Last summer's trip to Newfoundland for another wedding. Took my husband, our grandchildren and myself to different parts of the island we had never seen before. The wedding was in Burlington and the reception was in Middle Cove. Middle Cove has a beautiful beach and we took the grandchildren down to run off energy after the supper. We also drove up to Fleur de Lys and spent two nights in Baie Verte. On the way back to Burgoynes Cove we sidetracked and took the road to Kings Point Pottery. They told us there to go down the road a little and we would see a humpback whale skeleton. At that establishment we were told to go to Rattling Brook, which was great exercise climbing to the top to see the falls. However, the most beautiful new spot we got to spend time in was the resettled community of Pope's Harbour.
The newlywed's Andrew and Heidi Sceviour drove back to Clifton, Andrew's hometown after their wedding in Burlington. Andrew's grandfather and grandmother were moved out of Pope's Harbour when Andrew's father was three. Uncle George Pippy had offered to take them on a day trip to Pope's Harbour before their holiday ended and they had to return to Fort McMurray. As the boat held 12, we were invited along with our two grandchildren from Kelowna, B.C. Cal and Jackie Sceviour, Andrew's mother and father, also came. Uncle George told us how his family were moved out in 1964.
As we approached the community we could see many cabins all built in a semi-circle around the harbour. A salmon river cuts the community right in half. George has a lovely cabin on the water's edge. Once the community was being rebuilt all the cabin owners agreed that all they needed now was a church. George said, "Well you all get together and help me build it and l will saw all the logs for lumber." The church was put up in the year 2006. Once off of the boat we all walked up to see where it sits on the highest point of land. On the inside wall of the porch is a plaque naming all the former residents of the community. The church was beautiful inside and the first service was held in 2007. In August of the same year Baxter Manuals and Debbie Howard were the first to be married there. A year later Collie Fitsgerald, grand-daughter of former member of Parliment John Efford, was christened there. Her parents, Jackie and Wayne Fitsgerald, thought the church would be a special place for this ceremony.
We all then walked over to the bridge that crosses the salmon river. Several other residents were out hiking the trails and enjoying the beautiful sunny day. Andrew talked about how much it meant to him to be able to come back to his family's former community with his wife and daughter.
After a lunch George took some of us in a smaller boat all around the harbour to see the other cabins, and a cross that someone placed way atop the hill across the harbour. John Efford just happened to be in the harbour at the time so George stopped for a chat. We reluctantly boarded the boat to go home in the afternoon. As the boat headed home Uncle George told stories, we spotted whales and some of the grandchildren grew sleepy and nodded off.   Submitted By: Jean Way