Burin Island has a deep history, and this tourism operator is helping people connect with it

A tourism operator on Newfoundland's Burin Peninsula is showcasing the region in hopes of connecting people with Burin Island's rich history.

Mike Brennan, owner and operator of Burin Eco Tours, told CBC News in a recent interview the region would have had some of the bigger towns and communities in Newfoundland before a tsunami tore through the region in 1929. 

There are remnants of the region's old life, like foundations of homes and churches, Brennan said, and he wanted to show off some of the history in the region.

"My wife is from Burin, and her father gave me a lot of stories about this area," he said. "It kept me totally intrigued in what was, what this island was all about.… It's still in its raw state, I call it. It's not touristed to death, it's still very natural."

WATCH | This boat tour owner says Burin Island has its own raw beauty:

Burin Island: Rugged, beautiful and ‘not touristed to death’

1 year ago

Duration 2:52

Burin Eco Tours is relatively new to the tourism scene, but you can hike across Burin Island, get up close to the site of a 1929 tsunami, and trek along a place called Stepaside. Owner and operator Mike Brennan says his connection to the land runs deep and he appreciates the business and enthusiasm of customers — while the location can preserve its quiet glory.

Brennan has operated tours on Burin Island for the last two years. One of the experiences is a hike of the island, where travellers are dropped off at Great Burin at the Burin Island harbour and make the trek to Stepaside, on the island's north side.

He said the tours have gotten a lot of positive reception, including from people across North America who have come to see where there descendants would have lived.

"It's amazing, the history that this place carries with it."

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