Many years
ago, a young man from Carbonear, NL came to live in Penhold, AB, where I often hung out in my youth. Kevin loved nothing better than to
talk about his home, filling my head with visions of Heart’s Content, Hearts
Desire, and Hearts Delight.He spoke
with such passion and longing that it came as no surprise when he returned
home. His stories, and his love for his community has stayed with me all these
years. I always knew that, one day, I
would need to see them for myself and that day finally came.
A Popular Landmark of Carbonear, NL
NL has 29,000 km of coastline
I’m the
vacation planner in the family and it didn’t take me long to figure out that it
was going to take a lot of miles if I was going to see what Newfoundland and
Labrador has to offer.I’m not talking
about the ‘Three Hearts’ as I like to call them; or even the Avalon Peninsula;
I wanted to experience as much of the province as possible.The reality is that Newfoundland offers up no
less than 29,000 km of coastline to explore and, as its tourism website points
out, every step of it has a story to tell. If you look at a map, you might
notice that the largest part of Newfoundland’s land mass is actually attached
to Canada’s mainland.While Labrador
accounts for 71% of the province’s area, it is home to only 6% of its
population.It didn’t take me long to
realize that, left to our own devices, we weren’t likely to see a great deal of Labrador in the timeline
we had. It also didn’t take me long to realize that our best bet to make the
most of our time was with a tour. A few well-placed enquiries lead me to McCarthy’s
Party, a family owned and operated tour company that proudly promotes all
things Newfoundland. It didn’t matter where we went or who we spoke
to—employees, contractors or blokes off the street—all held the McCarthy name
in high regard, even pride. Hailing from across the province, guides and all
support staff share a deep abiding love for and intimate knowledge of their home.
Stops Along the Way
Busdriver Don and Guide Peter
We chose a
12-day itinerary which would cover a lot of ground, about 3,000 km including a wee corner
of Labrador, before depositing us in St. John’s. I’m not going to regale you
with the details of our travels (I’ve included a link below, in case you are
interested). Rather, I want to talk about our personal experiences. While
Eric and I have been on small group tours, we have never been on a bus tour and
never in the company of 37 travel mates. Mostly retired 60+ seniors, this fine group included 12 year old Dexter, travelling in the company
of his 70 something grandmother. It took him
a few days to find his stride but find his stride he did! We all loved him for his exceptional
manners, keen sense of humour, and the obvious love, attentiveness and kindness
he showered upon his grandmother, who reciprocated in kind.
I realized
that some of our travel mates couldn’t log too many miles on
foot; what I hadn’t anticipated is how little opportunity there would be for
those of us who could to stretch our legs. As much as we love McCarthy’s Party, more physical opportunities would have been embraced by several of
us but time was tight and our days were full. Do not let this dissuade you from choosing McCarthy’s
Party; I’m convinced we received an authentic experience that only a
Newfoundlander could provide.Each and
every day was a chalk full of one-of-a-kind Newfoundland experiences.
What did we
learn? First and perhaps foremost, we learned that NL (which I will use going
forward) stands for Newfoundland AND Labrador.
It’s an important distinction, especially if you are from Labrador! For those of us who ‘come from away’, the
locals have a unique way of speaking, incorporating words, expressions and
sayings that I daresay is Canada’s third language! It takes a minute to catch
on to the lingo and I had to smile when our guide, Peter, assured us that
being called ‘love’, ‘sweetheart’, ‘duckie’ and other terms of endearment was
not flirting, it was just part of the daily language of the locals. Newfoundlanders can be very whimsical; they love to laugh and they aren't afraid of making fun of themselves or of you either, for that matter!
We learned
that NL played a significant role in Canada’s war history, particularly so during
WW2.When the British laid out an
ultimatum to Germany on 3 September 1939, NL, unlike the rest of Canada, was
literally at war along with the Mother Country. In fact, in 1942, German U-boats attacked Bell Island
twice and tried to capture St. John’s! The war brought thousands of Canadians
and a few Americans to NL with the construction of several air bases. It is why
the community of Gander was equipped to embrace air traffic diverted from US
airspace during the 9/11 tragedy.
Newfoundland Tricolor
Being from Canada’s Prairie Provinces, where Life began in 1905, it’s hard to fathom just how old NL is.We learned that ‘Canada
joined NL’ in 1949 and I am embarrassed to say that I have never given a single
thought to what NL was prior to its joining Confederation; that, as a British
Colony in its own right, it had a slate of prime ministers dating back to 1855.
