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Burgeo

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Overview

Burgeo ( BUR-joh) is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located mainly on Grandy Island, on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland. It is an outport community.

The town is approximately 121 km (75 mi) east of Channel-Port aux Basques. Burgeo is home to Sandbanks Provincial Park, named for its sand dunes and long expanses of flat, sandy beaches.

Facts

Rank

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Coordinates

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia768 words

WBP editorial3

Coastal rhythms and community life

Beyond the dunes, Burgeo pulses with the cadence of a classic outport. Early mornings are marked by the low hum of fishing vessels returning from the Grand Banks, their decks laden with cod and crab. Locals gather at the waterfront café, where stories of the sea are swapped over steaming mugs of coffee. In summer, the town's modest harbour becomes a hub for modest whale‑watch tours, offering a glimpse of migratory pods without the crowds of more touristed ports. The rhythm here is slower, but the sense of place is palpable: a community still tethered to the ocean, with festivals that celebrate a heritage of boatbuilding and folk music that drifts through the salty air.

Seasonal navigation for the road‑tripper

Driving to Burgeo via Route 480 is an experience that varies dramatically with the calendar. Autumn brings a crisp clarity to the landscape, and the road is often dusted with early snow, making the approach feel like a quiet pilgrimage. Spring can be unpredictable; thawing river crossings may flood, so a vehicle with higher clearance is advisable. Summer offers the most reliable conditions, yet the long daylight hours mean you can comfortably explore the surrounding sandbanks and nearby lighthouses in a single day. Winter, while challenging for the casual visitor, rewards those prepared with spectacular coastal ice‑scapes and the chance to witness the aurora borealis over the Atlantic expanse.

What guidebooks miss: the culinary micro‑scene

Burgeo’s food scene is understated but worth noting for the discerning palate. The town’s small grocery co‑op sources fresh catch daily, and several family‑run eateries serve a version of fish‑cakes that blend traditional cod with locally foraged kelp, adding a briny depth rarely found elsewhere. A short drive inland reveals a modest blueberry farm that supplies artisanal jam to the local bakery, where you can sample scones still warm from the oven. For a genuine taste of the region, ask for the “soup of the day” at the harbour tavern – it changes with the catch, offering a spontaneous menu that reflects the day’s ocean bounty.

Introduction

Town in Newfoundland and Labrador, CanadaBurgeoTown FlagBurgeoLocation of Burgeo in NewfoundlandCoordinates: 47°37′12″N 57°37′18″W / 47.62000°N 57.62167°W / 47.62000; -57.62167CountryCanadaProvinceNewfoundland and LabradorGovernment • MayorTrevor Green • MHAMichael King (Burgeo-LaPoile) • MPCarol Anstey (Long Range Mountains)Population (2021) • Total1,176Time zoneUTC-03:30 (NST) • Summer (DST)UTC-02:30 (NDT)Area code709Highways Route 480 Burgeo (/ˈbɜːrdʒoʊ/ BUR-joh) is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located mainly on Grandy Island, on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland. It is an outport community. The town is approximately 121 km (75 mi) east of Channel-Port aux Basques. Burgeo is home to Sandbanks Provincial Park, named for its sand dunes and long expanses of flat, sandy beaches.

Demographics

[edit] In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Burgeo had a population of 1,176 living in 571 of its 660 total private dwellings, a change of -10% from its 2016 population of 1,307. With a land area of 29.51 km2 (11.39 sq mi), it had a population density of 39.9/km2 (103.2/sq mi) in 2021. The population was 900 in 1911, 2,474 in 1976, 1,607 in 2006, 1,464 in 2011, and 1,307 in 2016. The median age in the town was 60 in 2021.

