Port Au Port Peninsula
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The Port au Port Peninsula (french: péninsule de Port-au-Port; mic, Kitpu) is a peninsula in the
Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
province of
Newfoundland and Labrador Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
. Roughly triangular in shape, it is located on the west coast of the island of
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
.


Geography

The peninsula extends into the
Gulf of St. Lawrence The Gulf of St. Lawrence () is the outlet of the North American Great Lakes via the St. Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean. The gulf is a semi-enclosed sea, covering an area of about and containing about of water, at an average depth of . ...
and is joined to Newfoundland by a narrow isthmus connecting at the town of Port au Port. It is bounded on the south by Bay St. George, the western side by the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and on the northwestern side by
Port au Port Bay Port au Port Bay () located on the west coast of the Island of Newfoundland formed by a long narrow point of land of the Port au Port Peninsula and the area of Newfoundland known as the Lewis Hills, in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and La ...
. With a rocky shoreline measuring approximately 130 km in length, the peninsula extends approximately 40 km west from its isthmus to Cape St. George and northwest 50 km to the fingerlike Long Point which by itself is approximately 25 km in length. The eastern shore of the peninsula is irregular, jutting into Port au Port Bay. The Port au Port Peninsula is located on the western edge of the heavily eroded
Appalachian Mountain The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
chain which runs along Newfoundland's west coast. There are no natural harbours along the peninsula's rocky coastline. The peninsula was once heavily forested but many areas along its shores have been cleared for subsistence farming. The southern shore is hilly with the northern shore having a sloping lowland extending to a low rise along the centre of the eastern part of the peninsula. The
geological Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other astronomical objects, the features or rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Eart ...
structure is complex with the peninsula's
sedimentary Sedimentary rocks are types of rock (geology), rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic matter, organic particles at Earth#Surface, Earth's surface, followed by cementation (geology), cementation. Sedimentati ...
strata In geology and related fields, a stratum ( : strata) is a layer of rock or sediment characterized by certain lithologic properties or attributes that distinguish it from adjacent layers from which it is separated by visible surfaces known as ei ...
dating to the middle
Cambrian The Cambrian Period ( ; sometimes symbolized C with bar, êž’) was the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, and of the Phanerozoic Eon. The Cambrian lasted 53.4 million years from the end of the preceding Ediacaran Period 538.8 million ...
to early
Ordovician The Ordovician ( ) is a geologic period and System (geology), system, the second of six periods of the Paleozoic Era (geology), Era. The Ordovician spans 41.6 million years from the end of the Cambrian Period million years ago (Mya) to the start ...
continental margin A continental margin is the outer edge of continental crust abutting oceanic crust under coastal waters. It is one of the three major zones of the ocean floor, the other two being deep-ocean basins and mid-ocean ridges. The continental margin ...
, creating a
carbonate A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate g ...
platform of
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
,
shale Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4) and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especial ...
, and
sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...
. The heavily folded geological structure in the area has been identified as having an unknown amount of
petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...
reserves.


