How to get to Gilbert Bay

How to get to Gilbert Bay

Gilbert Bay can be reached through a variety of routes, all of which are dependent on the time of year due to Gilbert Bay's relatively isolated location and its sub-arctic environment.

Late May - Early December

During this time of the year the quickest way to reach Gilbert Bay is to fly directly to William's Harbour or Port Hope Simpson.

Getting to Port Hope Simpson and William's Harbour

This can be accomplished by getting on a Provincial Airlines flight in St. John's and connecting with an Air Labrador flight in either Goose Bay or St. Anthony. From there you will fly along the south coast of Labrador stopping in both Port Hope Simpson and William's Harbour along the way.

Port Hope Simpson is also connected to the Trans-Labrador Highway, and can be reached on road from most locations along the south Labrador coast. For those traveling via Happy Valley-Goose Bay or the island of Newfoundland, ferry services are also available that connect to the Trans-Labrador Highway. One such ferry service is provided by the M.V. Sir Robert Bond, which travels from Happy Valley-Goose Bay to Cartwright. From Cartwright, Port Hope Simpson can be reached via the Trans-Labrador Highway. Another ferry service is provided by the M.V. Apollo, which travels daily from St. Barbe on the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador to Blanc Sablon in Quebec, near the Labrador border. From Blanc Sablon, Port Hope Simpson can be reached by traveling north on the Trans-Labrador Highway.

Once you are in Port Hope Simpson or William's Harbour

Once you are in Port Hope Simpson, Gilbert Bay is just a short boat ride out the bay. A ferry also runs from Port Hope Simpson to William's Harbour twice a week during the months of July - November, with its route passing through Zone 3 of the MPA. Accommodation will not pose a problem in Port Hope Simpson, as there you will find the recently renovated Alexis Hotel.

Once in William's Harbour, you are right at the edges of the Gilbert Bay MPA, as the shores near William's Harbour are part its Zone 3 border. If you would like to tour Gilbert Bay a boat ride can usually be arranged by contacting someone in the community. Note, however, that there are no hotel accommodations in William's Harbour. Nevertheless, arrangements for Bed & Breakfast style accommodations can often be made with local residents, as the people of William's Harbour are very welcoming of visitors to their area.

Late December - Early May

Getting to Port Hope Simpson and William's Harbour

This time of year Gilbert Bay can be reached easiest by flying directly to William's Harbour or Port Hope Simpson. This is accomplished as mentioned previously.

It is possible to fly to Blanc Sablon and drive to Port Hope Simpson on the Trans-Labrador Highway during these months, as mentioned before, however, this is not advisable as winter snowstorms often leave the road in this area closed for most of the winter. This is due to the fact that snow clearing operations are discontinued once heavy snowfalls start to arrive.

Once you are in Port Hope Simpson or William's Harbour

From Port Hope Simpson, Gilbert Bay is accessible via a half hour ride by snowmobile. Snowmobiles are usually available for rent in both Port Hope Simpson and William's Harbour. This time of year Gilbert Bay is usually completely frozen, so there is not a lot to see in terms of marine life within most of the MPAs regulatory zones. Despite this, Zone 3 does provide the opportunity to view various types of seals on the ice. Due to poor ice conditions, however, a trip to Gilbert Bay in the spring is easiest accomplished via William's Harbour rather than Port Hope Simpson.

Once in William's Harbour you are once again at the border of the Gilbert Bay MPA. Snowmobile rental can usually be arranged by contacting a resident of the community and there is usually no trouble in arranging a boat ride along the coast following the edge of the ice. The opportunity to watch seals and various types of birds migrating at the edge of the ice near William's Harbour is excellent during the spring.

To view a map of the region around Gilbert Bay showing routes to William's Harbour and Port Hope Simpson, as well as other items of interest in the region, go to:

http://www.labradorcoastaldrive.com/home/47.

Numbers to call for Travel Arrangements

Air Travel

Air Labrador: 1 (800) 563-3042

Provincial Airlines: 1 (800) 563-2800

Ferry Services

M.V. Apollo reservations: 1 (866) 535-2567

Puddisters Trading Co. (Port Hope Simpson): 1 (709) 960-0550

Puddisters Trading Co. (Charlottetown): 1 (709) 949-0566

Accommodations

Alexis Hotel (Port Hope Simpson): 1 (709) 960-0228

George Russell (Head of Local Services in William's Harbour):