Tower Sunset

If it looks good - Shoot It ! Today I went ski-dooing with my neighbour, Dave and his brothers. It was a generally dull day and the country looked a bit be-draggled after a recent thaw. Rains had cut down the snow and I was not inspired to photograph the landscape. Just as we were getting back to the truck, nature suddenly staged a grand sunset and I shot these unplanned images.

Fishing Stage and Boat - Tilting

Fishing boat images in Newfoundland have become cliche. Every Tom, Dick and Harry with a camera takes pictures of boats. I, too, am afflicted with this malady and cannot resist photographing a boat moored peacefully near a fishing stage on calm reflective water. The Newfoundland fishing boat is as much a cultural icon as the grain elevator of Saskatchewan.

On the Waterfront - Twillingate

There is something about ancient abandoned buildings that stir feelings of longing or nostalgia within me. I have no connection to these sunlit facades, yet, they speak to me of long ago events, of human tragedy and yes, happy times also.

The Barbour House

This historical heritage home is found in Newtown, Bonavista Bay and was originally built for Captain Benjamin Barbour and his family of nine sons and two daughters in 1875.

Although Benjamin Barbour himself was not involved in the sealing industry, the rest of his family were involved. Fourteen of the descendants of Benjamin Barbour became captains and ten of those were sealing captains. The Barbours were considered one of the most prominent sealing families in Bonavista Bay.

The Barbour Home is typical of the larger merchant houses built in many Newfoundland communities in the latter part of the nineteenth century. The interior also has 32 rooms including 12 bedrooms, two dining rooms, one upstairs parlour and two kitchens.

The house was owned for a number of years by Benjamin Barbour's grandson, the late Captain Carl Barbour, who used it primarily as a summer home.

The Heritage Trust currently uses the house as a museum, preserving many of the artifacts and furniture for visitors to see, although the Barbour family still have access to the home for their own use.

Sleepy Cove Mine

Little is known about the Sleepy Cove copper mine but today's visitor can still find remnants of the abandoned mining equipment scattered about green meadows near the village of Crow Head on Twillingate Island. The mine was staked in the early 1900's. Of the three ships that arrived to remove the ore, one carried 560 tons to an unknown destination, the second abandoned loading when high winds drove it on the rocks and the third took ore to New York where it remained unclaimed. The mine closed in 1917, having been a bust !

Another Time

This old merchant's premises in Morton's Harbour echoes with the ghosts of another era. Looking through the shattered windows I could see oil lanterns, flat irons, fish tubs and myriad other sundry items, including the remains of a horse drawn sleigh tucked away in a far corner.

High and Dry

"In the late spring 'trapmen' would be busy in their 'store lofts' mending the nets....it was an area where cod traps, trawls and other fishing equipment were stored in winter, and where dry fish was stored during the curing process in late summer and early fall. The loft usually cantained a small stove for warmth."

Waiting for Spring

Trinity Two Summers Ago

Trinity provided filming locations for the 2001 movie, "The Shipping News" and the 2002 TV movie, "Random Passage".

Back Yards of Trinity

A backyard in Historic Trinity, Bonavista Bay, invites the passerby to stay for a while.

Trinity ".....the best and largest harbour in all the Land." Whitbourne, 1620

Billy Parsons - Miner

World -famous photographer, Yousuf Karsh came to Newfoundland in 1949, shortly after confederation and revisited the island in 1954. One of the photos that Karsh took in 1954 was of Billy Parsons who worked in the iron ore mines of Bell Island for fifty years. The photograph of Billy was the inspiration for the giant mural painted on the brick wall of a building in Wabana, the main community on the island.

Winter Scene in Bowring Park

When the blizzard ended, a mantle of powdery drifts cloaked the earth with a beautiful solitude.

