This summer The Herald has had the pleasure of meeting some incredible individuals who do some amazing things as they welcome come from aways and staycationers alike to their area of the province of NL. 

One thing has stood out: these men and women all had dreams and visions they’ve tenaciously – most against all odds – made reality. They saw what others couldn’t and went for it, proving that those who work in the tourism industry really are out of this world. 

Humber River Off Grid Tours ~ Humber River, NL

Ashley Hann is a treasure of a young woman. Passionate. Enthusiastic. Brilliant. Social. Compassionate. Strong. Hann is all those things and so much more. Her passion was evident even before we met. 

A scheduling fool up meant we were running late and Hann proved she was on pins and needles waiting for us to arrive when she tracked down my phone number and enthusiastically  asked; “How far away are ya now, girl? Are ya close?” Hann was waiting when we hauled up, not because she had business to attend to – her on the Humber River tent pods and her larger and more exotically luxurious glamping dom are pretty much serve yourself – but because she’s simply proud and excited to show off all she has to offer her guests. 

Show up with your grub, unzip, and enjoy, is pretty much all that needs to happen when you visit Hann’s little piece of heaven on earth, but Hann – along with her treasured Uncle Mel – are the real attractions at Humber River Off Grid Tours. Uncle Mel Cole, at 80, says that having Hann and her enthusiastic ways around “keeps him young.” 

Hann, who is actually Cole’s grand-niece, has lived on the property for over 20 years. While he owns both a business and a home in near-by Deer Lake, life on the river is so much more peaceful, he shared. 

“I’ve had this property about 50 years and I still loves it here. I came here salmon fishing when I was 17 and I always said if I ever found somewhere any nicer than where I’m too, that’s where I would go. But I didn’t. And I’m still here because I loves it here,” he said. 

So does Hann. What is it she loves about being on the Humber River? 

“Pretty much everything,” Hann opened with emotion. It’s easy to see why. Birds and goats and chickens literally eat right out of her hand, and she spends her time on the river just steps from her door. 

“I live here and I work here because my business runs out of here and I just absolutely love this place,” she said.  

Being outdoors is her happy place, she added. Growing up, she “lived and breathed sports,” she said. “I was always outdoorsy and always active, always on the go, game for anything. I done forestry in school and then of course when I came over here (with her Uncle) I started picking at the gardens and doing things like that just for something to do.” 

The vegetable garden Hann and Cole have on the property is amazing, and Hann often plucks the veggies right out of the ground for cook-ups on the Humber during her kayaking tours.  

She’s also started quite the strawberry garden. “I have a strawberry u-pick for next year for my guests. That’s three acres of strawberries, 10,000 plants I planted. So when it comes to outdoor stuff, I don’t stop. It’s nonstop,” she laughed.  

This is Hann’s fifth year in the tourism business. 

“You didn’t even think that anyone would come down this road yet it’s been booked solid for the past five years and just continues to grow.”

And they’ve hosted people from “all over.”  “People come from everywhere. It’s camping, only better. You get queen beds and all your dishes and your pots and pans and stuff like that. Same as camping, just that it’s fancier and a little bit different. You come here, you can camp, enjoy all the joys of camping without having to lug all your camping gear. Just bring food and water,” she said. 

There’s so much to enjoy. Remember, you’re off grid so there’s no cell service and no wifi, but that’s the attraction of the place and only adds to the magic of sleeping near the Humber River. 

There’s frogs and nature and beauty all around.  Hann’s is a place equally as enchanting for a romantic getaway with sunset swims or cuddles or for a family getaway – a place where a kid can be a kid and where life slows down for all. 

That’s what Hann loves about her tourism offerings. “Go back to the way things were. Enjoy each other,” she said. 

Of course Hann herself is busy as a beaver. From laundry and clean-up to tours and more, she’s got so much going on and she couldn’t be happier. A visit to Humber River Off Grid Tours “takes you back in time,”  she said.  “I feel like I’m sharing what I love and that feels great.”

Follow Humber River Off Grid Tours on Facebook and for more, subscribe to Hann’s YouTube channel, Adventures Off Grid

Smugglers Cove ~ Burin, NL

“For centuries, rogues, rascals, and renegades have found refuge here on the Coast of Legends,” the brochure for Smugglers Cove boasts intriguingly. There could be no better intro to this magical place that resembles the wild, wild west. 

