My family visited Newfoundland from Toronto in 1997, the year the Matthew sailed into St. John's. Our kids were 6 and 8, and we had the time of our lives. We drove in our van loaded with camping gear and drove from east to west across Newfoundland. We loved the beauty of the countryside and the wonderfully friendly people. We went whalewatching in Witless Bay (where we did not see any whales, but lots of puffins), visited the archaeological dig in Ferryland, saw the bird sanctuary at Cape St. Mary's, visited St. John's, and watched the Matthew sail into St. John's harbour to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Cabot's landing in the New World. We didn't plan our trip ahead of time, and just drove to places that caught our fancy. Well, I have to admit, that we did decide to go to Dildo because of the unusual name, but it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip. It is a picturesque little town, and we ended up taking another whalewatching trip on a small family run vessel, where we did end up seeing Minke whales and seals, cavorting around the boat; where we had a boil-up (a lunch of tea and balony fried over an open fire) on the beach of Dildo Island; where we visited another archaeological dig on a hike around the island, while our guide told us interesting stories of pirates and ghosts; and where we discovered the true kindness and hospitality of the Newfoundlanders even after we left. We had already continued on for several hours, when our son discovered that he had forgotten his new cap with the Matthew on it, on the boat. He was inconsolable and we promised we would write to the people on our return home. Lo and behold, after we got home, not only did they send us his cap, but also a whalebone necklace and bracelet.
Our photos of the trip, were taken before the days of the digital cameras, but please check out these links for photos.
and the best site with pictures of Dildo Island
The following, which describes possible origins of the name is a quote from
"In 2001, a tiny town in Newfoundland was named one of the top 10 most beautiful communities in Canada by Harrowsmith Country Life Magazine. The town’s name, however, has caused many an awkward pause in polite conversation and even rated some sophomoric comments by late-night television talk show host Jay Leno. That town, of course, is called Dildo, a name that has been associated with the area for centuries.
No one can say with any firmness when and why Dildo acquired its name, but there are plenty of theories to choose from. Some say Dildo was named after a Spanish sailor of the same name who sailed the waters of the area. Others claim Dildo Bay was named after a ship’s part, a long metal cylinder. Still, others assert that Dildo, Nfld., is named for a certain species of cactus, the Dildo-Pear Tree, found only in the Caribbean. Still others hold to the theory that Dildo was named after an archaic term for a song’s chorus. The word is used that way by Shakespeare in A Winter’s Tale, Act 4, Scene 4: “…with such delicate burdens of dildos and fadings.”
This enchanting vision—of the voices of singing sailors rolling over a remote bay—has a near irresistible charm. Unfortunately, the last inescapable definition for Dildo is that of a phallus. This meaning has been in English usage since at least the 17th century. For example, in 1673, the infamous Earl of Rochester wrote a bawdy ballad called Signor Dildo. And believe me, the text for it could make most Rap singers blush.
Dildonians have long put up with snickers and comments from outsiders. In the 1980s there was even a half-hearted proposal by some residents to change the community’s name. Fortunately, tradition and good old-fashion Newfoundland tenacity won out.
Todd Warren is glad. He runs The Inn On The Bay, a century-old hotel in Dildo. His family has lived in the area for several generations and he says he does not mind the controversy one bit. “It is great for business. People are intrigued by our name and so they look us up. When they find out what a beautiful place Dildo is, they come here to visit.”
Tourism in the town has picked up so much that every first week of August, Dildo celebrates its own uniqueness with a festival called Dildo Days. “People come here to sightsee,” adds Warren. “They buy T-shirts and mail postcards to their friends stamped with the Dildo postmark.”
All this is very nice, but which Dildo theory does Warren believe in? “After hundreds of years, it doesn’t really matter.”"
No one can say with any firmness when and why Dildo acquired its name, but there are plenty of theories to choose from. Some say Dildo was named after a Spanish sailor of the same name who sailed the waters of the area. Others claim Dildo Bay was named after a ship’s part, a long metal cylinder. Still, others assert that Dildo, Nfld., is named for a certain species of cactus, the Dildo-Pear Tree, found only in the Caribbean. Still others hold to the theory that Dildo was named after an archaic term for a song’s chorus. The word is used that way by Shakespeare in A Winter’s Tale, Act 4, Scene 4: “…with such delicate burdens of dildos and fadings.”
This enchanting vision—of the voices of singing sailors rolling over a remote bay—has a near irresistible charm. Unfortunately, the last inescapable definition for Dildo is that of a phallus. This meaning has been in English usage since at least the 17th century. For example, in 1673, the infamous Earl of Rochester wrote a bawdy ballad called Signor Dildo. And believe me, the text for it could make most Rap singers blush.
Dildonians have long put up with snickers and comments from outsiders. In the 1980s there was even a half-hearted proposal by some residents to change the community’s name. Fortunately, tradition and good old-fashion Newfoundland tenacity won out.
Todd Warren is glad. He runs The Inn On The Bay, a century-old hotel in Dildo. His family has lived in the area for several generations and he says he does not mind the controversy one bit. “It is great for business. People are intrigued by our name and so they look us up. When they find out what a beautiful place Dildo is, they come here to visit.”
Tourism in the town has picked up so much that every first week of August, Dildo celebrates its own uniqueness with a festival called Dildo Days. “People come here to sightsee,” adds Warren. “They buy T-shirts and mail postcards to their friends stamped with the Dildo postmark.”
All this is very nice, but which Dildo theory does Warren believe in? “After hundreds of years, it doesn’t really matter.”"
I think that in these days of political correctness, it's great that the Newfoundlanders aren't bowing to public opinion and are remaining true to their roots.
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