Our Community
Grates Cove is a tiny fishing village located on the tip of the Bay de Verde Peninsula at the point of land that is the entrance to Trinity Bay. This is the most northerly point on the Avalon Peninsula and the closest point in North America to Ireland - a distance of approximately 1600 miles. Its coastline is almost completely surrounded by steep. rugged cliffs with very few entry points from the ocean. Situated behind the community is a large hill which the residents of Grates Cove aptly call "The Big Hill".
This hill has an elevation of approximately 400 feet. In spite of its height, it really does not offer much protection from the cold winter winds because of its slanted position and distance from the community itself. In the early years, most of the residents built their homes near the edge of the cliffs to be closer to their work in the fishing industry.
It was not until the later years with the coming of cars and trucks that people began to build their homes farther back from the edge of the cliffs.
Grates Cove is open to the Atlantic Ocean with no protection from the fierce winds that blow in from a northerly, northeasterly, and easterly direction. This is evident from the storms that whip up the waves during the winter months.