Mike Brennan and Paddy Kavanaugh are the duo behind Smugglers and it’s all in memory of a friend, the late Tom Hollett who died in 2016. 

In Hollett’s honour, there’s Tom’s Roadhouse, “Where fellow rapscallions have a scoff and wet their whistle.” 

Chef and partner Clint Brewer is the king of the kitchen at Smugglers, and on the day we visit he delights us with halibut, a feed well worth the visit. But there’s so much to Smugglers. 

From special events and concerts to guided boat tours to Great Burin Island, Smugglers has a little something for everyone. Ever wished you could experience a sleepover a stone’s throw away from a frontier fantasy town? Well you can, in one of Smugglers cozy rustic but romantic (and practical) bunkhouses. The real draw, however, is the ‘town’ itself. Located on 1.7 hectares of land in Port-Au-Bras, the interactive ‘town’ of Smugglers Cove is a treasure built out of wood and sweat that has to be seen to be believed. While there, take a run into the town of Burin itself and visit more of Hollett’s Legacy left for others to enjoy. From  Hollett’s legendary Jiffy Cab Bug proudly on display as it welcomes all to Burin, to hiking trails, Brennan and Kavanaugh make sure ‘Tommy’s’ vision lives on. 

No one says it better than Brennan and the team in their own captivating way on their handout.

“Celebrating our notorious history, we tip our caps to those kindred spirits drawn to our shores. What calls the adventurous rebel home? Come and stay awhile – you’ll find out!” 

For more visit smugglerscoveburin.com

Jigs & Reels ~ Green’s Harbour

n the evening we visit, Natasha Hollett was happily greeting her guests  – which just happened to include Kellie Loder – with a smile. Passionate is one word that can be used to describe Hollett. Mom to two young boys aged six and eight, she has her hands full, but she doesn’t mind one bit. 

“People have always been a passion for me and I wanted to take a chance. When this came for sale, we jumped on it,” she said.

This Come Home summer has been good to them, she added. “Come Home has definitely been helping us bring people in. People are very excited to get home for the first time in several years. But summer usually brings people around anyway and we like to think there’s a lot of reasons to come here when they do.”

Jigs & Reels is beautiful. From the decor inside to the beautiful and inviting outside space, it’s a must visit location for sure. The food is good, the beer is cold, and the staff are friendly.  

The building was many things before becoming a spot to enjoy a meal and a beverage or to listen to some local entertainment. It was a sawmill for one thing, and then a gas bar and garage.    

Since owning Jigs & Reels, there’s been weddings and other events. The space holds 148 inside with an additional 100 who can enjoy the area on the beautiful back patio area. 

“We try to have entertainment regularly, like Friday and Saturdays. Typically, depending on what’s going on in the area, as we try not to compete too much if there’s something else on the go around,” she said.  

Hollett and her husband George are just getting ready to head home to the kids on the evening we visit. Still, the two busy themselves with whatever needs to be done. “We all do a little bit of everything. We come in and we just jump in and up whenever we can to help make our dream come true,” she said.

Not that every day is easy, they add.  “Taking over a business, it’s a lot of work, and there’s always something you can’t anticipate. But the locals are here for us and they support us and we appreciate that.”

We have to ask about the name Jigs & Reels. Any shout out to OZFM and Danielle Butt? “Absolutely. I mean, anytime Danielle wants to come here and host her show from here, come on out. It’ll be a fun time for sure and we’d love to have her,” Hollett says. 

From burgers to delight to nachos to rave about, Jigs & Reels is a special place run by some special people. Hollett smiles. “The staff here are the best and our customers are a blessing. The whole experience of owning a business has been amazing because it shows how good and supportive people are.”

For more, check out Jigs & Reels on Facebook

By The Sea Inn & Café ~ King’s Point

Krista and Corey Gillingham  are the proud owners/operators of By The Sea Inn & Café in beautiful King’s Point. With so much to do in the area – from hiking trails that lead to stunning waterfall views to shopping, dining and sightseeing – By The Sea is the perfect place to settle in for a few nights or longer and explore. 