Or that, aside from the Union Jack, NL has its own ‘native flag’, known as the
Tricolor (pink, white and green), first appearing in the late 1880s as the flag
of the Newfoundland Fisherman’s Star of the Sea Association. If you see a
resemblance to the Flag of Ireland, you wouldn’t be wrong. The flag has seen a
resurgence in the province, with a petition to give it official status and, while
that hasn’t occurred to date, it’s common to see it, particularly in St. John’s
and along the Irish Loop.
Spirit Garden in memory of the Beothuk
We learned that Central NL is, in fact, the remains of an ocean floor between North America and Africa dating back 500 million years.The west coast is part of the ancient margin of North America while the east coast was part of southwestern Europe or North Africa. Who knew?! In terms of inhabitants, NL is rich in indigenous culture, beginning with the Palaeoindians arriving in Labrador about 9,000 years ago; the Maritime Archaic peoples as many as 7,500 years ago; the now extinct Beothuk culture 1,500 years ago and the Inuit, Innu, Mi’kmaq and Southern Inuit of NunatuKavut about 500 years ago. The first European presence in North America is evidenced by the remains of an 11th-century Viking settlement at the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula.
Replica of an 11th Century Viking Village L'Anse aux Meadows
We learned
that, beginning in 1965, the federal and provincial governments offered rural
NL families up to $1,000 to defray the costs of moving buildings, and
$200/person for the moving of personal effects, to relocate to larger
communities termed ‘growth centres’. While those being resettled did not lose
title to their properties, if there were concerns that families might attempt a
return to their original community, the province could remove evacuated buildings. If that didn’t convince folks to give up their
homes, eventually all services—hospitals, schools, transportation--were
removed, isolating these small communities even more. Suffice to say, the
program was fraught with problems for all but especially for the elderly,
widows and large families.Finding
affordable housing in their new communities was a substantial challenge; having
their homes declared worthless, a knife to the heart. For those who could find
housing, jobs were scarce. Its unfathomable to me that the resettlement program
continued until 1970, during which time about 250 communities were dissolved.It’s also unfathomable to me that, like the residential schools, we learned nothing
about this or even the vast history of NL in school.
We learned
that Southern Labrador has temperatures similar to Alberta, but
packing a whole lot more snow; a whopping 480cm!One tour host shared a story about her family
home. Her father built their family home on the leeward side of the hill where it would be protected from the bitter winds but,
alas, the location came with another problem. More than once, neighbours had to
dig them out, poking through drifts with 12’ poles just to find their house! And then then had to dig it out! Clearly being a Newfoundlander is not for the feint of heart!
A gift for Great Nephew Wyatt
One of the
most impactful stops on our tour was a visit to GNP Craft Producers.Located along the St. Lawrence, in the tiny
fishing community of Shoal Cove East, population 25, including a single child, this cooperative’s mission is to enhance the region’s cultural heritage and
build public awareness of the critical role the seal industry plays in the
Great Northern Peninsula.We learned
that sealing is not only part of its heritage and cultural fabric, it provides
valuable meat, oils and pelts harvested in a humane and sustainable manner.It is managed on a long-term sustainable
basis with a view toward facilitating the renewal of an industry badly damaged
by trade barriers and animal rights activities. GNP strives to carry out the
processing and supply of goods in the traditional manner and offers a small
line of high quality products to this end. Raised on a mixed farm and living in
an agricultural community, I’m no stranger to the harvesting of animals but
this wide-eyed Prairie girl knew nothing about sealing or the plight of the
swilers (Newfoundlander for ‘sealer’) beyond the unfair and inaccurate media coverage we’ve
all been exposed to.
A favourite
destination was the community of Cow Head, the northern-most enclave community
in Gros Morne National Park, population 398 and home to the Gros Morne Theatre
and the Shallow Bay Motel.If we hadn’t
learned NLloves it’s performing arts,
like many other communities Cow Headoffers up high quality professional theatre out of the Nurse Myra
Bennett Centre for the Performing Arts. If you are in the area, this is time
well spent.
Woody Point Lighthouse, Bonne Bay and Tablelands, Gros Morne National Park
Galapagos of Plate Tectonics
It was in
Woody Point that we learned that the area has the nickname ‘Galapagos of Plate
Tectonics’. The Blow-Me-Down Mountains, North Arm Hills and Tablelands,
extending north to Bonne Bay, are composed of the Earth’s oceanic crust, heaved
to the surface during tectonic collisions hundreds of millions of years ago.
