In his column, Between the Boulevard and the Bay, Downhome's founding editor, Ron Young, recently wrote about his own theories regarding how to improve the province's ferry service. (See the March 2012 issue for the full column.) Since then, we have been inundated with feedback from our readers, including the following messages left on our Submission Phone Line (1-866-640-1999):
In the span of a couple of months, Downhome received letters from two different readers, both inquiring about nearly identical antique items that they own - a brass image of a fisherman's face. Struck by the coincidence, but unsure what the item was or where it came from, the editors put the call out to readers to identify the mystery object (pictured right). As usual, you came through for us! Here are some of the messages left on Downhome's Submission Phone Line (1-866-640-1999).
On a chilly, wet morning,
from the cove by the bog,
came the lighthouse man’s warning,
of the rocks in the fog.
That blanket of gossamer,
what lurks there beneath?
Tis' my love and the jaws of her,
beware of her teeth.
If a ship you be sailin’,
through the wind and the cold,
if you’re homebound from whalin’,
if a cargo you hold,
heed the lighthouse man’s warning.
Seek the lighthouse man’s light.
For ‘tis fog in the morning,
and my lover will bite.
– Poem by Terry Bursey of Mount Pearl, NL
Grand Bank Lighthouse, NL
Photo by Boyd Holloway
Heart's Content Lighthouse, NL
Photo by Jennifer Gushue
Old Cape Spear Lighthouse, NL
Photo by Dave Armstrong
Rocky Point Lighthouse, NL
Photo by Frank Verro
Peggy's Cove Lighthouse, NS
Photo by Ronnie Kinnie
Quirpon Lighthouse, NL
Photo by Gene Greene
Cape Norman Lighthouse, NL
Photo by James Fewer
Margaretsville Lighthouse, NS
Photo by Jan Boone
East Random Head Lighthouse, NL
Photo (taken around the turn of the 20th century) courtesy of Elizabeth Bustard
Do you have an incredible lighthouse photo to share? Submit here.
Just about everyone has a digital camera these days. Unless it is a simple point-and-shoot, the camera is likely covered in buttons, wheels and displays all designed to help the photographer take great pictures. Learning to use this type of digital camera can be a daunting task.
While there are many books, online photography schools and YouTube videos to help, nothing beats an experienced photographer’s guidance while learning a new camera feature, attempting a compositional technique or exploring exposure options. This type of personal help often exists within the congenial atmosphere of a local photography club. One such club exists in Gander, Newfoundland. Formed in 2006, the Gander Photography Group has grown from three to 60 active members from Gander and surrounding communities.
The Gander Photography Group is typical of most amateur photo clubs. Our membership ranges in age from young adults to retirees and includes beginner, intermediate and advanced photographers, all self-taught and professed amateurs. We meet biweekly from September to June. Each meeting includes a presentation, usually by one of the group’s more experienced photographers. Topics typically include photography basics, types of photography (portrait, landscape, abstract, wildlife and macro), camera settings, exposure, composition, lighting, framing, photographic techniques, imaging software, as well as camera equipment and accessories such as extra lenses, tripods, filters and flashes. The meetings usually conclude with a show-and-tell featuring images recently uploaded to the group’s Flickr photo site. This session provides an opportunity for members to share photographs, exchange ideas and answer questions about the techniques, equipment and camera settings used. This sharing helps to improve members’ photographic skills and to fulfill the group’s primary goals; to spread the enjoyment of photography and to help its members become better photographers!
The Gander Photography Group recently held its third Annual Photography Exhibit at the J.R. Smallwood Arts and Culture Centre in Gander. Twenty-five members displayed more than 150 photographs across all types of photography. An official opening of the exhibition provided an opportunity for family and friends to view the photographs and share in the social side common to most photo clubs. The exhibition’s guest book lists residents, tourists and school children as visitors, and judging by their comments, the month-long event was an outstanding success.
