As much as I am a reformed townie and have jumped into life out here in the Wonderful World of Whiteway, my lack of marine experience can make me stand out like a sore thumb amongst all these experienced seamen. I couldn’t make the A Wake at Last functional without lots of help, and have even been stranded two miles out to sea in her – we had to get a tow from Alf that day. So it was nice to be able to return the favour, by pulling in some people who had been fishing and had their engine break. It felt good to finally be needed and able to help!
A Wake at Last
Yesterday was a good – make that great – day in the Wonderful World of Whiteway – and one that I was afraid wouldn’t happen for us. It was the official kick-off of 10 more days of the food fishery (where individuals are allowed a small quota of fish each day) and boat troubles that have been plaguing us for the past several weeks made me worried we wouldn’t be able to go out and enjoy it.
But with a great thanks to Alf and Randy Peddle, we converted the boat from two Johnson motors to one 225 HP Yamaha! It was a challenging job made harder by the fact that shaft was 4 inches too short. We had to put an extension on the back of the boat at Woodman’s Welding shop in New Harbour. Craig Newhook and Sam Pitcher are experts and made the bracket in record time – which is just about how much time we had!
So we were able to join our neighbours and all the little boats of Newfoundland that took to the water …. and I caught the first fish – take that, Berry!
And the Fish Go On
The days of the recreational fishery here in Newfoundland are numbered, so I’m out on the water every chance I get. You may remember LeighAnne and BJ – they were our first guests to have a testimonial featured on this blog. And they came to the cottages to celebrate their 5 year anniversary, so they had to get a turn on the A Wake at Last – that’s BJ above with his bounty.
We’ve also had out a couple from England – Dr Philip Knights is a man of the cloth, which may have helped us fill our quota in under an hour!
The One That Never Got Away
Here’s our friend, brilliant artist and consummate Newfoundlander, Clifford George, and his over-the-top catch. Talk about photogenic (Clifford, not the fish!).
Loads of Cod
Of course, you can’t separate Newfoundland – our history, our identity, our triumphs and struggles – from the cod fishery. And somehow, despite – or because of – everything, cod is in our bones – and now, thanks to the current recreational fishery, on our plates and the plates of our guests every supper! For a few weeks now in the summer, and later in September, residents and non-residents alike are allowed to catch up to 5 fish a day, and we’re all taking advantage! The fishing’s good and easy, the fish are fresh and tasty, and I have an excuse to be out on the A Wake at Last every day – as if I needed one!
Happy Anniversaries
Laurelyn and I fell in love with our cottages over a romantic weekend, so we know how special this place can be to couples looking to get away. So we’re thrilled when other couples get to experience what we did, and we’ve had lots of couples celebrating anniversaries. Here’s Katie and Sean Kelly from Burlington, celebrating their first. Beyond the fresh fish all our guests are getting upon arrival now that we’re in the middle of the recreational fishery, we also had a bottle of Joe Friday’s wine waiting for them. And of course, they got a trip out to the bay! They ended the night with a fire and a sunset. Sounds like a good anniversary if ever there were one!
Double Your Fun
I can’t help it – I love being on the A Wake at Last and I love sharing the experience with our guests, so somedays I’m out on the ocean twice. Like this day – first, we had out Don Migel from Calgary, who was so excited about catching his quota of big fish he was liable to try walking back home from Shag Rock!
Then we took out part of a young family, Michael and Erin, with their dad, Roger. They each caught fish, even in the rough water. Put me in mind of of similar experiences with my own children when they were young, for which I am forever grateful. 
Sea Creature Spectrum
There’s nothing more beautiful and awe-inspiring than a whale (common around here now), especially seeing one on a calm, summer evening in the company of dear friends. It makes you appreciate the bounty of nature and the wonder of the seas.
And there’s nothing uglier than a sculpin, especially one staring up at you from a cooler after you’ve reeled it in. We used to catch them in Torbay but I hadn’t seen one in 50 years. It makes you appreciate the bounty of nature and the wonder of the seas!
The Fisherwomen of WWW
I was thrilled yesterday to be able to talk The Berry out of a few hours of work (no easy feat!) and get her to join me, Alf and his wife, Hilda, out on the water. The weather was great, the fishing better, the company the best! It was real fun. But …… the women kicked our butts!
Oh well. I guess what they didn’t realize is we let them catch the biggest fish so that they would want to come out with us again! It’s always nice to have women aboard! 
Fillet Like A Pro
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZUA47YzPv4&feature=plcp]
That’s the way you do it! Here’s Alf, filleting a fresh catch for our guests. He’s not even trying to go fast!