History

The area was named "Ophor portu" (port of rest) by Basque fishermen during the 16th-17th centuries.
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and Basque fishermen used the west coast of Newfoundland, including the Port au Port Peninsula, for seasonal fishing settlements, however some began permanently inhabiting the area. Mi'kmaq families, who came from Nova Scotia with the French to fight the British in the 30 years war, were also present in the area. During and after the
Treaty of Utrecht The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vacant throne o ...
in 1713 and
Treaty of Paris Treaty of Paris may refer to one of many treaties signed in Paris, France: Treaties 1200s and 1300s * Treaty of Paris (1229), which ended the Albigensian Crusade * Treaty of Paris (1259), between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France * Trea ...
in 1763, France retained the right to use the west coast of the island. This area came to be known as the "
French Shore The French Shore ( French: ''Côte française de Terre-Neuve''), also called The Treaty Shore, resulted from the 1713 ratifications of the Treaty of Utrecht. The provisions of the treaty allowed the French to fish in season along the north coast o ...
" and the Port au Port Peninsula was at its centre. Scattered settlement continued in the area until 1904 when France relinquished its right of use to the "French Shore". The Port au Port Peninsula represents the most varied ethnic and linguistic mix in the entire island of Newfoundland, including Mi'kmaq families with the highest proportion of
French-speaking French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...
settlement on the island (15%). The French minority,"Newfoundland's French newspaper Le Gaboteur's future uncertain"
CBC News CBC News is a division of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the news gathering and production of news programs on the corporation's English-language operations, namely CBC Television, CBC Radio, CBC News Network, and CBC.ca. ...
, December 17, 1999.
a mix of
Mi'kmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Miꞌkmaw'' or ''Miꞌgmaw''; ; ) are a First Nations people of the Northeastern Woodlands, indigenous to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec as well as the northe ...
,
Acadian The Acadians (french: Acadiens , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most Acadians live in the region of Acadia, as it is the region where the de ...
, French and Basque, has had an important influence on the area's culture. Newfoundland's unique folk music has been somewhat influenced by musicians from the Port au Port Peninsula, notably
Émile Benoît Émile Joseph Benoît (March 24, 1913 – September 3, 1992) was a Canadian fiddler who became known for popularizing Franco-Newfoundlander folk music traditions.
. Additionally, the area's strong
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
tradition is reflected in the high visibility accorded to churches throughout the peninsula's communities. As the centre of the province's
Franco-Newfoundlander Franco-Newfoundlanders, also known as Franco-Terreneuvians in English or ''Franco-Terreneuviens'' in French, are francophone and/or French Canadian residents of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.Kippens Kippens ( Canada 2021 Census population 1,842) is a town located in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland. The town of Kippens is situated on the West Coast of the province of Newfou ...
and Stephenville. Beginning in 1900 a
limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
quarrying operation was established at
Aguathuna Port au Port West-Aguathuna-Felix Cove is a small town located on the Port au Port Peninsula of the Island of Newfoundland, Canada. The nearest large service area is Stephenville. The town was created in 1970 by amalgamating the small villag ...
, near the peninsula's isthmus where the Table Head mountain ridge extends from the Lewis Hills.Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador, Volume Four, (p 386 - 388) The limestone was used by
Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation The Dominion Steel and Coal Corporation (also DOSCO) was a Canadian coal mining and steel manufacturing company. Incorporated in 1928 and operational by 1930, DOSCO was predated by the British Empire Steel Corporation (BESCO), which was a merger o ...
at a
steel mill A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-finish ...
in
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
,
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...
. The quarry was closed in 1966 following DOSCO's financial difficulties. From 1941–1966, many people in the eastern end of the peninsula were employed at
Ernest Harmon AFB Ernest Harmon Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador. The base was built by the United States Army Air Forces in 1941 under the Destroyers for Bases Agreement with the United Kin ...
in nearby Stephenville. From the 1970s to present a major limestone quarry began operating at Lower Cove employing 30-40 people. In the 1980s-1990s, petroleum companies began exploring the peninsula for
oil An oil is any nonpolar chemical substance that is composed primarily of hydrocarbons and is hydrophobic (does not mix with water) & lipophilic (mixes with other oils). Oils are usually flammable and surface active. Most oils are unsaturated ...
. Some deposits were discovered in recoverable quantities and limited production wells are in place at some locations. Geologists have estimated that a much larger deposit exists deeper and possibly off shore from the peninsula in the 400-500 billion barrel range, however exploration drilling has not yet confirmed this theory. The primary employer in Stephenville was a paper mill, which closed in 2005. A Canadian energy company may soon get the green light to begin drilling for oil off Newfoundland's southwest coast. The Canadian Imperial Venture Corporation (CIVC) is waiting for approval from the federal-provincial oil regulator – the Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board – to drill a test well on Shoal Point, near the Port Au Port Peninsula. The company has been exploring in the area over the last few years. It discovered some oil there in 2008. "At the turn of the century there were several wells on the Port Au Port Peninsula, and Shoal Point, that produced somewhere between 20 to 25 barrels a day," said Kirby Mercer, CIVC's vice-president. "Now, we're going in with modern technology, modern tools. So we hope to extract the black gold using modern technology." Mercer said if the company receives approval for a test well and drilling is successful, CIVC hopes the Offshore Petroleum Board will then approve a significant discovery licence. That would bring the company one step closer to establishing an oil-producing well in western Newfoundland. Port au Port peninsula once was vast number of caribou here was introduce in the early 60’s about 14 in the late 70’s herds were doing good in the hundreds until the snowmobile became popular after the 80’s herd plenish until extinction because of poaching. 15 years the last 2 caribou was poached. Our muskrat was once was seen its faith to no more. Many times, beaver was introduced and seemed to disappear because of poaching, The white moose was supposing sacred to the people but still seem to be hunted or poached. Mat the moose was one he to see his faith as stories were told through the communities. Many animals have been over hunted or poached from wild animals Eagles and protected water foul. Our local fishermen destroyed the lump fish because of caviar the Lump Roe which seen the extinction of lump fish around the Port au Port peninsula. In 2022, a "hydrogen aliance" was forged between Canada and Germany. As part of this project, a network of 164 wind turbines was announced, taking advantage of the favorable wind conditions in Port au Port. However, the project has yet to undergo full environmental review. Today travellers access the area using the
Marine Atlantic Marine Atlantic Inc. (french: Marine Atlantique) is an independent Canadian federal Crown corporation which is mandated to operate ferry services between the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia. Marine Atlantic's corporate hea ...
ferry service to
Channel-Port aux Basques Channel-Port aux Basques is a town at the extreme southwestern tip of Newfoundland fronting on the western end of the Cabot Strait. A Marine Atlantic ferry terminal is located in the town which is the primary entry point onto the island of Newfoun ...
or with the
Stephenville International Airport Stephenville Airport is an airport located south southeast of Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It was built by the United States Air Force and operated as Ernest Harmon Air Force Base from 1941 to 1966. The airport serves not o ...
.


