The dedication on the inside cover of Bernie's first book Tales of a Travelling Man " For my mother who gave me the strength to reach for the stars and my father who put fire in my belly " speaks volumes to his upbringing.

If God looks over his chosen fools, then Bernie has led a charmed life. He has an incurable child-like curiosity that drives him through his adventures. Meeting people has always been the name of his game. He loves the unexpected and finds himself just as much at home in equatorial Africa as he does in Canada's Arctic; whether he is sleeping under the stars, bedded down in a barn or being swept along by new found hospitality in someone's house. He seems to have that rare ability to disarm and blend in, no matter what his surroundings.

He jumped into the deep end of travel in 1980, stretching a two-month cycling vacation into an eight-year round the world cycling odyssey which led to his first book Tales of a Travelling Man. He had only been back in Canada for two years when he took off on another trip, cycling from Victoria, B.C. to St John's Nfld. on a Pakistani rickshaw which became the basis of his latest book entitled Newfie or Bust. The first time he laced on snowshoes or for that matter, paddled the open seas, was during an eight-month trip up the rugged Atlantic coastline of Labrador. This trip became the basis of his most popular book to date, Journey Through Labrador. He has also soloed 500 kilometers across Labrador's 'height of the land' in winter, and kayaked 2500 kilometers from Toronto, down the St-Lawrence River to Goose Bay, Labrador, which is the basis of his latest book entitled ' A Lazy Day in Summer'. He has also spent eighteen months camped out in two trapper's tents at the bottom of Lake Melville in Labrador's interior.

What sets him apart from his peers as a traveller is that not only are all his trips made solo, but because of their variety he has become over the years an accomplished outdoorsman, a self taught wilderness snowshoer and sea kayaker.

He can often be seen and heard on television and radio and has guested on such popular television programs as the Dini Petty Show, What on Earth, The West Coasters, Land and Sea and Canada A.M. . As well as being interviewed on numerous regional talk shows. CBC Radio's Hear and Now, serialised his Labrador trip and he has also guested on Morning Side, Basic Black and As It Happens. Micheal Enright once called his interview with Bernie "A breath of fresh air, the guy is a one off..."

Never one to limit himself to other peoples ideas or let grass grow under his feet, he now resides in Sept-Iles, Québec, learning French and promoting the outdoor life through his course Winter Camping.

It's been three years since his last major trip. The big 'Five - O' is just around the corner. Kayaking around the coastline of Newfounland has always intrigued him, so don't be surprised if you see it posted in his Sea Kayaking.

 

For further biography information:

Contact Bernie directly at berniehowgate@hotmail.com