Well, we’re not experts yet, but this weekend we hosted our first Screech-In, and MC Joe Friday did a great job, if I do say so myself! Shauna and Geoff from Kingston were our first targets, followed by Ron and Sheryl from Toronto (apologies for the blurry photos – I’m still getting the hang of taking shots is low light!).
Screech-Ins are of course a Newfoundland tradition that, if completed by Mainlanders (by, among other things, downing Screech and Newfoundland ‘steak’ and kissing a cod or cod-like substitute), confers upon them unofficial Newfoundlander status. It’s a rite of passage for any intrepid traveller to the island, and we were more than happy to share it with our guests (and Murphy, who wanted in on the action!). It was a lot of fun, and we’ll be doing another for guests later this week – who asked if they could pay for it, but that’s hardly the Ocean Delight way!
Joe Friday, usually loathe to be the centre of attention, loves his new post as Master of Ceremonies!
Geoff is now branded a Newfoundlander for life – gotta love it!
Sunday Church Blogging: Name That Church!
I’m running out of pictures of churches I can place – before I was blogging, I just took pictures without paying attention to names and denominations, so I’m turning to you, trusted reader, to help me out! A few years ago I was driving home from Twillingate, somewhere on Route 340 I guess, and had to stop to get pictures of this eerie but still beautiful abandoned church. So locals, or those who just love it up there, help me out! Do you have any idea the name of this church or its history? I’d love to know!
And if you need help placing it, this is it’s setting. What a beautiful spot!
Nostalgic Boats
I love little boats in the harbour – nostalgia, I guess. Yesterday I was in Green’s Harbour and had to get these shots. The setting was picture perfect, although I wasn’t close enough to get that perfect shot. Still cute though!
Little boats for a little post!
Golfers’ Delight
I’m not a golfer, but I know beauty when I see it – and Whiteway’s own Pitcher’s Pond Golf more than hits the mark. I’d say I enjoy myself just sitting on the clubhouse deck and people-watching as much as I would if I were hitting the greens! That’s why we’re excited to be teaming up with Pitcher’s to offer a fall package deal – details soon!
More Molly?
Our golden retriever, Murphy, has become quite the hit at the cottages (or at least we think so), and has become a resident feature on this blog. He’s so loveable and now, as we play with him in the ocean each night, it’s hard to write about daily life in the Wonderful World of Whiteway without including him. Plus, there’s lots of dog lovers out there on ‘the net.’
So what about Molly, our Devon Rex? Technically, she’s now Joe Friday’s Devon Rex, living with him in his new, nearby cabin. But she is the ultimate faerie cat, charming and elusive, a great little mascot in her own way for all that is mysterious about this unique part of the island. So what say you? Would you like to see more Molly on this blog? Please let me know in the comments!
Gull Appreciation Day
Gulls are not the most beloved of birds, and in the city after they’ve gone through your trash creating a big mess, I’ve been known to curse them, too. But when you’re out the water with them (like I am as much as possible in my Boston schooner, the A Wake at Last), and you get to see them soaring over the waves, wings outstretched, you really start to build an appreciation for their own inherent glory. And unlike a lot of the seasonal birds that we all love to love (hey, we even named our Heart’s Delight cottages after some of them), gulls tough it out with us, summer and winter, through all weather, sometimes solitary, sometimes in groups, always dancing on the wind and playing in the waves. They’re tough, just like Newfoundlanders!
Tuesdays with Murphy: Statue Proposal
Why anyone would chose to leave the Wonderful World of Whiteway I don’t know, but Jerry and The Berry sometimes make trips to St. John’s to take care of ‘business’ (doing their business seems to mean something different to them than it does to me!). They’re often talking about their downtown hideaway, which I guess guests can rent, just like they do the cottages. And supposedly downtown there’s some bronze dog statues in beautiful Harbourside Park (all hearsay to me).
Anyway, if these dogs are immortalized in St. John’s, then maybe it’s time Whiteway makes a similar landmark. I think I cut a fine figure – here’s my pose. Any sculptors out there looking for a new job?
Food Fishery Finished
These past few weeks of the recreational food fishery, which ended yesterday, have been quite the experience! I went from not having fished in 20 years, to fishing nearly every day. We caught so much cod and were able to give so much away to our friends and guests., truly proving that tis more blessed to give than receive – especially when we received so much from the bounty of the sea. Here’s looking forward to September, when we’ll be able to fish again!
We enjoyed our last day by having out The Berry’s son, Adrian, out for his first time fishing. And to thank Alf and Hilda, our guardian neighbours who did so much to help us with the boat, with taking us out in their’s, and with giving so much of their extra fish, we took them out to The Klondike Steakhouse in Bay Roberts. What an amazing 15 days to celebrate!
Sunday Church Blogging: United Church in La Scie
I’ve been so excited about the food fishery and to have the A Wake at Last operational and at the service of our guests that I’ve been neglecting Sunday Church Blogging – but no more! Here’s Zion United Church in La Scie, part of the the most easterly conference of the United Church of Canada, and one of 5 churches in that community.
La Scie is a beautiful community on the Baie Verte Peninsula, with a long history with both the Basque and the French. ‘La Scie’ means ‘saw’ in French and refers to the jagged – and stunning – cliffs surrounding the area. I keep saying it – Newfoundland is a day trippers’ paradise (and Ocean Delight a great starting off point for those day trips!)
Hidden City
A recent article in USA Today Travel calls Newfoundland a “rugged, remote, and yes, strange land,” and that’s so true. Even when you’re at the height of our biggest city – this picture was taken at famous Signal Hill – you can feel like you’re all alone, an explorer in a new world. And then maybe the fog will lift, and you’ll see that you’re actually in a pretty place filled with friendly people – these two pictures were taken on the same day!
And just as a friendly reminder, along with our outside-the-overpass cottages, we also have a Downtown Hideaway for rent, conveniently located near all the hotspots of historic St. John’s, if you’re planning on spending a few days in that old, beautiful city. We’re very proud to be able to offer our guests the best of all that Newfoundland can offer – city and country!