This is the couple’s first year running this ultra-modern spectacular Inn and eatery with the most eye-catching view, though Krista worked there for over ten years before buying it. “It just started as a small, very tiny coffee shop and it kind of grew from there,” she said.

It was health issues that started the ball rolling, she added. Krista worked in the kitchen, but shoulder concerns meant she had to step back from kitchen duties and take more of a management-styled role. “That experience helped me be ready, I guess, so when this place was for sale, even though we are not related, it felt sort of like the business was staying in the family.”

While COVID had its challenges – including the loss of many of their scheduled bus tour stop overs – things have been good for the most part.   “That things are going back to what they were before COVID is wonderful for us and wonderful for the whole town,” she said.  

There’s a big sense of community pride throughout King’s Point. Even the garbage buckets are beautiful. With stores galore and incredible places to visit and enjoy, it’s a must see destination on any bucket list for sure. 

“The community as a whole and our town council does a great job and everybody in the town takes pride in what we have and what we’ve got. 

Everyone is constantly looking for new ways to improve what we have here.”

The food and the service is brilliant at By The Sea. “We do cater to a lot of locals when it comes to the menu but anyone who visits also loves to eat things like fish and chips and cod tongues,” she says. 

They have two seasons, she continued, the tourist season which runs from June till September, and their regular season, and both are important. The Inn – with one suite, The Eagle’s Landing, located in the main building with others next door, is a beautiful space to rest one’s head. And there’s more coming, Krista said proudly, as construction has begun on additional rooms.    

One bonus of a stay at the Inn is free breakfast in the dining area. “I find that a lot of people mention the food. People will say, ‘Who is the chef?’ And we always say that we don’t have chefs in our kitchen. We have cooks in our kitchen that were raised here in Newfoundland in a Newfoundland kitchen by Newfoundland mothers. We don’t have trained chefs in our kitchen, and here, salt is a seasoning, but the people in our kitchen were trained in life and there’s no better training than that, is there?”

For more visit bythesearesort.ca 

Roy’s Lighthouse Retreat ~ Catalina

Kristy Sweet has an interesting link to The Herald, she begins. “I was the baby of the year in 1980, and Suzanne Somers was on front cover. The Herald means something still to a lot of people, and having you here so you can tell our story means so much,” she said. 

There’s history here, Sweet continues. “Back years ago there were houses here, but they ended up towing them into town because they wanted people in the city to just make life easier for them I guess, but I can’t see wanting to leave here,” she said as her four-year-old daughter, Gracie Joe, played nearby on this picture perfect summer day. 

The setting couldn’t be more amazing. A lighthouse near the water in the beautiful town of Catalina with nothing around us but sea, sky and a stunningly inviting walking trail along the edge of the ocean.  Sweet appreciates the setting, and what the land around has to offer. 

“My grandmother is 89-years-old, my dad’s mother, and she’s out here every summer picking berries. My  grandma picks 20 gallons a year.”     

The reason why we are visiting on this day is to talk about Sweet’s late father, Roy Sweet. “My dad was a fisherman back years ago. He had two long liners, the Laura K and  the Laura K Two.” 

Laura was the name of Sweet’s great grandmother who lived on the now resettled Green Island. “When Dad wasn’t fishing he went into the woods in the wintertime to cut logs and then he opened up a sawmill and started selling logs,” she said, reflecting on old times.  

Sweet’s father’s grandmother’s father was a lighthouse keeper on Green Island: Joseph Sweet, and those old family stories captured Sweet’s imagination as a child and beyond. Her father also loved the family’s legacy and he always loved  lighthouses. 

Sweet’s dad passed away on March 15th, of 2020 and Sweet was crushed, she said. “He was my world. I just spent so much time with Dad, and I just wanted his memory to live on and this place here helps me. I come here everyday to the lighthouse and I remember him,” she shared. 

How this stunning lighthouse came to be is one incredible tale of a daughter’s vision fueled by love and devotion. 

With no formal plans, the work began on land Sweet’s father had purchased years before his death. Birchwood Construction helped Sweet’s dream become a reality and twins Terry and Perry Cullimore took over the inside finishing work. The end result is incredible. 