Some of the best examples on the planet, the Tablelands are the remnants of
ancient ocean floor, the Lapetus Ocean that existed five hundred MILLION years
ago.Kind of mind-boggling, don't you think?
It was in
the Bay of Bulls and Witless Bay where we learned that the Ecological Reserve
is home to the largest colony of puffins in North America. In fact, there are
more than 250,000 nesting pairs! The area is also home to the World’s largest
population of feeding humpback whales, where we were thrilled by numerous breaches of a humback. It is also possible to find fin, minke, orca and white sided dolphins.
Puffin, Witless Bay Ecological Reserve
We all know
about St. John’s ‘Jelly Bean Row’ but we may not know why the vibrant
colours were favoured.The story goes,
in early days, when sailors returned from long sea voyages from various fishing
grounds, that they liked to look up on the hill to see their home, where they
could easily pick it out by the bright colours popping against the cool,
grey mist. And, by the way, Jelly Bean Row is not a single row but a series of
streets in the downtown, home to many brightly painted row houses.
Jelly Bean Row, Downtown St. John's
While
roaming the streets we came across a couple of fellows having a beer in front
of their home, inspiring a conversation about our visit and tour. The guys
proudly acknowledged the success of the McCarthy family, declaring themselves
personal friends and sharing history about Mrs. McCarthy and her desire to
showcase NL through the partnership and promotion of local businesses and artisans. A
third generation homeowner, one of the fellows told us about some of the housing
issues in St. John’s from his perspective.Destroyed
by fire several times, many of the historic homes have the remnants caused by the ravages of fire hidden behind gyprock, making it cost prohibitive to renovate for many. It is ultimately young, double income families moving into the community who buy up
the properties. The province is also seeing growth due to
Canadians ‘from away’ choosing St. John’s and other communities as a viable
retirement option simply because property is so much less expensive than most of Canada. The gentrification of the downtown and in other areas of Newfoundland is pushing up housing
prices, making them unaffordable to many who called these neighbourhoods ‘home’ for generations; a story not unlike many other areas across the country.
McCarthy’s
Party isn't the only entrepreneurial spirit in the province. Indeed,
Canada’s Bowring Brothers, ExxonMobile, Newfoundland Capital Corporation, North
Atlantic Refining and Pope Productions, along with international companies
Fortis Inc. and Stirling Communications International are a few names that
join the ranks of local companies such as Quidi Vidi Brewing and the Newfoundland
Chocolate Company.
Mummers and their Facsimiles Come in All Shapes and Sizes
Work In Progress Brigus, Conception Bay, NL
One can’t
possibly help but note how NL comes with an uncanny penchant for kindness and a
desire to connect in meaningful ways with friend and stranger alike.Our tour guide, Peter, regaled us with
stories of mummering, a tradition practiced in various parts of NL for over 300
years, involving disguising one’s self and visiting the homes of friends and
neighbours.Once identified, a mummer
would unveil themselves and hopefully be rewarded with a gift of food or
drink.Nothing like a bit of fun. If I hadn’t learned about the generosity of the locals to share their history from
my friend, Kevin, or those employed by McCarthy’s Party, we knew this to be
true when, on our final day or the tour, sleep-starved Peter offered up even
more of his time to share his knowledge of the Avalon Peninsula, even
drawing us a map and pointing out highlights, providing all his contact information 'just in case'. He told us to stop at Brigus, where we admired spectacular coastal views, visited with a
working artist in the area as a participant of Cupids' Art By the Bay fundraiser, and shared a bite to eat with a total stranger.The stranger, visiting from ON, was exploring
the village, when she came across a local woman and asked where she might be
able to find a bite to eat.The local apologetically explained that there was no place in Brigus, or even nearby,
which offered any type of sustenance.Each went about their way. Shortly after, the local woman reappeared, handing the traveller a box and further regrets for the lack of services.In the box were sandwiches, pastries, fruit
and other goodies; far too much for the visitor to consume in a single
sitting.Having already consumed a
hearty breakfast, we didn’t need another morsel but, when we saw partridgeberry
squares, well, who could resist?
Rita Chidley, at Merry Meeting, Quality Crafts, Fine Art, Coffee - Renews
Later in
the week, a local craft and fine art shop along the Irish Loop caught my attention. We were greeted by John, a native to the community of Renews and it wasn’t
long before his wife, Rita, joined us. Asking about our time in NL, I shared my
enthusiasm for some of our discoveries in our travels. Eric asked about the numerous empty vehicles we saw sitting along the road and whether the absentee passengers were in the bogs picking berries. John agreed that they were and disappeared into
a back room, reappearing with Rita’s homemade partridgeberry muffins.As I munched away, he and Rita told us a bit about their lives, the community and the province.
