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The surge and surface current slosh me around like laundry in a spin cycle. I’m scuba diving on Gadd’s Wall, a precipitous dive site in Bonne Bay, in Western Newfoundland’s Gros Morne National Park, that just may be one of the top dives on the Rock.

Marble Mountain rises 1,700 feet from the Humber River, prized for its salmon (70,000 swim upriver annually) to just below what locals call the Governor’s Balls, two gigunda rocks overlooked by a Doppler radar tower. Views extend down river to Humber Arm and out to the Bay of Islands, framed by the alluring Rubenesque Blomidon Mountains, a line of rounded, downy peaks, all curves and cleavage, descending to the sea.

The perfect place to stay for this western Newfoundland golf adventure is the Humber Valley Resort, and perhaps the best golf to be played on this side of the island is the River Course at the resort. The resort offers both an inn and chalets with seasonal rates. The chalets offer options to house large or small groups with all the comforts of a world-class golf destination.

Forget the Rockies. Winter blahs melt away as you hit the gas on a snowmobile and blast along ancient mountain ridges or wander through pristine woodlands in Newfoundland and Labrador.

A vast network of trails sprawls across more than 5,000 kilometres of natural beauty. It spans the former Canadian National Railway route, follows the foothills of the Long Range Mountains to a glacier-cut fjord in Gros Morne National Park, and crisscrosses Labrador's rolling tundra.

The perception most of us have of Newfoundland is of a scenic wonder filled with rocky cliffs, green terrain and quaint seaside villages. It is not known as a haven for winter activity, but a visit to Western Newfoundland will obliterate any notion that Newfoundlanders are not just as much fun in the cold as in the sun. Even the province’s jewel, Gros Morne National Park, offers visitors spectacular beauty when the temperature falls below freezing.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s Viking Trail celebrates the place where the first Europeans to make landfall in the Western Hemisphere, Leif Erikson and the Vikings, came in contact with North America’s native people. Around A.D. 1000, Erikson led an expedition that sailed from a Norse village in Greenland to the coast of Labrador then south to Newfoundland.

What do fish and brewis, cod tongues, toutons, Jiggs’ dinner and moose meatballs have in common? They are just a few of the delicious dishes served in Labrador and Newfoundland. My only complaint after spending two weeks driving across Labrador and down the west coast of Newfoundland with my husband, Barrie, is that I put on more pounds than I care to divulge.

Winter is the best season to snowshoe through Newfoundland‘s rugged western coast.

Newfoundland, a.k.a. “The Rock,” (for reasons obvious to anyone who visits), is Canada’s eastern most province. It is a land of anomalies. It is almost 2,500 miles closer to Europe than to Vancouver on the west coast of Canada. Despite being almost as large as Cuba, less than half a million residents call it home.

The Great Northern Peninsula is the premier snowmobiling destination in Newfoundland, boasting a winter wonderland experience with its spectacular Long Range Mountains, scenic vistas and ocean views. With its often perfect snowmobiling excursions and other winter activities such as snowshoeing, cross country skiing and dog sledding, visitors will experience supreme winter fun.

Snow West ’12, set to take place between Wednesday March 21 and Saturday March 24, 2012, is an annual event designed to showcase the outstanding variety of fun winter adventures and evening experiences available for visitors to Western Newfoundland.

The Blanche Brook Fossil Site in Stephenville is among seven sites in the province now protected under the “Historic Resources Act” as a result of recently approved regulations.

From August 21 to September 2, long-distance hiker and filmmaker Mark Flagler was in Western Newfoundland beginning production on a one-hour documentary about the International Appalachian Trail (IAT) in North America. It follows his successful Appalachian Impressions documentary about the US Appalachian Trail, which aired in more than a million households on the PBS television network.

Martin Flynn took his love for the outdoors and turned it into a hit business. Flynn is the CEO of Marble Zip Tours in Steady Brook, the only zip line in Atlantic Canada. He is also a graduate of College of the North Atlantic’s two-year Adventure Tourism-Outdoor Recreation program.

Lawrence Hill, author of the award-winning Book of Negroes, writes about being bewitched by majestic Gros Morne National Park - and tracing the history of the incomparable Viking settlement L'Anse aux Meadows.

One Globe and Mail writer samples the culinary delights of a visit to Newfoundland and Labrador...

The Stephenville Theatre Festival kicks off on July 15th, wraps up on August 14th, and brings a brand new set of shows that are sure to leave audiences engaged and entertained. We’re bringing in some of the best talent in Canada, so it’s sure to be a good time!

Over the past decade, author Peter Potterfield has hiked more than 10,000 miles over six continents to research his definitive list of the best hiking trails in the world. He picks the Long Range Traverse trail from Western Brook Pond to Gros Morne Mountain in Newfoundland as one of his top 15 next to the likes of Petra, Tasmania and Patagonia.

If you find yourself near Gros Morne National Park over the next couple of weeks, or if you’re simply in need of some creative inspiration, be sure to check out the Trails, Tales and Tunes Festival, May 14th to 28th.

If you happen to be near the beautiful Codroy Valley region between May 27th and June 5th, be sure to visit the Feather & Folk Festival. Enjoy expertly guided interpretative activities, then relax in the evenings with traditional food and local entertainment.