Welcome to Fogo Island
At the very edge of the North American continent is a remote island called Fogo Island. Located off the coast of Newfoundland, this island is the perfect getaway for those who love adventure and experience.
You have to hear the stories from someone who has lived it, before you can truly feel this place.
Us native Fogo Islanders are completely connected to nature. We know how to live off the land and survive.
We want to share our story with you. We want you to come and connect to nature through experience and adventures that will give you a whole new perspective on the world.
Here at Fogo Island, we are emerging into the modern world. But while we do that, we want to stay connected to our heritage. We cannot forget our past. Our past makes us who we are. We are community centered and passionate about our way of life. We invite you to experience the way we live, our community and our heritage. Stay a night, or two and fall in love with nature and adventure. Come reinvent yourself. You’ll find a part of you you never knew you had.
Nestled in the northern part of Fogo Island At Joe Batts Arm, resides Fogo Island Inn. Everything here is part of the community, from the beds you rest in, to the chairs you sit in. Everything has a story and it’s waiting to be told.
Waking up here is not like waking up anywhere else. Here at the Fogo Island Inn, every room has an ocean view that is sure to take your breath away. Along with the amazing views, wake up to a basket of scones delievered to your door every morning of your stay. Being here is like being nowhere else.
Every textile and piece of furiture is handcrafted and made by us. For Room Rates Please Visit www.fogoislandinn.ca
Open all year round, there is something for everyone. Wether you love a cold winter or mild summer, there is an adventure waiting for you. Here you can hike rugged coastal trails or fish for cod in the traditional way. Not an outdoors person? Not a problem. You can get lost in countless books about Fogo Island, take an art workshop or catch a foreign film in the cinema. There truly is something for everyone.
Here, life moves to the rhythm of the natural world.
Chef Murray McDonald
Born and raised in Newfoundland, Chef Murray Mcdonald has traveled the world only to return home. McDonald wants to redefine Newfoundland cuisine. The kitchen’s motto is “To find new ways with old things,” which is exactly what McDonald hopes to accomplish here at Fogo Island Inn.
Our menu is focused on wild things from the North Atlantic.
Here at Fogo Island, we eat of the land. We are selfsustaining. Our menu is focused on seasonal produce. From a rich bounty of fish and crustaceans to diverse harvests of berries and mushrooms foraged from the bogs. We work with produce found right off the land of our 400 million year old home. Our relaxed fine dining experience lets guests taste Fogo Island’s seven seasons through the food.
Dr. Leslie A. Harris Heritage Library Fogo Island has a rich history. The Dr. Leslie A. Harris Heritatge Library is full of stories of the islands past. The doctors wife was from Fogo Island, and when she passed, all of her books were donated to the library. The library is also filled with local writers books as well as a copy of every book ever published about Newfoundland. There are so many stories to get tangled up in.
Fogo Island Contemporary Art Gallery Fogo Island is very uickly becoming a place for the arts. The contemporary art gallery at the inn works very closely with the artist residency program on the island. Artists-in-residence come to the island to so research and selected artists are invited to present their worl in the exhibitions at the Fogo Island Gallery.
Fogo Island Cinema If you like foreign movies, or movies based on current social issues, you will love the cinema at the Fogo Island Inn. The cinema holds up to 35 people and shows Canadian, foreign and artist residents films. After most of the films showings guests are invited to stay for a discussion of what they have viewed.
Meet Your Innkeeper
Zita Cobb is a native born Fogo Islander. Her father was a cod fisherman who urged her to go to school afer the fishing industry collapsed. After going to school and pursuing a career in technology, Zita became a millionaire. She came back to the island, just as she had promised, to help make things better. Zita donated 10 million of her own money to the Shorefast Foundation to help build the inn and to help fogo island grow. She is now the innkeeper at the Fogo Island Inn.
Zita and her brother, Anthony
The Shorefast Foundation
The Shorefast Foundation was founded by Zita Cobb and her brother, Anthony. The Shorefast Foundation is anchored in this place and in a set of principles: •We believe in community and the inherent qualities and strengths and character of the people in a community. •We believe in the importance of roots and heritage and that looking at what has formed us in the past is essential to building a strong future. •We believe that there is a future for rural communities and that future is built on innovation, resilience, optomisim and the ability to adapt. •And we believe the arts have a pivotal role to play in finding the path forward. The Shorefast Foundation is a Canadian registered charity. We undertake projects built on social entrepreneurship and we use entrepreneurial methods to create positive change. We look for and use new ideas, products, resources and opportunities in novel ways to tackle challenges. And we will know that they have worked by the benefit they will have for the community, by cultural resiliency and by finding new ways in an old continuity.
Geo-tourism & Fogo Island Geotourism – Jonathan Tourtellot of National Geographic coined the term “geotourism”. In his words, “geotourism is tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place – the environment, heritage, aesthetics, food, culture and well-being of a local people”. We believe that these geographically and culturally unique islands are extremely well suited to visitors wanting to experience this. We plan to add the necessary infrastructure to catalyze this industry on Fogo Island and Change Islands and to do so in a manner that engages the local people as masters of their own destinies. To support the goal of helping Fogo Island become a leading geotourism destination, Shorefast is created The Fogo Island Inn.
Community Hosts Fogo Island Introduction Tales of Truth In My Shoes Your experience on Fogo Island can be deepened by spending time with a host from our community. Leta native islander give you a personal tour and share their cultural knowledge. You might learn how to prepare salt fish or you might even discover a more meaningful picture of what it’s like to live in the Labrador Current.