If you live in an area without a photography club, find a few camera-happy friends and start one. If you need help, contact us and we will gladly share what we did to make our group a success. After all, photography is meant to be shared.
Click here to see a sample of photography by the Gander Photography Group. To view more, see the May 2012 issue of Downhome, or click here.
Trailing behind these eight young women on a muggy, yet pleasant day in July, you’d probably think they are like any other hikers who enjoy getting out into the great outdoors. But once you get a glance of the tiny, 10-pound bundles strapped protectively to their chests, snoozing and cooing contentedly, you’ll soon realize that this isn’t any ordinary hiking group.
The Outdoor Mamas is the brainchild of cousins and best friends Ashley Russell and Lesley Reid, both 32. Having known each other since they were in diapers themselves, the Conception Bay South natives have shared many experiences over the years – everything from family gatherings and a three-month backpacking trip across Europe in 2002, to camping trips with their husbands. They even run their own business together, Bellies and Bundles, a hip maternity and baby boutique that specializes in natural, environmentally friendly products. Now they get to share a whole new adventure – motherhood.
Since June, they have been gathering up their babies – along with their diaper bags, pacifiers and receiving blankets – and getting together with other new moms to enjoy each other’s company along the walking and hiking trails around St. John’s and surrounding areas.
“Lesley has a little girl (Lyla) who’s 11 months old...and she was taking her little girl snowshoeing and cross-country skiing and trying to get like-minded moms to do the same thing, but it’s a bit harder to get it started in the winter. So we tried again in May and it was amazing how fast it grew,” Ashley says.
Currently, the Outdoor Mamas has about 101 members and while they aren’t all active members, Ashley says they usually have a good turnout for their hikes, with babies ranging from just a few weeks to a little over a year old. Just about every week, new moms and little bouncing bundles show up.
“As long as it’s not icy, then we can continue to hike and then snowshoe once the snow’s deep enough. I don’t really anticipate that the group will have the same numbers each week when the winter comes,” Ashley chuckles.
“I think that maybe at first people were a little bit intimidated by it. But the trails are fairly flat that we’re doing and we’re only going for an hour to two hours. And if moms need to have a nursing or a feeding break, then we’ll all have a little break, or a little group will have a break, so it works out well.”
Take a hike
Today’s trek of choice is the majestic Manuels River trail in Conception Bay South (for more on this trail, turn to page xx) and even for those who aren’t as athletically inclined as these spry young women, it’s a fairly easy jaunt.
Dressed in comfy black pants and sneakers, her grey t-shirt matching the headband that sweeps the blond hair from her bright blue eyes, Ashley is in her element. Her four-month-old daughter Adia, strapped comfortably to her front in a bright red baby carrier, also seems quite content; but once Ashley stands still, Adia lets out a little cry, as if to say, “Let’s get movin’, Mama!” (While Lesley and her daughter Lyla usually attend the hikes, they couldn’t make this one.)
Once the ladies descend the steps to the trail, a quiet hush and sense of peace seems to wash over their little ones like magic. Like their moms, it’s clear they’re most comfortable wrapped in the loving arms of Mother Nature.
“Babies benefit so much from the fresh air. A lot of them nap while we’re hiking,” Ashley says.
The moms, some of them new to the group, chat about everything under the sun, from the best baby carriers to their favourite hiking spots around the province and elsewhere. For them, the Outdoor Mamas gives them a chance to introduce their babies to an activity they love, while spending quality time with other women who share similar interests.
“Lesley and I are always together. We have babies that are quite different in age though, when you look at it. So I’m really happy to meet new moms who I can continue to do this with when she goes back to work,” Ashley says. (Besides running their own business, Lesley is an environmental engineer while Ashley is a marketing and public education officer with the Multi Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB). Both are on maternity leave at the moment.)
“And a lot of other moms in the area, whether they’re from Newfoundland or not, have never been on some of the trails that we’ve been taking them on, so it’s been fun for us to see other people enjoy these new trails, too.”