Communities

The Port au Port Peninsula is a relatively insular region and contains a collection of approximately 20 communities:


Southern Shore

Following Route 460: * Port au Port * Bellmans Cove * Felix Cove * Man of War Cove * Campbells Cove * Campbells Creek * Abraham's Cove * Jerry's Nose * Ship Cove * Lower Cove * Sheaves Cove * Marches Point * De Grau *
Red Brook Red Brook is a minor river in Greater Manchester in North West England. Rising at the confluence of Caldwell Brook and Sinderland Brook at Covershaw Bridge near Sinderland Green, the river runs north west towards Partington, where it runs into ...
* Grand Jardin * Petit Jardin * Cape St. George


Northern Shore

Following Route 463: * Cape St. George *
Mainland Mainland is defined as "relating to or forming the main part of a country or continent, not including the islands around it egardless of status under territorial jurisdiction by an entity" The term is often politically, economically and/or dem ...
* Three Rock Cove *
Salmon Cove Salmon Cove is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The town had a population of 764 in the Canada 2021 Census, up from 695 in 2016. Demographics In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Salmo ...
*
Lourdes Lourdes (, also , ; oc, Lorda ) is a market town situated in the Pyrenees. It is part of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. Prior to the mid-19th century, the town was best known for the Château ...
* Winterhouse * Black Duck Brook *
Blue Beach Blue Beach is a stretch of cliff-bordered coastline at Avonport, Nova Scotia near the mouth of the along the Avon River in the southern bight of Minas Basin, Kings County, Nova Scotia, Canada. It is best known as a globally significant fossil lo ...
* Long Point


Eastern Shore

Following Route 463 and local roads: *
Lourdes Lourdes (, also , ; oc, Lorda ) is a market town situated in the Pyrenees. It is part of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. Prior to the mid-19th century, the town was best known for the Château ...
* Tea Cove * West Bay Centre *
Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...
* Boswarlos *
Aguathuna Port au Port West-Aguathuna-Felix Cove is a small town located on the Port au Port Peninsula of the Island of Newfoundland, Canada. The nearest large service area is Stephenville. The town was created in 1970 by amalgamating the small villag ...


See also

*
Le Gaboteur ''Le Gaboteur'' is a Canadian newspaper, published in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
*
List of communities in Newfoundland and Labrador This article lists unincorporated communities of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Incorporated towns and cities are incorporated municipalities and can be found on List of municipalities in Newfoundland and Labrador. Newfoundla ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Port Au Port Peninsula Peninsulas of Newfoundland and Labrador French Canada