The response of those who stay at Roy’s Lighthouse Retreat has been incredible, she added. “It’s overwhelming. I love to see people come and enjoy this place I built in memory of my dad. Besides Gracie, this is my everything because it brings me closer to Dad and I know he would have loved it here,” she said. 

Watching the boats and the clouds  from the deck brings peace, she added.     Sweet also owns Gracie Joe’s Place, an 88-year-old family home in Catalina not far from Roy’s Lighthouse, but it’s here that she feels closest to her dad. 

“Dad is here. I can feel it. And I know he’s looking down feeling really happy with what we’ve done on this land in his memory.” 

For more visit Roy’s Lighthouse Retreat or Gracie Joe’s Place on social media and Airbnb. 

What better way to celebrate The Herald’s Valentine’s edition than with cupcakes!

Newfoundland and it’s celebrated at The Rooms

Newfoundland’s history with Giant Squid is etched in many minds throughout the province, especially when visiting The Rooms in St. John’s. 

The one on display was caught by fishermen in Hare Bay 40 years ago, but the first giant squid ever scientifically documented and photographed was discovered in Newfoundland in 1873 and articles describing encounters with these “hitherto mythical devilfish” go back quite a ways. 

‘How glorious’

On the day The Herald’s Managing Editor Pam Pardy visited The Rooms (on her 52nd birthday!) it was also the giant squid’s 40th. There were crafts – from caps to ink-art – and all hands, young and old, were eager to participate. Jason Sellars, the way-cool Art Educator with The Rooms, began by showing how to master Gyotaku, the traditional Japanese method of printing using fish – or in this case squid – a practice which dates back to the mid-1800s. The reason we’re sticking our hands all over a dead and gutted squid, dipping it in ink and putting it on a piece of paper? 

“We’re celebrating the 40th anniversary of the giant squid being in the Museum of Newfoundland Labrador and now being in The Rooms permanent collection. It’s on display here and has been one of the most popular exhibits we have. Kids don’t forget seeing it and adults love it, or they are kind of equal parts grossed out and thrilled at how glorious it is,” he opened with a laugh before covering his hands in black ink and dead squid bits.

‘Hands in’

Before trying my hand at the craft, I watch Daphne Rayner, visiting family  in NL from her Ontario home, create her dead fish masterpiece.

“This is great! I’m loving it! If it’s crafts, I love to be hands in,” she said.

Next it’s time to make a polar fleece squid hat! (The pattern is scaled down special for Herald readers. *Use Polar Fleece! It stretches and can fit any child or any adult with ease! Trust me!) 

“It’s a no-sew pattern, so it’s a great craft to do with kids, and this type of hat was really popular in the 90s when Polar Fleece was invented. I came up with this easy pattern so kids could leave The Rooms with a nice, warm fleece hat for the winter that looks like a giant squid,” he said.

Fun to be had

Crushed that you missed the giant squid celebrations? Don’t be! Besides the fact that Sellars and team re-created the squid hat pattern for Herald readers to do at home, there’s so much more fun to be had at The Rooms all year-round.  

“We have programs every week of the year, so check out our calendar and find out what’s on the go. There’s lots of Christmas programs and all kinds of things happening in the New Year as well,” he said.

Check out what’s on the go at The Rooms by visiting their Event Calendar at www.therooms.ca/events-calendar

The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), in partnership with Deacon Sports and Entertainment (DSE), announced Thursday that it is expanding to St. John’s, Newfoundland starting with the 2022 season. The addition of the Newfoundland Growlers Professional Basketball Club completes the third round of expansion since Canada’s only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball began play with six member clubs in 2019. It makes the CEBL the largest pro sports league in Canada with 10 teams in six provinces ranging from Newfoundland to British Columbia.

“St. John’s and the surrounding area is known to be an outstanding sports community with exceptional fan support, so we’re excited to bring the best pro basketball in Canada outside of the NBA to Newfoundland,” said Mike Morreale, commissioner and chief executive officer of the CEBL. “Dean MacDonald, Glenn Stanford, and the staff at Deacon Sports and Entertainment have an unparalleled passion for investing in the community through sports ownership and the Growlers Give program. With 75 percent of our team rosters comprised of Canadian players, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro sports league in the country. I’d like to thank Deacon Sports and Entertainment for stepping forward to support the development of Canadian basketball.”

