BASQUES IN NORTH AMERICA

Basque fishermen went to North America a long time ago. They went to Ternua (Newfoundland), where they used to catch whales.

There are some places that remember this fact through their names.

One of this places is 'Port aux Basques'.

This is a little town in Ternua, where Basque whalers stayed during the early XVIth century.

Another place is the so called 'Isle of Basques' (Île aux Basques).

This island lies in Canada's Saint Lawrence River and Basque whalers worked there from 1580 to 1640. They harpooned the whales and took them to this island to cut them into pieces and take their oil.

There are remains of three ovens where whale fat was melted down. Nowadays this island is a Natural Park for birds and it can be visited by tourists.

Remains of two ovens built by Basque fishermen.