Green Island Cove: Coast, Community and History

Green Island Cove is a fishing settlement on a wide bay on the southeastern shore of the Strait of Belle Isle. The place is also known as Green Island Harbour; its name refers to a small grassy island 1.3 km offshore from the bay. Green Island is narrow, grass-covered, and reaches only 10 feet or 3 m in height. It lies about 3 miles west-southwest of West Point and 0.8 miles offshore.

Small, brightly colored houses stand on open land along the shore. They are cited as an attraction along Newfoundland’s Viking Trail. In Green Island Cove, you can experience both the wide bay and a settlement whose houses are part of its distinctive coastal scenery.

Harbour and water shape the community

The public wharf at Green Island Cove is L-shaped and 233 feet or 71 m long. The water depth along the sheltered side of its outer face is 3 to 5 feet or 0.9 to 1.5 m. A slipway is located beside the inner end of the wharf. These specific harbour details give the place a maritime character that may interest travelers looking for experiences involving the water and coastal life.

Between Green Island and the mainland, the water offers a usable anchorage and moderate shelter from all winds except easterly ones. If you are considering using the anchorage, bear this limitation in mind. From the water’s edge, the view stretches across the Strait of Belle Isle to the hills of Labrador, where you can also watch the sunset.

At Landwash and Green Island Cove Beach, described experiences include the movement along the shore, views of Green Island and Labrador, and watching activity on the water. You can also experience the surf there. For families who want to enjoy the scenery together, these offer different moments from a trip focused primarily on the settlement’s history.

Coastal culture and history

Green Island Cove was originally established as a seal and fur trapping post. It was one of a series of such posts along Newfoundland’s coast on the Strait of Belle Isle, established by the Genge family, based in Anchor Point. The first English settlement in the area dates to the 1870s. The settlers arrived on the coast via fishing sites and trading posts in Forteau and Anchor Point.

Community gatherings are also part of the place’s history. During the capelin roll on the beaches, families, neighbors, and visitors gathered on the shore. The capelin roll is regarded as a homecoming and a celebration of the history and cultural heritage of the coastal community that has lived here for generations. A Community Kitchen Party on July 11, 2014, was moved from the wharf to the adjacent fishermen’s gear shed and drew more than 200 people over the course of the evening. A Kitchen Party at the wharf also featured Loomis Way and a traditional music band.

Which vacation rental is right for your trip?

The small houses along the shore and the harbour details add a concrete picture of this coastal community to these impressions. If you are traveling with family, you can consider spending time together at the beach and observing the water’s edge alongside the area’s historical stories about the community.

More places: Roddickton, Saint Anthony, Main Brook, Raleigh, Division No. 9, Subd. A, Cow Head, Black Duck Cove, River Of Ponds.

For the main travel overview: Division No. 9.