A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL is the only Canadian-based global team sports brand, with games broadcast around the world, and across Canada on CBC. The CEBL season runs May through August, enabling the league to attract players with experience in the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, top NCAA programs, as well as from U SPORTS.

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“To have the opportunity to bring professional basketball of world class caliber to Newfoundland to play in front of our tremendous fans is extremely exciting,” said MacDonald, chair of Deacon Sports and Entertainment. “We’re eager to extend the success of our Newfoundland Growlers brand from hockey in the winter to a prestigious pro basketball league in the summer, delivering exceptional entertainment to our community year around. It is also an opportunity for people not only across Canada but beyond our borders to gain more exposure to St. John’s and all that we have to offer.”

DSE will expand the basketball seating capacity at the Field House at Memorial University to accommodate approximately 2,500 fans for the CEBL’s 10 regular season home games starting in May 2022. Deposits on tickets for priority seating for the 2022 season may be placed at www.GrowlersBasketball.ca. 

“This partnership with Deacon Sports and Entertainment is yet another example of how Memorial University demonstrates our commitment to communities, which is a theme in our new strategic plan, Transforming our Horizons,” said Dr. Vianne Timmons, O.C., president and vice-chancellor, Memorial University. “What better way to generate excitement on our St. John’s campus during the summer months than to host Newfoundland Growlers professional basketball at The Works.

“There are also enormous benefits to our students, including our varsity athletes. I’m thrilled to have the Growlers here, and I can’t wait for opening night!”

Along with a financial benefit, there will also be an opportunity for joint skills development sessions for Seahawks basketball players with the Growlers and potential work-terms for Memorial students with Deacon Sports and Entertainment.

The Newfoundland Growlers are the tenth CEBL franchise located across six provinces. Since launching prior to the 2019 season with teams located in Edmonton, Hamilton, Guelph, Niagara (St. Catharines), Saskatchewan (Saskatoon), and Fraser Valley (Abbotsford), the CEBL added a franchise in Ottawa in 2020, and is welcoming Scarborough, Montreal, and St. John’s starting in 2022.

DSE is the parent company of the Newfoundland Growlers (ECHL), which is affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Trois-Riviéres Lions (ECHL), affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens, and the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL), affiliate of the Minnesota Wild. DSE’s charitable arm, Growlers Give, has donated approximately $500,000 directly back into the community through partnerships with numerous community groups in Newfoundland.

The CEBL became the first pro sports league in Canada to return to play in 2020 after Covid-19 had shut down the sports world just four months earlier. The league was also the first pro sports league in Canada to play regular season games in front of live crowds when that became possible in July of 2021.

Additional information about the CEBL can be found at www.cebl.ca and by following the league on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok. Additional information about the Newfoundland Growlers is available at www.nlgrowlers.com.

While there’s much political debate to be had over the announcement made by Justin Trudeau and Premier Andrew Furey over the $5.2-Billion deal to get “Muskrat off our back,” I’ll leave that banter for others.

Good? Bad? A solid deal or a disaster dollar for dollar; whatever those who love to crunch the numbers to infinity and beyond come up with – often depending on what side of the political spectrum they stand – will be left by the wayside by me, at least for now.

BOONDOGGLES & BOTTOMS

It’s not that I don’t care about boondoggles and bottom lines. It’s just that, right now, I care more about other things; like actual bottoms.

The fact that Norway’s women’s beach handball team were fined for picking shorts over bikini bottoms just boggles my mind. Really, would it matter if the lot of them, or any athlete for that matter, wore matching moomoos? As long as hemlines don’t hinder performance, who cares? I’m raising a 13-year-old daughter who’s as confident wearing a bikini as she is donning 80s-styled high-waisted acid-washed mom jeans, and I don’t ever want that to change.

