Thanks for the Memories!

It’s been a full year since our visit to Labrador, and I find as I sit here writing this and looking over our many pictures, a longing to return. As we now live in Alberta, our trips home are few and far between, and when we do go, our plans revolve around family more than tourism. Our decision to travel to Labrador last year for part of our summer holiday was based entirely on the fact that we have family there. Naturally the thought of traveling to somewhere new is exciting and we were all looking forward to that, but we were totally unprepared for the Labrador that we discovered.

We set out from Loon Bay early that morning with my husband’s parents, meeting up with my parents 3 hours later in Deer Lake. My dad’s family also hails from Labrador and as he hadn’t been there for 50 years, this trip was one of great anticipation for him also. From there our little caravan drove to St. Barbe to catch the ferry to Blanc Sablon, and then onward for another 2 hours to our destination - Lodge Bay. Waiting (anxiously!) to welcome us with a pot of homemade soup and lassie buns was my sister-in-law Jane (Pye) and her daughter Holly. Jane has lived in Lodge Bay for 28 years, it has always been home for her husband Howard. Being longtime residents of Labrador meant they were able to take us to places and show us things that we wouldn’t otherwise have had an opportunity to see. And their hospitality was second to none! Along with a big meal every night that included such things as salt water duck, smoked salmon, crab legs and jigs dinner, followed by a boisterous game of cards, our trip also included a day visit to Battle Harbour and an overnight visit to Carroll’s Cove.

Battle Harbour is a restored fishing settlement on the very edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Only accessible by water, ferry service is available daily from Mary’s Harbour, a five-minute drive from Lodge Bay. We however, chose the smaller, more personal, (and more fun as it turned out) form of travel - Howard’s boat. This also allowed us to do a little sightseeing of the rugged Labrador coastline along the way. Waiting to greet us upon our arrival were three resident husky puppies, apparently there just to make us feel welcome and be our personal tour guides for the day. One of our first stops on this cool, misty day was the general store, where we were able to warm up by the wood stove as well as look through the shipping logs of 1938. It was here I discovered the name of my great-grandfather Elijah Stone. Next stop was the dining hall, located directly above the general store where we joined several other tourists for a wonderful lunch of pea soup and fresh rolls, muffins and cake, and tea and coffee. Yes, we did eat well on this trip! The remainder of our afternoon was spent going back in time as we walked through the beautifully restored buildings, soaking up the history and getting some idea of what life must have been like ‘way back when.’ I was in awe of it all but the one building that impressed me most was the Battle Harbour Inn. It sits magnificently upon a hill with nothing behind it but ocean as far as the eye can see. Each room has been beautifully furnished with antique furniture, quilts and lace curtains. I am hopeful that we will get the chance to return for an overnight trip and stay in one of these rooms.

Late that afternoon we headed out from Battle Harbour by boat once again on the rough Atlantic Ocean for our next destination - Carroll’s Cove. This was the summer home for Jane and Howard before the moratorium but now like many communities in Labrador, is uninhabited. The former residents visit occasionally but on that day, we were the only occupants. I can’t say that I’ve ever encountered that kind of quiet and it was wonderful. The only sounds were the ocean slapping up against the rocks and some seals playing in the cove. The meal that night was (appropriately) fish and brewis cooked out on the deck. And breakfast the next morning? Fish and brewis, of course! And it was delicious. The boat ride to the cove the previous day was fairly rough (heart-stopping for me at times actually) but the trip that day was heart-stoppingly beautiful. The sun was warm and the water was calm as we made our way back to Lodge Bay. As we were heading out of the cove, we were greeted by a whale coming up just long enough to leave me tongue tied. Pictures, you say? I couldn’t get the words out, let alone find the camera. Also popping by to say hello were perhaps 20 dolphins, seemingly playing with us as they raced alongside the boat. Continuing on to Lodge, we passed by an old whaling station and some pretty impressive landmarks, such as Ugly Gulch, as well as the communities of Camp Islands, Indian Cove and Cape Charles, the latter being the home of my great-grandfather, Samuel Pye.

Our week to Labrador was very full and as you can imagine, went very fast. Along with all of the touring around and Jane’s insistence that we sample every traditional dish, we were also treated to a steady steam of visitors and friends who popped in for a meal, a game of cards or just a cup of tea. And to round out the week in typical Labrador style, Jane and I packed a picnic basket (it was more like a trunk), and we all headed down the highway for a ‘mug-up,’ a feast of beans and bacon, a cup of tea, homemade bread and lassie buns. For some unexplainable reason, a cup of tea and slice of homemade bread just tastes better that way. I’m sure the fresh air has something to do with it, but one might say it is ‘steeped’ in tradition.

Our holiday was over in the blink of an eye really but we have been left with some pretty wonderful memories. Thank you, Jane and Howard, I hope you know what you’ve done – we do plan on coming back!   Submitted By: NULL