Chapel Hill Road - Deer Lake c1926

My hometown of Deer Lake received its name from the lake you can see in the background of this vintage photo. The first European settlers who came here, not having seen caribou before, called them "deer". Caribou could be seen crossing the lake from north to south in great numbers on their annual migration south; hence the name Deer Lake. As Mrs. Adella Boyle recalls, "When I came here in 1925, there were huge herds of caribou and deer. You could watch them cross the lake. As the first of the herd would reach the opposite bank, the last of the herd was just entering the water."

On the right side of Chapel Hill Road looking towards the lake, log cabins were built for the employees of the power plant operated by the Newfoundland Pulp and Paper Company. You can just see the front of the closest cabin - "Wilton's Cabin". In the 1960's these cabins were stll standing but you could not tell them from regular houses because they were clapboarded over.

Winter Bouquet

Today we had "weather" - rain, wind, sleet, ice pellets and just plain misery! All in all, a good day to photograph a bouquet of flowers, a reminder of the bright days to come.

Coming Home

Newfoundland winters offer an abundance of snow, breathtaking scenery complete with mountain ranges and endless open country. Snowmobiling here is the ultimate adventure.

Painted Sky Over Paddy's Pond

The winter sun sets early over Paddy's pond in late January and the clear brisk evening sky is infused with fleeting shades of pink and yellow. Then, as night quickly falls, to the north, beneath the handle of the Little Dipper shine the Pleiades - diamonds in the night sky.

Casper - The Friendly Ghost Dog

Casper, my neighbour's Siberian Husky, appears content to stay outside despite today's sub zero temperatures at -13 Celsius.

Winter at Paddy's Pond

A cold frigid evening on Paddy's Pond is warmed by the grandeur of a winter sunset.

Hairy Woodpecker

The Hairy Woodpecker is a common resident of Newfoundland found throughout the province and is shyer than its small relative, the Downy woodpecker, but more active and noisier. The Hairy woodpecker prefers heavier woods with a few deciduous trees but during winter this expert climber wanders around in search of food, coming to feeders in communities.

Caribou Silhouette

Separated from the herd, this lone stag desperately searches for his kin on the barren grounds near Peter's River.

Winter at the Battery - Signal Hill

Signal Hill was the site of concentrated harbour defenses from the 18th century through World War II. The French had captured St. John's in the summer of 1762 but British troops dispatched from Halifax quickly won back the town in the last battle of the Seven Years War. The hill's military advantage, now obvious, resulted in the construction of several fortifications during the Napoleonic Wars, and their ruins can still be seen today.

St. Luke's Anglican Church - A Different Perspective

St. Luke's Anglican Church in Newtown, Bonavista Bay, was built in 1895.

Ocean Fury

The wind was young and the sea was old,
But their cries went up together;
The wind was warm and the sea was cold,
For age makes wintry weather.

The Wind and the Sea - Paul Lawrence Dunbar

Anglican Church - Change Islands

St. Margaret's Anglican Church, the oldest church on Change Islands, was opened for worship on Sunday June 16th, 1892. The Church was named after St. Margaret, the daughter of Edward the Exile of England who took an active interest in the people of Scotland and was very charitable to the poor and the needy.

On display in the church is a Bible that was presented to the earlier Church of St. James the Apostle, by the Bishop of Newfoundland on Aug 23, 1853.

Remembrance Day - November 11th, 2007

"The enemy's fire was effective from the onset but the heaviest casualties occurred on passing through the gaps in our front wire where the men were mown down in heaps. In spite of losses, the survivors steadily advanced until close to the enemies wire by which time few remained."
- Diary of the 1st Newfoundland Regiment, July 1st, 1916

Autumn By Design

Fog Bound in Saint-Pierre

During a weekend visit to Saint-Pierre et Miquelon, I searched for the ubiquitous Saint Pierre dory, a big Banks dory with a high bow and stern. These boats are quite sturdy to withstand the angry seas of the North Atlantic but they also show a certain utilitarian elegance. Unlike the 1980's these colorful boats have now been replaced with modern aluminum boats with their outboard motors. I did find four of the old dories but I am saddened that these French islands are slowly losing their European charm.