While she, like her mother (what comes by nature costs no money, folks) has ‘junk in the trunk’ she’s proud as a peacock to wear whatever in the heck she feels like wearing, and I’m delighted. Though, I admit that, as her mother, and with a sometimes skeptical granny residing occasionally in the basement below, I may view my kid with a more critical lens than I’d like to admit. Too short shorts? Too croppy of a crop top? From exposed muffin tops to behind-spillovers, it’s not always easy to zip my cakehole.

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A CRITICAL LENS

I’ve managed to bite my tongue for the most part, however, and have steered mostly clear of offering opinions that might be shaped more by stereotypical sexualized views others may hold or ones that might be considered body shaming. As I hauled the biggest pair of spanks I owned over my generous thighs and belly before yanking my figure-forgiving dress over my 51 year-old menopausal, two kid-birthed body in 30 degree-plus humidity temps before heading off to Confederation

Building for the Muskrat and then some announcement, I paused.

My hair, which I had curled moments before, fell flat in the hot, damp air. What wasn’t flat was my tummy as roundness rose in defiance of those damn choke off any potential yoga-breath spanks.

My arms, more suited for lugging lumber than lounging in a sleeveless, I covered with a jacket that also somewhat hid my heaving cleavage.

MAINSTREAM MEDIA

On my way, I dropped the youngsters off at Manuels River for a swim and I watched as they walked away. The thinnest and tallest, a figure I would have died for, covered her bathing suit in the biggest, baggiest sweatshirt I’ve ever seen. The most petite wore a demure one piece and biking shorts. My kid bounced away from the car with meat and muscle and legs built to not be knocked over in a tsunami exposed in her rather tiny yellow bikini.

B’ys oh b’ys. I wisely shut my mouth. As I stood in the lobby of Confederation Building a short time later and listened to the two men at the podium talk freeing us from Muskrat, I noticed that NTV’s Kelly-Anne Roberts was the only female reporter covering this event for mainstream media.

In heals and wearing a dress I coveted, and with her hair and makeup just so, she was not just pretty, she was prepared. Days before participating in the Regatta and hours after an exhausting practice row, she was every bit the professional. And then I spied Siobhan Coady in the crowd.

POWER POSE

As an award-winning businesswoman, as a former Minister of Natural Resources and federal MP, and now as Deputy Premier, I had no doubt that she had played a huge role in making this day a reality. Then I spied Lisa Dempster, who had started out in a party filled with men, surrounded by the hardworking and always re-electable Pam Parsons and newbies Krista Lynn Howell and Sarah Stoodley. Instantly, I wished I had brought my daughter and her gal pals along.

I asked the power posse of women to pose for our cameraman, and Coady proudly gathered her female colleagues and invited the premier to join them.
While there might be an ongoing debate over Muskrat and money, what wasn’t in question was that I was among a group of women who, no matter what they wore, or what size clothing they slipped into that morning, we’re pretty damn awesome and b’ys-oh-b’ys, let me tell you, there’s no debating that.

Managing Editor Pam Pardy can be reached at pghent@nfldherald.com

Sheila McCarthy’s heart was broken. As a grandmother, seeing her grandchildren happy is her number one priority, especially around their birthday. It crushed her when she learned that her grandson Keegan had his birthday gift stolen the night before his big day. The family had already paid for a brand new BMX bike, and with everything going on with the world, finances were uncertain.

Facebook miracle 

A friend suggested she post about the loss, and that maybe Facebook friends from home might pitch in.

“I’m throwing this out there, my grandson Keegan had his bike stolen this morning and my heart is breaking that we, at this time, can’t get him another bike,” she wrote. “It’s bad enough that we can’t be with him because of social distancing from this virus. And having to cancel his party too? I was hoping that his bike was going to be the highlight of his day and now this. So if you can help in any way, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you to all.”

Keegan’s big day

The money poured in. While the family currently live in Alberta, Keegan’s mom is from Terrenceville and his dad is from Bay Roberts. Before long, they had enough to purchase a new bike. “Thank you to everyone who help to make Keegan’s day special. We have got him a new bike and a helmet to boot. So thank you, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” 

Happy belated, Keegan, from your friends at The Newfoundland Herald.

====

One family from Paradise is counting their blessings, no doubt forever grateful for one young lad’s swift and brave action

Pius Murphy of Paradise has every reason to be proud of his son.

