Gulf of Saint Lawrence Wild and Storied

Where Your Atlantic Adventure Begins

Your Gulf of St. Lawrence Wild and Storied Small Ship Expedition launches in St. John’s—a vibrant harbour city perched at the edge of the continent, where colourful cliffside homes and bright fishing boats tell stories of centuries lived at the mercy of the sea. The air buzzes with Atlantic energy.

As we pass through The Narrows, the legendary gateway to the open ocean, Signal Hill rises above us like a silent guardian. The Battery’s rainbow façades cling to the cliffs, and if a whale surfaces in the distance as we sail into the Atlantic? That’s nature’s way of saying: Welcome to the adventure of a lifetime.

Included Meals

Dinner onboard

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Where Ocean Rhythms Shape the Land

Today we travel along Iceberg Alley, where the cold Labrador Current carries ancient glacial ice and breathes life into every wave. This is a place where the ocean is not background—it is everything. Whales migrate through its depths, seabirds command its skies, and coastal communities have learned to thrive here, with grit, pride, and sea-salt in their veins.

From ship or shore, your senses come alive. Weathered wharves meet crashing waves. Paintbox-bright homes stand defiant against the wind. Each headland tells a story of endurance, while the endless Atlantic reminds you that you, too, are part of something vast and extraordinary. This isn’t just sightseeing—it’s a shift in perspective. Here, you don’t just observe the rhythm of the ocean. You begin to feel it.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Where Time Speaks Through Rock and Ruins

Today, you step into a landscape where nature keeps the past close. In Henley Harbour—once filled with the voices of fishing families—quiet now settles over the shore. Weathered homes lean gently toward the sea, slowly returning to the land, yet they still hold the spirit of the people who built a life in this rugged, beautiful place.

From here, the coastline rises into view. The Devil’s Table, a striking basalt formation shaped by ancient volcanic forces, stands like a natural monument carved by time. Just beyond, Castle Island rises from the water, its sheer cliffs formed more than half a billion years ago. These aren’t just rock formations—they’re part of the Earth’s original story.

You’ll feel connected to something timeless here—where nature, history, and human resilience meet in one powerful landscape.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Voices of the Innu Shoreline

Step into Nitassinan—the ancestral homeland of the Innu Nation—where every wave, word, and shared smile tells a story thousands of years in the making. Along Québec’s remote lower north shore, communities like Unamen Shipu and Natashquan invite you not just to visit, but to belong, if only for a moment in time.

For two unforgettable days, you’ll hear the soulful cadence of the Innu-aimun language, taste foods prepared with ancestral knowledge, and take part in meaningful cultural exchanges that spark connection—from crafting and storytelling to music and laughter around the table.

This isn’t about sightseeing. It’s about heart-meeting-heart, land-meeting-soul, and experiencing a living culture that continues to thrive in harmony with the land and sea. Here, you don’t just learn the story—you become part of it.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Limestone Giants and Island Wilds

Prepare to sail straight into a living dreamscape today! Here along the Gulf coast, wind and waves have carved towering limestone monoliths—ancient stone giants rising from the sea like nature’s own cathedrals. It’s the largest collection of erosion-sculpted limestone formations in all of Canada—but it feels more like stepping into a myth.

As you weave through a maze of islands and islets, life bursts into motion. Puffins and razorbills tuck into grassy cliffside nests, wildflowers paint the meadows in spring colours, and seals lounge blissfully on warm rocks like they own the place (they basically do).

This is where geology inspires imagination, and every curve of coastline invites you to pause, breathe, and simply marvel at the wild beauty of our planet.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

The Enchanted Island of Fossils and Falls

Welcome to Anticosti Island—Québec’s untamed jewel in the Gulf and one of UNESCO’s newest World Heritage Sites. This is not just an island—it’s a time capsule, a wildlife sanctuary, and the legacy of a chocolate baron’s grand vision, all rolled into one awe-inspiring adventure.

Here, 450-million-year-old fossils are embedded in sea cliffs like pages from Earth’s earliest history. Vast canyons reveal the island’s ancient soul, while white-tailed deer roam freely through boreal forest and rare Arctic-alpine plants cling to wind-brushed rock.