Lighthouse - St. Pierre

When entering the harbour of St. Pierre, one can see the distinctive landmark of Saint-Pierre, the Pointe aux Cannons Lighthouse, located on a long jetty. In the background can be seen the historic buildings of Ils aux Marins - Isle of the Fishermen.

The Dory

The Newfoundland dory is a flat-bottomed boat with flaring sides and a small stern. They were rowed but, in spite of the fact that they had no keel, they could also be sailed.

From "The Squid Jiggin' Ground" - "There's a red ranting Tory out here in a dory, / A-runnin' down Squires on the Squid Jiggin' Ground".

Cape Pine Lighthouse on a Sunny Day

Finally! I photographed the historic Cape Pine lighthouse on a sunny day! Last summer the tower was cocooned in a plastic sheets during sand blasting and on subsequent visits it was encased in a blanket of fog. Today, I was again enchanted by the lonely beauty of this landscape.

Early Morning on Change Islands

Red Fishing Stage in Durrell

"A fishing stage is a wooden vernacular building, typical of the rough traditional buildings associated with the cod fishery in Newfoundland, Canada. Stages are located at the water's edge or "landwash", and consist of an elevated platform on the shore with working tables and sheds at which fish are landed and processed for salting and drying. Traditionally, they are painted with a red ochre paint, though colours other than red are sometimes seen."

- Wikipedia

Ferryland Lighthouse 2007

The circular tower of Ferryland lighthouse is constructed of brick and clad in an outside sheathing of steel to guard against fire and the hazards of winter ice storms. The main tower and adjoining lightkeepers house were built in 1871. The light is now automated and the once empty and decaying house has been renovated by local entrepreneurs and now serves as a teahouse for lighthouse picnics.

Cape Pine Lighthouse in the Fog

Cape Pine is the southern most light station in Newfoundland. It was constructed in 1850 and is the fourth oldest lighthouse in the province standing 350 feet above sea level. The lighttower is a sixty-five foot cast iron structure designed by well-known British building designer, Alexander Gordon.

I have visited this station on two occasions. On my first vist the lighthouse was enclosed in plastic sheeting for sandblasting and on this occasion,the lighthouse was obscured by fog. I could barely see the top of the tower. By setting my camera for maximum contrast and brightening the foreground shadows, I was able to get this surrealistic vision of the lighthouse.

Osprey ( Fish Hawk )

The osprey or fish hawk is a common summer resident around Newfoundland coasts. It is frequently seen fishing in the ocean, large rivers, lakes and ponds. Hovering high above the water, the osprey will drop 100-200 feet and catch its prey in it's razor sharp talons. The osprey's diet consists mainly of fish such as small flounder, tomcod, trout and salmon. I spotted this osprey near it's nest on the road to the ferry on Change Island.

A Long Long Time Ago on Change Island

The old house, grey and cold, stands alone amid the the warm colored grass and summer flowers. Happy faces and quiet footsteps are only a memory now.

Going Nowhere

"TODAY I will let the old boat stand
Where the sweep of the harbor tide comes in
To the pulse of a far, deep-steady sway.
I will rest and dream"

- Waiting - Carl Sandburg (1878–1967)

Before the Storm

Newfoundland weather can change very quickly. These brooding storm clouds soon changed day into night accompanied by gale force winds and lightning.

Postcard of Change Island

"Change Islands still retains the "look and feel" of the last century and still maintains a fishing tradition. The house styles and the lifestyles here are from another time. White painted, narrow clapboarded homes sit in well-kept green gardens facing the main tickle or the open sea. Fishing stages and stores, painted in the traditional red ochre colour line the shore. Small boats traverse the many harbours, tickles and coves. There's even a general store where you can buy the makings for a picnic that can be enjoyed at an abandoned fishing hamlet at nearby Puncheon Cove."

