Red Bay Basque Whaling Station
Overview
Red Bay, established by Basque mariners in the 16th century at the north-eastern tip of Canada on the shore of the Strait of Belle Isle is an archaeological site that provides the earliest, most complete and best preserved testimony of the European whaling tradition. Gran Baya, as it was called by those who founded the station in 1530s, was used as a base for coastal hunting, butchering, rendering of whale fat by heading to produce oil and storage. It became a major source of whale oil which was shipped to Europe where it was used for lighting. The site, which was used in the summer months, includes remains of rendering ovens, cooperages, wharves, temporary living quarters and a cemetery, together with underwater remains of vessels and whale bone deposits. The station was used for some 70 years, before the local whale population was depleted.
About Red Bay Basque Whaling Station
Red Bay is a fishing village in Labrador, notable as a significant underwater archaeological site in the Americas. Between 1530 and the early 17th century, it was a major Basque whaling area. Several whaling ships, both large galleons and small chalupas, sank there, and their discovery led to the designation of Red Bay as a National Historic Site in 1979 and in 2013 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Read more on WikipediaSelection Criteria
(iii)(iv)
Components(1 location)
Details
- Countries
- Canada
- ISO Codes
- CA
- Area
- 312.973 ha
- Coordinates
- 51.7269, -56.4295
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Red Bay Basque Whaling Station
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Red Bay Basque Whaling Station
Getting Here
Red Bay Basque Whaling Station