Spring on Fogo Island

On Fogo Island, sea ice shapes more than just the shoreline; it influences the lives of many community members whose livelihoods are tied to the sea. From late winter to early spring, ice dominates conversations as we try to predict if ice will surround our shores and when. Fogo Islanders (and fishers in particular) read ice like a language, consulting the Canadian Ice Service Charts to track its whereabouts.

Depending on the year, you may also spot icebergs drifting offshore in late April to June. These glacial giants can sometimes be seen passing along the coast from your perch in your room or while out on a coastal hike.

As the ice clears and the weather becomes milder, fishers are ready to begin the new fishing season. Harbours that have been quiet throughout the winter begin to fill with activity again, with vessels launching and crews heading back out to sea.

For our guests, this seasonal shift is reflected on the menu in the Dining Room. Our culinary team works with ingredients that are farmed, foraged, or fished as locally as possible in Newfoundland. As lobster and Northern shrimp are the first of the fisheries to begin, they make their way onto the plate, along with the sorrel, spruce tips, dandelions, nettle, and sweet gale that are foraged here on Fogo Island.

As the island awakens, you may find it easier to spot wildlife on the move.

When you explore our marked trails, like Turpin’s Trail and Lion’s Den, or venture off path for a more rugged adventure, you may encounter caribou, foxes, a multitude of seabirds like puffins, gannets, and gulls, and other wildlife that call this island home.

Fogo Island’s caribou population is particularly unique. Researchers from the University of Guelph recently learned that the island’s herd has had a change in phenology, with female caribou growing antlers two months earlier than previously observed.

These encounters, usually unexpected but always awe-inspiring, are part of what makes exploring Fogo Island so memorable.

This season invites a slower rhythm, offering moments of mindful quietude.

It’s the perfect time to enjoy Fogo Island Inn’s amenities. Spend an afternoon reading in our Library, which features an extensive selection of fiction and non-fiction works about the history and culture of Newfoundland and Canada. Have a cozy movie night in the Cinema, a room inspired by Art Deco-style movie houses and designed by architect Nick Herder. Or simply lounge in your room, taking in the view of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Your room also offers all the creature comforts you might need – locally made quilts and knits to keep you cozy, environmentally conscious robes and slippers, in-floor heating, along with binoculars and a selection of books, should you not want to browse the Library.

As the island reawakens from its winter slumber, the warmth of the Inn offers a comfortable vantage point to observe the season unfolding.

Spring weather in Newfoundland can be unpredictable, and you’ll often hear us say that you may experience all the seasons in one day. Overcast days might lead to snow or rain before the skies clear and the sun warms the rocks, but all weather invites us to explore Fogo Island’s natural world.

Snow may still linger under trees and between rocks as the community trails reopen, as our more adventurous guests will witness our wildest landscapes in this moment of transition.

Our Outdoor Adventure team offers guided hikes off the well-travelled path, as well as along maintained trails; wilderness cycling across all terrains; and an immersive, off-the-grid experience to a bushcraft camp, where they will share their knowledge of foraging and show you how to start a fire, brew wild tea, and whittle your own spoon.

This season, guests will be able to view the new exhibit presented by Fogo Island Arts (FIA) in our Art Gallery, from April 3 to October 31, 2026: When the eyes come down from the hills by artist Miguel Fernández de Castro. The artist’s reflective, essayistic documentary mode extends across photography, video, sculpture, and writing, blending lived experience, conflict, and ecological thought into a single, slow observational method. 

From migratory fishers to today’s community-owned fishery, cod has shaped Fogo Island’s economy, culture, and identity. A particularly notable day on our community calendar that celebrates our fishing heritage is June 1 – Trap Berth Day. 

Historically, fishers would drop markers for cod trap fishing berths at noon every year on this day. At 12 PM sharp, a signal would be sent from the land; a raised flag or gunshot would initiate the setting of the markers, which staked fishers’ claims to their fishing grounds. An overall feeling of hope for the season ahead always followed.

While cod traps are no longer used in the fishery, we still mark this day with a little celebration. Fogo Island Inn guests are invited to join our Community Hosts and community members at the Punt Premises, a restored traditional fishing premises, for music, food, and as a callback to the dropping of cod traps, a gun salute at 12 PM.