Trudy Blackwood, a new convert, found out about the Outdoor Mamas through a friend on Facebook. Her first born, Anna (who recently celebrated her first birthday), peeps out curiously from the carrier on her mother’s back, her wide eyes catching the sight of a mama duck and five fuzzy ducklings serenely sailing along the river.
“I think (the group is) great just for the social aspect of it...Sometimes it’s hard to get motivated, and to get out on your own and go for a hike is not always the safest either. So to find others with the same interests and get exercise, it’s great.”
This is the fourth or fifth hike that Valerie Piercey and her nine-month-old daughter Kyla have shared with the Outdoor Mamas, and judging from the way Kyla is gleefully cooing, this definitely won’t be their last.
“I think it’s wonderful because you get outside, you can exercise, which is really hard for new moms. It’s nice to meet people too...every hike I’ve met somebody new.”
For Lesley (who Downhome caught up with over the phone), this is what the Outdoor Mamas are all about – nature, nurture, fun and fellowship.
“I love meeting people who are of the same mindset and who are interested in exploring new things with their baby and not just staying home all the time. And plus the babies love it. Lyla is so much happier outside doing things as opposed to just sitting inside playing with toys all day long. She really loves being outside and I think all babies are probably the same,” she says.
“I have lots of friends who think that they have to stay in and they have to stop doing the things that they love, but you totally don’t. You need a bit of gear and you need a bit of patience, but you can totally do it and it’s always worth it.”
Lawrence Genge and Garfield Caines caught a halibut weighing nearly half a ton. It was hooked off Anchor Point as the men were pulling up their trawl. They noticed the enormous fish breach the surface with the pointy end of a baited hook. For 45 minutes, they wrestled to bring the halibut aboard, hooking it with a gaff and tying a rope around its tail. Once cleaned, it weighed 316 pounds (it was 400 lbs whole). Atlantic halibut is the most valuable ground fish. At $3 per pound, that's almost $1,000 for this single catch!
Best Poker Face
He's the first Newfoundlander to clean up at the World Poker Tour Bellagio Cup IV, winning a US$1.67 million jackpot in Las Vegas. Mike Watson, a St. John's native, was catapulted to a historic victory after overcoming some pretty stiff odds. As a result of the win, 24-year-old Watson has sprung into the limelight early in his pro career. But that's fine with Watson, who survived a tough final table of four live pros and two online pros. France's David Benyamine played against Watson in a heads-up play that saw Watson in a dramatic come-from-behind play. Trailing by nearly four million chips, conservative Watson gave it his all and was dealt an ace and a king. Benyamine raised to $500,000. Watson raised to $1.5 million. Benyamine went in with a pair of queens when Watson called. The rest is poker history.
Powerplex Opens
The PowerPlex, the new provincial recreation and training facility, recently opened its doors. It offers elite athletes a place to train in their respective sports and then show off their skills in local, national and international competitions. The world-class, state-of-the-art training facility on Crosbie Road is described as a commitment to excellence and a stepup for sport in the province. The facility has a 2,944-square-foot gymnasium, which can be subdivided into two gyms and is large enough to have four basketball, seven volleyball or seven badminton courts playable at any one time. Elite athletes also have access to a boxing/combat room and a high-performance centre that is an extension to the adjacent Swilers Rugby Club. A multi-purpose meeting room, three offices and a strength and conditioning room are also available.
Sharks off the East Coast
Scientists have discovered a new breeding ground for porbeagle sharks off Canada's East Coast, giving hope to a species whose numbers have been steadily slipping around the world, according to reports. A research team located the mating area on Georges Bank, almost 500 kilometres from Nova Scotia's coast, after hearing reports from fishermen that they were hauling up the large, blue-grey sharks in their nets. Fierce looking, the sharks can reach almost four metres in length. This is the second breeding ground discovered for porbeagle sharks, the first one being off Newfoundland and Labrador's southern coast. That area was closed to direct shark fishing shortly after it was identified as a mating area.
