the departure point, destination, and approximate duration are on record.

The railway created a different kind of connection. The 104-mile Trepassey Branch was built from 1911 to 1913 and established a rail connection from the south coast to St. John’s. This adds a distinct chapter in the town’s transportation history to its aviation history, without implying that the two connections belonged to the same period or route.

For conversations with children, the dates can be used to make a simple timeline: the changes in fishing and settlement life in the 17th century are followed by railway construction and the two flight stories. This makes the different themes in Trepassey’s history easier to place in time.

Fishing and Changing Settlement

For much of the 17th century, French and English fishers and planters lived in Trepassey. The town was close to important fishing grounds. In the 1770s, the number of permanent residents who benefited from the growth of the bank fishery exceeded the number of people living there temporarily. This comparison tells a story not only about fishing, but also about how the makeup of the population changed.

Trepassey developed amid the changes that led to the growth of towns in Newfoundland. Its history can therefore be traced across several periods: from the fishing grounds and population of the 17th century to the later connections by rail and air.

Routes and Seasonal Tours

The Northeast Trail is considered a well-maintained ATV trail. It runs about 11 kilometres from Riverhead in Trepassey, via Bear Hill Pond and Goose Ponds, to near Saddle Pond and Chidley’s Ponds at the edge of the reserve. If you plan to take this route, check the current trail conditions before setting out. The Southern Avalon Trail runs from Cape Race to Trepassey and provides another route to consider.

Nearby, official seasonal tours run by the Natural Areas Program to the Mistaken Point Ecological Reserve start at the Edge of Avalon Interpretive Centre in Portugal Cove South. Tours are offered from mid-May to early October; dates may change. If you want to make this tour a fixed part of your trip, check the specific dates in advance.

Choosing the Right Starting Point

Portugal Cove South is 12 kilometres east of Trepassey. This distinction matters when planning: Trepassey is the closest community with visitor services for the reserve, but it is not the starting point for the tours mentioned above. If you are mainly interested in the history and routes connected with Trepassey, the town itself is the focus. For a trip centred on the seasonal tours, however, consider Portugal Cove South as the starting point. This distinction can help when choosing a vacation rental and planning your day trips.

A Screech-In Ceremony

In 2018, locals in Trepassey began offering a Screech-In ceremony, which required advance registration. Travellers are welcomed with Bologna and the traditional kiss of a cod. If you want to include this ritual in your trip, ask in advance about a date during your travel period.

Discover more destinations: Riverhead, Grates Cove, St Mary's, Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove, Brigus, Heart's Content, Harbour Grace, Pouch Cove.

For the broader travel overview: Division No. 1.