Labrador Straits town welcomes first-ever cruise ship and passes the test with flying colours

The inaugural visit of the Holland America MS Maasdam on July 29 marked a major milestone for Red Bay and the Labrador Straits.

The coast received and entertained an estimated 1,200 passengers - the largest cruise population to dock in the area - with a plethora of shore excursions from Red Bay to Point Amour for the eight hours the cruise was docked.

Passengers from around the world, being taxied from the ship to the floating dock, got to experience Basque history, take walking tours and even travel by bus to the lighthouse at L'Anse Amour.

Terry and Gustavo Cortes from Austin, Texas, opted for the Basque tours.

"It surprised me that the Basques came here, because I've been reading about the Vikings coming to the area, but nothing about the Basques," Ms. Cortes said.

"This is the first time that I've heard or seen any interpretation about the Basques," Mr. Cortes added after describing his learned knowledge of the 16th-centure whalers at length.

The cruise left from Boston before stopping at the Madelaine Islands and Newfoundland, and after Labrador will continue on to Greenland, Iceland, Scotland and Holland before returning to the eastern seaboard - a journey lasting 35 days.

Geraldine Moloney, who is originally from Boston but now lives in Seattle, has taken the Holland America cruise for the past six years.

Ms. Moloney said she'd definitely come back to Labrador.

"This is an unusual stop because it's so small; it's super friendly, and very picturesque, quaint, charming," she said. "I was impressed: they seemed to have everything ready for us. I must say I really like the people, and I do like that there's a welcoming, and they have it all set up for visitors. I've just enjoyed it. I would come again."

Like Terry and Gustavo Cortes, she was surprised about the Basque history.

"Just taking this tour of Saddle Island, I had no idea about the Spanish, the French, I didn't know that all that took place up here. I just can't picture their lives," Ms. Moloney said.

Dorothy and Patrick Michiel from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, who were on their first trip to Labrador, described the area as exciting and personal, saying the tour guides were like neighbours.

"One of the things I know people on the ship like is the accessible people, not intimidating," Patrick said. "It's refreshing that this place hasn't had a lot of tourists and isn't used to dealing with these kinds of tourists. Many of these people are very wealthy."

Truman Macey, owner-operator of Gull Island Charters, started bringing passengers to Saddle Island at 9:30 a.m. and had been full steam ahead all day, having burned three tanks of gas on the fraction of a kilometre crossing.

"I had the motor shut off three times today so far, for about a couple of minutes," he said nearing the end of the eight-hour excursion. "On a normal day it's one trip per hour. (Today) I've been back and forth constantly."

Parks Canada site supervisor Cindy Gibbons, who is also working on the UNESCO World Heritage Site bid, said the history, the people and the atmosphere is all a part of the experience that will hopefully draw bigger cruise ships to the area.

"The sense I get from speaking with the captain today, is they want to get their clients to places that are unique, and something they can't get by visiting another port," Ms. Gibbons said. "Certainly the recognition that what we have here, the 16th-century whaling site, is unique in the world, and something that could be a draw in the future."

Red Bay Mayor Wade Earle was confident the area succeeded in receiving its biggest ever cruise population.

"Not a problem. We can handle one two times as big as that one, and we're looking forward to it."