Petroglyphs at Renews
Commissioned Memorial Sculpture by Gerald Squires
The next thing we knew John popped us into his car and we were off to explore the neighbourhood.He tooks us to ancient cannons, dating back to the early 1700s and used by the
British and French to fire upon each other.He led us to the cliffs on ‘the Mount’ where ancient script was carved
into the rock face, some say dating back as far as 500A.D. We learned the
history of the grotto, where Catholics, forbidden to practice their faith in
the 1700s, met under cover of darkness, the priest disguised as a local
fisherman.We visited the cemetery where
John’s parents are interred.A sculpture
tells their story, first with an image of his father, a lighthouse keeper. A
second image depicts John’s mother with one of John's siblings, while the third depicts her
scaling the lighthouse ladder, child in her arms, unwilling to trust their
safety to anyone else.We
stopped in at the Old Cemetery, where one headstone dates back to 1772, before
finding ourselves sitting at the kitchen table of John’s familial home, visiting with
his sister and her friend.We returned
to MerryMeeting to find Rita weaving, upon which I
promptly received a lesson after being repeatedly assured I would not ruin her
handiwork!Suffice to say, John and Rita
left an indelible impression on our very souls! A few weeks after our return
home, I was telling my financial advisor about our experience with John and
Rita.Turns out his wife is from Renews
and is a shirt tail relative!It truly
is a small world; we truly are all connected!
A Snapshot in Time in Historic Trinity, Conception Bay
Yes, we saw
a lot of country and experienced much that NL has to offer, geographically,
geologically, and historically.I can’t
quite decide whether it’s the people that make the country or the country that
makes the people but one thing we know is Newfoundlanders are a resilient
lot.Deprived of their communities
through resettlement; deprived of their livelihoods with the collapse of the
cod fishing industry, still they find ways to stay true to themselves and
remain on the land.We met people
suffering from life-threatening disease that travel 10 hours, one way, for
treatments.While I was always aware
that Alberta’s Fort McMurray hosts a large population of Newfoundlanders, we
learned the term, ‘rotational workers’, those unwilling to give up their home,
choosing to regularly fly back and forth across Canada and beyond to meet the
economic needs of their family.There’s
a ‘stick-to-it’ attitude, a grit within these people that today seems uncommon
amongst us.A quote from John, ‘we have to get along with and rely on our neighbours; otherwise, you
can’t survive here.’ I’m reminded that this was the very attitude my great
grandparents, grandparents and parents had while they lived in the very same
community we live in now, indeed, the very lifestyle I was raised in. How is it that so many of us have forgotten the importance of community?I
suspect this is at the heart of what attracts so many of us to Newfoundland and
Labrador. I hope they never lose it. I hope each and every visitor takes a page from their
book and brings it back home with them. I know I'm trying to embrace it!
Holly's Partridgeberry Jam
You might
think my story ends here and perhaps it should.But it didn’t.Somewhere along
the way, Eric decided that he needed to have a ballcap from Cow Head.Sadly, he hadn’t thought of that while we
were still in Cow Head.He asked our
tour driver, Don, if he might be willing to pick one up for him the next time
he was through.Don readily agreed and
Eric handed over cash for the cap and postage. A week or so after returning
home we had the notice in the mail that the hat had arrived. . . the hat and a
bottle of homemade partridgeberry jam made by Don's wife, Holly! We opened it at a family gathering where it received rave revues. Don promises to save space in his itinerary when he and
Holly visit Alberta.We are holding him
to it.
And so, my
friends, these are some of the highlights of our 3 weeks in Newfoundland and
Labrador.I hope I’ve been successful in
passing on some of the things we learned about while visiting this wonderfully
unique Atlantic province.There’s so
much more to tell but, really, you should see it for yourself.You won’t regret it. So, Kevin from Carbonear,
it may have taken almost half a century for me to get a full appreciation for your love and passion for all things Newfoundland. We saw your 'Three Hearts' and so much more. I get it. Is Newfoundland and Labrador a big deal? You bet it is!
Cape Spear - I swear, it must be the windiest point on Earth
On a Boat Tour to Witless Bay Ecological Reserve
Dr. Jon Lien Whale Pavilion, Kings Point, the skeletal remains of a dead humpback washed ashore was collected by volunteers and sent to the Royal Tyrell Museum in Alberta for assembly and returned. It is the Worlds Largest Humpback skeleton