You’ll hike to the thundering Vauréal Falls, where spring melt cascades into a dramatic canyon carved by millennia. Then travel to Port-Menier—the charming village founded by French chocolate magnate Henri Menier, who dreamed of building a utopia at the edge of the world. Today, it remains a proud and close-knit community where island life is shaped by nature, history, and heart.

In springtime, Anticosti is alive—a place where geology tells ancient truths.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Gateway Rocks and Gannet Skies

Sail into one of Québec’s most iconic coastal wonders, where the legendary Rocher Percé rises from the sea like a colossal stone gateway to the wild. Seen from the water, its dramatic arch becomes a portal—inviting you into a world where nature takes center stage.

Just offshore, Bonaventure Island bursts into life each spring with one of the planet’s largest and most accessible northern gannet colonies—over 100,000 strong. The sky fills with their calls, wings outstretched over glittering water, as kittiwakes, murres, and other seabirds glide past in an endless dance of flight.

Here, geology, biodiversity, and Acadian spirit converge in one breathtaking panorama—an absolute dreamscape for photographers, bird lovers, and anyone who finds inspiration in the wild pulse of nature.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Acadian Spirit & Island Bounty

Where fiery red sandstone cliffs plunge into turquoise waters and sea breezes carry the scent of salt and spruce, the Îles-de-la-Madeleine offer a vivid, living expression of Acadian identity. Though part of Québec, these islands sit closer to the Maritimes—and they beat to a rhythm entirely their own.

Spend the day wandering colourful fishing villages and artist studios, where the sound of Acadian French fills the air and island pride runs deep. Local hosts welcome you into cafés and kitchens to experience the island’s bounty—fresh-caught lobster pulled from the sea that morning, artisanal cheeses, smoked delicacies, and small-batch wines and beers crafted with maritime flair.

The Magdalen Islands are a celebration of culture, cuisine, and character—where every conversation comes with a story and every meal tastes like a love letter to the sea.

The Magdalen Islands are rich in culture, cuisine, and character—and always ready with a warm welcome.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Wild Shores and Deep Fjords

Welcome to Newfoundland’s untamed south coast—where every turn reveals a landscape shaped by ancient forces and alive with possibility. As we sail along a dramatic shoreline etched with hidden bays, sheer fjords, and towering headlands, you’ll witness the island’s geological story unfolding in real time.

Weather and whim guide the day. If conditions allow, we’ll step ashore by Zodiac to wander wildflower-dotted barrens, beachcomb along quiet coves, or simply stand in awe at the foot of stone walls rising straight from the sea. Wildlife may appear without warning, reminding us that here, nature writes the itinerary.

This is a day for adventurers at heart—where curiosity leads the way, and the wild reveals itself to those ready to receive it.

Included Meals

All on-board meals 

Accommodations

Your cabin on the Ocean Nova

Europe by the Rock

Just off the coast of Newfoundland lies Saint-Pierre—a tiny island where you step directly from Canadian waters into European charm. Cobblestone streets, brightly painted houses, bustling cafés, and the aroma of fresh croissants instantly transport you to France—complete with gendarmes in uniform, boulangeries on every corner, and a rhythm of life that’s decidedly European.

Wander through a town that blends continental elegance with the grit and heart of a seafaring Atlantic community. Taste artisan pastries, sip local wine, explore markets stocked with French goods, and uncover tales of maritime traditions and notorious rum-runners.

Saint-Pierre may be small, but its cultural presence is mighty—a living bridge between worlds, where every corner offers something both familiar and delightfully unexpected.

Included Meals

All onboard meals

Homeward Through The Narrows

This morning, your Gulf of St. Lawrence: Wild and Storied Small Ship Expedition comes to an end as we glide back through the Narrows into the welcoming arms of St. John’s harbour. The colourful houses of the Battery greet us like old friends, while Signal Hill stands proudly above—our first and final landmark on this unforgettable journey.

As we step ashore, we bid farewell to our wild women shipmates and expedition team members who have shared their stories, wisdom, and wonder with us. While the voyage concludes, the memories—and the bonds forged along the way—will continue to travel with you long after we part ways.

Included Meals

Breakfast onboard