New Paddling Record
Kayaker Greg Stamer circumnavigated the island of Newfoundland in just 45 days, easily beating the previous sea-kayaking record of 66 days. Stamer paddled into Quidi Vidi village in St. John's to end of his journey, after which the adventurer said this province was likely the best one he’s ever kayaked around. A close encounter with a shark on the south coast kept Stamer extra alert during part of the trip.
In the Bay of Islands, a traveller can find a bounty of adventure - from boating and fishing, to rock climbing and spelunking. The city of Corner Brook has all the urban delights, while the surrounding area is blessed with natural charm and beauty. A great way to view the Bay of Islands is on foot and there are enough hiking trails on both sides of the bay to ensure you get the complete picture.
Brake's Cove Hike Cox's Cove
This beautiful hike starts in the west end of Cox's Cove, with steep steps that lead to the shore and eventually on to the abandoned community of Brake's Cove. (It's best to take this hike at low tide to enjoy the seaside stroll; otherwise you'll have to amble along the hills.) In Brake's Cove, see the remnants of what was once a bustling community, including the foundations of herring stores where the inhabitants once cleaned their catches; the indentations left in the ground by old potato fields; as well as a cemetery where residents of the former community are buried. Take along your camera for an awe-inspiring snapshot of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Experienced hikers will enjoy continuing their journey past Brake's Cove. Walk another kilometre to Sammy's Beach, where archaeologists have uncovered evidence of Dorset Palaeoeskimo history. Back in Cox's Cove, take a break and have a snack at the picnic area. Hop aboard a tour with True North Charters, starting at the public dock in Cox's Cove. The friendly hosts will tell tales of the resettlement era, while passing along by the abandoned communities of Brake's Cove, Penguin Arm, Goose Arm, Manuels and Wells'.
Govemor's Staircase Blow Me Down Provincial Park
This is a hike the whole family can do spur of the moment. It doesn't take a lot of time and it has plenty of rewards. Beginning in the provincial park, located on a peninsula between Lark Harbour and York Harbour, set out on the half-kilometre trail to the lookout. It is easy to navigate the boardwalk, and the stone steps are a curiosity you have to see for yourself. Called Govemor's Staircase, the steps are naturally shaped - not manmade - from 450-million-year-old volcanic rock striped with veins of white quartz. In just a half-hour, you'll arrive at the lookout to take in an awesome view of the Bay of Islands, the limestone cliffs of Murry Mountain, Tortoise Mountain and the highest, Blow Me Down Mountain at 650 metres above sea level.
Corner Brook Stream Trail Corner Brook
A system of constructed, groomed trails in this west coast city affords the opportunity to tour its urban and natural areas with several jumping on and off spots. Amble through the downtown core - the art galleries, museums, restaurants and historic Broadway shopping district - with entry and exit points at the Glynmill Inn, Margaret Bowater Park, Sir Richard Squires Building and City Hall. Or from Crocker's Road at the TCH overpass, pick up the trail above Margaret Bowater Park and see for yourself its spectacular view over the city. There are several rest stops on the Corner Brook Stream Trail for quiet moments of reflection.
Hughes Brook Trail Irishtown
Nature is at your footsteps on this 3-km trail, rated easy. It is maintained by the Aquatic Centre for Research and Education. The trail begins just outside Irishtown at Huges Brook Bridge and follows the length of the river to where it empties into an estuary. Observant hikers could see a wide variety of animal and plant life, such as muskrats, moose, beavers, blue jays, woodpeckers and waterfowl. ACRE has also installed nesting boxes in the trail area for birds and bats, and there is a viewing platform overlooking the estuary, as well as Corner Brook and Bay of Islands. In addition, geocachers with their GPS will find a cache hidden somewhere on this trail.