Climate

[edit] Burgeo has a subarctic climate (Dfc) with long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Precipitation is heavy year round. Climate data for BurgeoCoordinates 47°37′N 57°37′W / 47.617°N 57.617°W / 47.617; -57.617 (Burgeo); elevation: 12 m (39 ft); 1961–1990, extremes 1966–present) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 8.7(47.7) 8.9(48.0) 9.2(48.6) 14.8(58.6) 21.7(71.1) 24.4(75.9) 25.9(78.6) 26.7(80.1) 23.1(73.6) 18.6(65.5) 14.4(57.9) 11.5(52.7) 26.7(80.1) Mean daily maximum °C (°F) −1.4(29.5) −2(28) 0.5(32.9) 4.5(40.1) 8.8(47.8) 12.6(54.7) 16.5(61.7) 18.1(64.6) 15.2(59.4) 10.3(50.5) 5.8(42.4) 1.3(34.3) 7.5(45.5) Daily mean °C (°F) −4.9(23.2) −5.6(21.9) −2.9(26.8) 1.5(34.7) 5.6(42.1) 9.5(49.1) 13.6(56.5) 14.8(58.6) 11.6(52.9) 6.9(44.4) 2.8(37.0) −2.0(28.4) 4.2(39.6) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −8.4(16.9) −9.4(15.1) −6.4(20.5) −1.5(29.3) 2.4(36.3) 6.4(43.5) 10.5(50.9) 11.4(52.5) 7.8(46.0) 3.4(38.1) −0.3(31.5) −5.4(22.3) 0.9(33.6) Record low °C (°F) −19.4(−2.9) −25.6(−14.1) −25.2(−13.4) −12.2(10.0) −7.2(19.0) 1.1(34.0) 4.4(39.9) 3.9(39.0) −0.6(30.9) −4.7(23.5) −12.9(8.8) −18.3(−0.9) −25.6(−14.1) Average precipitation mm (inches) 156.7(6.17) 130.5(5.14) 128.1(5.04) 131.6(5.18) 125.2(4.93) 149.3(5.88) 139.9(5.51) 138.5(5.45) 133.2(5.24) 156.9(6.18) 175.5(6.91) 173.8(6.84) 1,739.2(68.47) Average rainfall mm (inches) 84.1(3.31) 71.7(2.82) 75.5(2.97) 110.5(4.35) 121.0(4.76) 149.3(5.88) 140.0(5.51) 138.5(5.45) 133.2(5.24) 154.6(6.09) 158.4(6.24) 117.5(4.63) 1,454.3(57.25) Average snowfall cm (inches) 75.3(29.6) 62.6(24.6) 53.6(21.1) 19.6(7.7) 3.7(1.5) 0.2(0.1) 0(0) 0(0) 0(0) 2.2(0.9) 16.3(6.4) 54.8(21.6) 288.3(113.5) Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) 19 17 17 15 15 16 17 17 15 16 17 18 199 Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) 7 6 8 11 15 16 17 17 15 16 14 10 152 Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) 16 14 12 6 trace trace trace 0 0 trace 5 12 65 Source: 1961-1990 Environment and Climate Change Canada

Notable people

[edit] The famed Canadian nature writer and naturalist Farley Mowat lived in Burgeo for five years during his time in Newfoundland. He wrote several books during his time there, including the controversial A Whale for the Killing, which was later adapted into a movie loosely based on the book but with the same name. Mowat's wife, Claire Mowat, wrote her book The Outport People about life in Burgeo; however, the town in the book is given the fictional name "Baleena". Route 480, also referred to as the Burgeo road, was a frequent subject for famed Canadian painter Christopher Pratt, who depicted it on several occasions and began his book Thoughts on Driving to Venus there in 1999. On 11 April 2009, Pratt wrote:'Burgeo Road, 10:30 am. 3 °C, breezy, mixture of sun and cloud. Enroute Sandbanks on a chilly but very inviting day. I always remember these "Car Books" began on this road—intended to be a short-hand, stream of consciousness, trigger-happy sort of thing, a sequence of responses, not considered efforts at insights or forced philosophies.' Henry Ward Cunningham (1862–1943), an Anglican clergyman born in Burgeo, presided over burial services at sea for victims of the Titanic disaster while aboard the recovery ship CS Minia.