 For one thing, 14 year-old, Ian, a passionate ice-fisher whenever the opportunity arises, just happened to be in the right place at the right time on Friday, March 20th. For another, the young man demonstrated great courage and compassion when he risked his own life to help another.

the open ice

Ian’s dad begins the tale.

“I was on Adam’s pond in Paradise ice fishing with my son. I drilled holes for him with the ice auger and told him, ‘don’t go away from these couple holes here,’ and I headed home to prepare supper and I left Ian there,” he beings. 

Murphy says he wasn’t worried. Ian, he stresses, is a good kid and an experienced ice fisherman. Plus, there were a few folks around, as that Friday was a sunny March day. 

“There was a bit of activity on the pond with skaters and people walking the trail,” he reflected. A while later, he received a call from someone asking if Ian was his son. Naturally, it gave him cause for concern – at first, anyway.

“He asked if Ian Murphy was my son and he gave me the news of Ian’s brave actions in his efforts to rescue his son from the cold water in Adam’s pond. It was not warm, it’s Friday evening. The little fellow ventured too far to the open ice where a stream runs into Adam’s pond and the ice gave away,” he shares.

Ian, who was ice fishing, called for another child’s hockey stick.

“He told the kid he borrowed the stick from to hold his legs while Ian laid down on the ice and extended his arm and stick so the little guy could reach. The little fellow grabbed the hockey stick and with maneuvering he managed to get back on the ice.” 

practice Ice safety!

The young boy was soaked to just below his chest.

“We are unsure how deep the water was but the little kid could not touch bottom. Once out of the water the little fellow was taken home and is now fine.”

Naturally, the family, who want to remain nameless so to not worry other family members during this already stressful time, came by to visit with words, and a card of thanks. 

“They brought a thank you card and a gift card for Ian so he could purchase more fishing supplies as it may be a long fishing season with school closed. That’s what Ian said, ‘more hooks and spinners.’’’

Dad and son had a heart-to-heart.

“I spoke with Ian about the ordeal and he said, me and pop had a good conversation last week about ice safety.” 

The timing was perfect. For the Murphy family, getting the message out to be safe is what sharing their story is all about. “We want to get the message out that with all that’s going on with Covid-19, we would hate to see tragedy any which way happen to families. Spring is coming and ice will soon start to soften. We want people to be safe in every way.”

a proud father

The thank you card in part read, ‘your actions will stay with me forever and words alone cannot express my gratitude towards your action in the rescue.’ Ian’s dad is rightfully very honoured.

“I was a proud father yesterday to hear the speech the gentleman gave my son. We are glad everyone is ok.” 

As for Ian? He’s still fishing. 

“Ian is gone trouting again today. ‘Keep track of how many twists it takes to get through 20 inches of ice with the auger, Ian’ I said, and how many trout you’re after catching compared to holes drilled and juice boxes and wagon wheels you’re after going through this past week on the pond, putting a real dent in the school snacks.” 

A huge Hero Herald thank you to Ian for his bravery.

A family member who shall remain nameless remarked when discussing the pizza he had sampled in Italy (the holy land and mecca of the pie), “It’s good, but it’s no Venice Pizzeria.”

He meant Venice in St. John’s…

A co-worker at this very publication, during a conversation on a particular Hollywood drama that blew me away in 2019 mocked, “Garbage! What a waste of time. I can’t believe you like that *expletive expletive*!”

On the flip side, I hate country music, while the vast amount of friends, family, and certainly Newfoundlanders and Labradorians live and breathe it, with a little bit of chicken fried.

I don’t see the hype or appeal surrounding eggs, while more than one person recently has made it clear that eggs make up the sweet space between need it daily and a necessary last meal.

To each their own

To each their own, is the point I’m getting at. So who am I, one with opinions that don’t necessarily match the median population, to say what is the definitive best of anything? Let alone for a calender year or decade?!

But it’s an easy sell. Digestible, fun to read, easier to agree or disagree with. It’s the type of thing that keyboard warriors feed off of in 2020. “You don’t agree with me? How dare you? I hope your mother goes blind and your tires blow out halfway down Signal Hill!”

