Author: oceandelight

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Bogged Down

Since I rarely get the chance to use our ATV these days, I leave it at our Heart’s Delight cottages for guests to use to explore the back country (lots of it out this way). Many have enjoyed it. The most recent, maybe a bit too much – leading to another Ocean Delight adventure (I’m ALMOST getting too old for this!)

So the last person to use the ATV was Sean, visiting from Ontario. He went exploring after a night of heavy rain, and it wasn’t long before the bogs of Newfoundland wrapped themselves around the young man and held on tight.

Sean was alright of course, but what about the ATV? She had to be rescued from her muddy grave, so Sean’s Dad, Wayne, and his relative, Neville, set out with me, Murphy, and some ropes to do the job. We saved the day, and it if it looks like we’re having fun, it’s because we were – boys will be boys! Of course, we never would have managed if Murphy wasn’t there to supervise and bark out orders!

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The Wind!

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Here’s a first for Jerry by the Sea – I’m letting our guest, Chuck take the wheel. That’s because he sent me a video of yesterday’s storm, with a caption attached …. and I think he sums up what it was like better than I do! Chucks’s an engineer turned dentist, with obviously a whole lot of writer in him.

Anyway, enough from me – I hope you all weathered the storm, and here’s Chuck’s email (with a big thanks!):

“Surf is up!  Leslie has turned into just a lot of wind, but it is atomizing the tops of the white caps and sending sheets of salt spray racing across the bay at speeds of 60-70 mph.  The noise is not deafening, but it is like the alternating sounds of a banshee and the moaning whine of a flock of jet planes at treetop level, but not directly overhead.  I tried to step out on the porch to take a photo, got my shot after some wrestling with the railing.  When I grabbed the door knob to come back in, realized I had been blown to the next cabin downwind.  By getting down low and clawing my way back, grabbing fists full of grassy clumps, I did return to our cabin.  Not sure the photo was worth it; it would be so much more meaningful if you could experience it in person.  I will send this and you can be the judge…”

So now you be the judge – Chuck could do his own blog, couldn’t he!

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Tuesdays with Murphy: Murphy Babysits

This young lad enjoying a dip in the Atlantic Ocean is Phoenix, a very frisky four-legged who owns Jerry’s niece, Robin – he brought Robin here last week thinking she’d like to spend a night around the bay with her parents (I think he was right!). Only 3 months old, Phoenix was full of energy (almost too much)- thankfully, I am renowned for my patience and was able to babysit him all day.

And it’s a good thing I took him under my wing, too. At one point, brazenly trying to follow me on my walk around the cliffs of Whiteway, he wandered too close to the edge (as all young things are wont to do) and fell over. Thankfully I was there to show him the way back to safety – and he never left my side the rest of the visit.

So, I gave him a swimming lesson, and he took to the water like a natural – maybe not up to my retriever standards, but I’m sure much more so then that Mabel. Anyway, I was happy to show Phoenix the Whiteway ropes and I hope he’ll come back soon to play with me again – every puppy needs a mentor, and I think I’m just the one.

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Kayaking in Trinity Bay

We had two kayakers stay with us last week – Art and Don, both engineers, both from St. John’s. And they’re both my age or older, but you’d never think that looking at them – making me wonder if I should take up this sport! Anyway, they told us that this is a great place for kayaking – you can even go right through Shag Rock.

The Berry and I are thinking about getting canoes and kayaks to rent for next summer. Obviously I’ll let you know if we do!

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Newfoundland Talent

I’ll never cease to be amazed at the creative output that exists on this little island – how can so small a group of people have this seemingly endless supply of world-class artists? Even just here in our little community, the Wonderful World of Whiteway could be renamed the Wonderful World of Artists.

So I’m a little late with this post (who else is time flying by for? I meant to do this blog post last weekend!), but I was introduced to yet another extraordinary talent, Amelia Curran, at a concert in Cupids. She is a female Leonard Cohen – her lyrics are from heaven and hell, and she stunned me with her creative brilliance and wordplay.

The venue was the New World Theatre, so we got to enjoy the show outside under canvas roots that rattled with the winds. It was completely natural (no sound systems) and completely divine. Anyway, Amelia is currently touring in Ireland, but she’ll be back on the rock in October, and I highly recommend taking in her (indoors!) concert if you can!

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We Stand on Guard

Examine this picture closely – it’s not just a shot of Shag Rock. If you notice to the left of it, there’s what looks like smoke rising out of the water. And that’s just what our guest, Tim, saw on Thursday night while having a BBQ on the deck of The Blueberry, which overlooks Trinity Bay. Confirming it with binoculars, he realized a long liner was on fire.

