Is this ferry-intensive journey along the Labrador coast that Google Maps proposes actually possible?
I love ferries and sub-Arctic coastlines. With Google Maps, I found the following itinerary between Havre st. Pierre and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador:
Google Maps draws ferries between many places along the coast of Labrador, suggesting one can travel almost all the way by ferry between those two places, as pictured above. It doesn't actually use those ferries for any itinerary unless forced; the itinerary above is for “walking” and only works if I pull it over the ferry routes by hand at 11 places.
It tells me to take a whopping 23 ferries:
4) Take the Havre-Saint-Pierre, QC - Baie Johan-Beetz, QC ferry
5) Take the Baie Johan-Beetz, QC - Natashquan, QC ferry
6) Take the Natashquan, QC - Kegaska, QC ferry
7) Take the Kegaska, QC - La Romaine, QC ferry
8) Take the La Romaine, QC - Harrington Harbour, QC ferry
12) Take the Harrington Harbour, QC - Tête à La Baleine, QC ferry
13) Take the Mutton Bay, QC - La Tabatière, QC/Tête à La Baleine, QC - Mutton Bay, QC ferry
14) Take the La Tabatière, QC - Saint-Augustin, QC ferry to Saint-Augustin
15) Take the Saint-Augustin, QC - Rivière-Saint-Paul, QC ferry
16) Take the Rivière-Saint-Paul, QC - Blanc-Sablon, QC ferry to Blanc-Sablon
28) Take the Red Bay, NL - Henley Harbour, NL ferry
29) Take the Henley Harbour, NL - Cape Charles, NL ferry
30) Take the Cape Charles, NL - Marys Harbour, NL ferry to Mary's Harbour
31) Take the Marys Harbour, NL - Port Hope Simpson, NL ferry to Port Hope Simpson
32) Take the Port Hope Simpson, NL - Fishing Ships Harbour, NL ferry
33) Take the Fishing Ships Harbour, NL - Charlottetown, NL ferry to Charlottetown (Labrador)
34) Take the Charlottetown, NL - Snug Harbour, NL ferry
35) Take the Snug Harbour, NL - Hawke Harbour, NL ferry
36) Take the Hawke Harbour, NL - Sandy Islands, NL ferry
37) Take the Sandy Islands, NL - Batteau, NL ferry
38) Take the Batteau, NL - Cartwright, NL ferry to Cartwright
41) Take the Cartwright, NL - Paradise River, NL/Paradise River - Cartwright ferry
42) Take the Paradise River, NL - Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL ferry to Happy Valley-Goose Bay
It appears unlikely this itinerary is actually possible as described by Google Maps. What I've found so far:
Relais Nordik. The M/V Nordik Express travels the Middle and Lower North Shore coastline once a week from April to January. From the destinations page, they appear to operate at least between Natashquan, where Quebec Route 138 ends (as of 2013), and Blanc-Sablon, where Route 510 continues. From their page, it's not clear to me whether or not they run a ferry between Havre-Saint-Pierre and Natashquan.
On the website of Newfoundland & Labrador Department of Transportation & Works is an overview with ferries on the Labrador side of the border:
It lists a ferry (passenger-only) between Port Hope Simpson, William's Harbour, Charlottetown, and Norman Bay.
It lists a ferry between Black Tickle, Cartwright, Rigolet, and Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
The Wikipedia page on the Trans-Labrador Highway (emphasis mine):
Phase II of new construction, costing $130 million (CAD), began in 1999 and saw Route 510 extended 323 km over 4 years from its terminus in Red Bay northeast to the port of Cartwright. When this southern portion of the TLH was completed in 2002 the Labrador coastal ferry services were transferred in a controversial move from Lewisporte on the island of Newfoundland to Cartwright.
- The Trans-Labrador Highway Ferry page has a map drawing a black dashed line between Natashquan and Blanc-Sablon and between Cartwright and Happy Valley-Goose Bay, but also other dashed and dotted lines; the map does not include a legend. The ferries drawn with black dashed lines confirm the information from the first two bullet points above.
A number of ferries claimed by Google Maps remain. Generically, is this itinerary possible at all? Specifically, is there any ferry service between Red Bay and Cartwright? Is this perhaps a service only run when the road is closed due to bad weather or so?
Pictures about "Is this ferry-intensive journey along the Labrador coast that Google Maps proposes actually possible?"
Does Google Maps include ferry times?
Actually, if you plan a trip using public transport, both ferries (Rostock-Gedser and Puttgarden-R\xf8dby) are being known to and used by Google Maps with the correct schedule.How long is the ferry ride from Newfoundland to Labrador?
Most days have two sailings \u2013 morning and evening \u2013 and the crossing takes six to eight hours, depending on weather.Excel Google Maps Distance and Travel Time Calculator with Directions API
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Mike B, Faruk Tokluoğlu, Faruk Tokluoğlu, Andrew Neel