- from the Town of Change Islands Website
http://www.changeislands.ca/home.htm

United Church - Change Islands - Est. 1896

"Three men who put in so much time at the work of the church were not privileged to worship at very many services. The first to be called away was Eli Diamond, who died in June, 1897 and was buried from the South Side School by the Rev. Wm. Harris. Jonathan Bursey was the second to go. He died in February, 1898. His was the first funeral service to be held in the new church, being conducted by Rev. A. J. Holmes. The third man, Frank Ginn, who was shot off the White Islands in search of seals on the 4th of April, 1898, only living a few hours after the accident. It was a sad day for Change Islands. In him the church lost one of her staunch supporters. The funeral was very largely attended, the church being almost filled to capacity with over six hundred persons inside the doors that eve."

- Short History, Change Islands Church, 1897-1947".

Iceberg and Debris Field - Twillingate

The non-uniform melting of an iceberg can cause a shift in equilibrium making the iceberg very unstable so that it can roll over without any warning. While I was photographing the nearby lighthouse a loud cracking and thunderous bang broke the evening silence but I was too late to photograph the breakup. Seconds earlier this iceberg was a single irregular berg that was now in three pieces surrounded by a debris field.

Abandoned Church - Gander Bay

This old church seems to have been neglected for some time as evidenced by the pronounced crook in its steeple.

Change Island Fishing Room

In 1867, a fisherman by the name of Joseph Elliot was sitting in St. James Church on Change Island pondering the New Testament story of the miraculous catch of fish and conceived the idea of the Newfoundland cod trap....so the story goes! That same cod trap was used with some modification by Newfoundland fishermen until the cod fishery closed in the mid-1990's.

Long Point Lighthouse - Twillingate

This lighthouse is unique among Canadian lighthouse designs - the all red tower rises from a square base and then angles inward towards the upper lip which forms twenty four facets. The lantern also, with its triangular glass panels, repeats this geometrical complexity. The light keeper's house is a fine example of 19th century Newfoundland - Irish architecture and is connected to the light tower by a covered walkway which extends to the fog alarm building. In spring this light station is a ready observation deck for the march of icebergs calved from Greenland's glaciers.

Ship Wreck at Fredrickton

I have finally identified this derelict ship beached near the old wharf in Fredrickton, Newfoundland.

On January 9,1960, the Ahern Trader ran aground during a winter storm after off loading a load of hay for a local business in Gander Bay. After leaving the Wharf in Fredrickton ,the captain in spite of dropping the anchor was unable to keep the ship off the rocks. The crew were able to abandon ship with the help of local fishermen and further attempts to free the ship were unsuccessful.

Dan Greene's Stable - Tilting

In Tilting, the purpose of an outbuilding could change depending on circumstances : a fish and carpentry store could later be used as a stable. Dan Greene's shed was used for wood storage as well as a stable.

Fishing Premises - Joe Batts Arm

The origin of the name Joe Batt's Arm is shrouded in mistery but local legend has it that this outport is named for a deserter of Captain James Cook's crew who jumped ship while it was anchored here in 1736.

Church - Our Lady of the Snows - Fogo

This historic Roman Catholic church in Fogo was built in 1887. To the left one can see the oldest one room school in Newfoundland ( 1888 ). Both buildings look much as they did a century ago. The schoolhouse still has its old texts and desks, a potbelly stove, an old style organ and other period furnishings.

Keefe's Stage - Tilting

The most prominent out buildings in Tilting are the fishing rooms. Fishing premises with their stores, stages and flakes were an important part of the fisherman's property. Allan Keefe's stage, built in 1943 is probably the most identifiable and most photographed fishing stage in Newfoundland. Because of its support on a large flat surfaced rock, it needed very little wood for the foundation. Over time, the west wall has acquired a pronounced slope among other deformities.