Tim called me, I called Guardian Angel Alf, Alf called Clifford George (and told me to call the fire department). Alf and Clifford raced for Clifford’s boat to afford a rescue, if possible.

In minutes the smoke had turned to flame – from the shore we could see the inferno with our naked eyes. In no time, there were other boats coming from other closer communities, too. That’s what we do in Newfoundland – we can always rely on our neighbours in an emergency.

Alf and Clifford were second at the scene. They talked to the Skipper, who luckily (or by Divine Intervention) was towing a boat behind him (a standard safety precaution). He and the first mate (the only two people on board) barely had time to get in it before the flames completely overwhelmed their boat.

The fire started in the engine room, and the small crew only had time to get out one May Day before they were forced to abandon ship. The captain had to sit and watch his boat burn to the water’s edge.

Clifford came home and couldn’t get the scene out of his mind – so, as he is wont to do, he painted what he had seen to get some peace. He then brought the painting over to Alf as a memento of the near-tragic event.

Thank God no one was hurt. It makes us appreciate our view of the ocean even more – it allows us to take notice of what’s actually going on out there. And thankfully our guests can’t keep their eyes off it like we can’t. Since no one was injured, the story was just a little one on the news, but you can tell from Cliff’s picture below that it was a harrowing, unforgettable night for all involved. 

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Shags of Shag Rock

I talk lots about Shag Rock, the behemoth sprouting out of the ocean, visible at our Whiteway location. And if you’re not from the area, the name might throw you a bit. But get your mind out of the gutter! ‘Shag’ is not only a euphemism for that …. it also refers to the cormorants, or, ‘shags,’ that make this rock their home. And there’s lots of them – and thanks to the A Wake at Last (or, in the more likely event that she’s acting up, thanks to Alf!), this year I got to see them up close and personal. One more natural wonder to chalk up to the Wonderful World of Whiteway!

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Oh Sunny, Don’t Go Away

You can consider yourself an official Jerry by the Sea fan if you remember my first post about Sunny the Goat, way back in February. Sunny lives a happy life with Clifford and Shirley George, and must love this summer we’ve been having – all these sunny days, just like her namesake. She’s a cutie if ever there were one, and when Allison, the Georges’ daughter, sent me these shots, I knew I had to share them on my blog!Non-Newfoundlanders may not get the title of this post, a reference to one of the greatest songs by one of (if not the) greatest Newfoundland musicians, Ron Hynes. I got to see him perform live once, and it was so good it was almost life-changing – please take the opportunity if you ever get it. We learned this summer that Ron Hynes is battling throat cancer, so please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

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Family Brunch (and Then Some!)

What a soul-lifting treat last weekend turned out to be. This table was set for a sunny brunch. The setting was perfect, and our company even more so – so much so, in fact, that ‘brunch’ turned into lingering over drinks and coffee and conversation all afternoon (while I should have been working!), and then a salmon barbque for supper while we watched the sunset and enjoyed drinks long into the night. In fact, I think this ‘brunch’ turned out to be over 12 hours long!The reason we lingered so long was the company. Now, when we have guests stay with us at the cottages, for all intents and purposes they become my ‘family’ while they’re here, and I try to treat them as such. So when the guests are actual family, well, you know how that goes! Of course Joe Friday’s my brother and he’s always here, but added to the mix were our niece Lisa, and her friend, Bill (dubbed The Most Handsome Man on the Planet), and our sister Maureen and her husband Pat.

It was a great night. We all stayed up past our bedtimes, and by the end of night were all noisily arguing politics – that’s almost the law when you’re part of a big Irish Catholic family! Of course, I have to make sure that I’m the on the opposing side of everyone else – I love the challenge! Our parents would have been proud!Overall, it was the perfect day, followed by the perfect evening, followed by the perfect night, with perfect company! Thanks, guys, for coming and spending the weekend with us!

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Tuesdays with Murphy: No Kiss, No Tell

Meet Belle, like I got to last week, when she brought her people Shona and Jonny to visit us here in the Wonderful World of Whiteway. It was lots of fun playing with her, despite a considerable age difference (since you should never reveal a lady’s age, lets just say she could be my mother!). In fact, Belle is the perfect example to any human readers of how young a little love and a little exercise can keep a dog (listen up, Jerry and The Berry!).

As you can see, gentleman that I am, I let her recuperate in my bed awhile. And that’s about all I’m willing to share on that subject – a gentleman would never kiss and tell, you know!