That’s not an actual quote, but not too far away from not being hyperbole. What I do love about rankings and the proverbial best of the best is – agree or disagree – it’s a fantastic time to put the spotlight on deserving individuals, in many cases, for a wide array of subjects.

‘Best in Entertainment’

In our annual ‘Best in Entertainment’ here at The Newfoundland Herald we have the unenviable task of sifting through 53 issues of the past year and picking out standout stories that make up the very best in music, film, sports, comedy, fiction. You name it.

It’s the type of thing that’s bound to ruffle some feathers because, let’s face it, no one is perfect, particularly and especially, those in the media. There are bound to be omissions and someone’s favourite something or that one deserving soul will be left out. Just know it’s not done maliciously or with bias in mind.

Issues like these are a reminder of just how blessed we are to live in Newfoundland and Labrador today. There’s plenty to create that ol’ up-in-arms feeling here on ‘The Rock’ at the dawn of the decade, which makes taking a moment to salute some of our very best and brightest all the more necessary.

So sit back, relax, and try not to take the following too personally. Because opinions are a lot like meals. Some are good, some amazing, some are fit for the garbage. But at the end of the day it’s always nice to be fed.

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Newfoundlanders and Labradorians and their love of weather was part of the motivation behind the launch of Doyle’s Almanac five years ago. But so was collecting the stories from this place we all call home. 

“We have this neighborhood pharmacy in downtown St. John’s and we have a lot of old pharmacy display cases and there’s local artifacts that include a lot of old bottles and almanacs and other books,’’ begins author Robert Doyle who created the series alongside Science Editor Augustus Fanning.

Doyle’s grandfather was trained as a pharmacist back in 1912. 

“He traveled around the province a lot and when he was selling his pharmaceutical products he collected a lot of poems and songs and stories.” 

A customer commented on the displayed collection and mentioned his talent at local forecasting. Doyle, who had always wanted to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and pen some books on local lore, was intrigued. That customer was Fanning. The two partnered up. 

“We decided to combine our skills and passion and came up with the Doyle’s Almanac. I do Newfoundland stories and Fanning does all the forecasting for the province.”

The question everyone wants answered is this; what will this winter be like? “Fanning has been fairly accurate and he’s done some analysis over the past five years for predictions. He’s been 60 to 65 per cent accurate. There’s a lot of statistical analysis. He looks back to what’s after happening in the past hundred years. He has data from all the weather stations around the province. And so he’s predicting this year it’s going to be a cold winter and we’ll get up to 10 snow days. So it’s going to be a little bit rough this winter.”

Doyle, who doesn’t mind being out there when it comes to sharing the good, and the bad, of potential local forecasting, is prepared foe whatever comes.

“Better get your shovels ready,” he laughs. 

Talking weather 

Feedback on past editions has been positive, he shares. “It’s been great. People love talking weather in this province. But I think the biggest thing people love about the book is the local aspect. So if we’re doing the sunrise and sunset tables or phases of the moon or the tides, it’s in Newfoundland Labrador times. People love that aspect of it, that it’s all local.”

There’s recipes and pictures and stories and poems and history; it’s all in there. And, of course, weather. 

Bottom line, Doyle and Fanning have enjoyed the journey. “We are great partners. It’s a real local partnership and team effort and each year we try and stick with who we are; we are shaped by the land and the sea here. So we try and do some stories about that.”

From winter storms to hurricanes to a yarn with Buddy Wasisname’s Ray Johnson on embracing our culture through music and humour; it’s all inside. “This is just a fun venture for us, and also informative and entertaining for those who pick it up.” 

For more information on Doyle’s Almanac, visit doylesalmanacnl.ca

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Danny Williams was born back in ’49, the year we joined Confederation. Had he had an opportunity to vote for or against Confederation, what would he have done? 

Control our own destiny

“I would have voted against Confederation, absolutely. I just felt we should have stayed our own country. I think it would have made a huge difference in regard to our offshore for one thing.” Williams says the fact that we are not able to make a bunch of decisions regarding our resources hurts. “We are not controlling our own destiny,” he says with passion.

Like many of our premiers, Williams always spoke his mind, however he always seemed to garner not only provincial but national attention. When he took on ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his wife Linda over the seal hunt, the world watched. On CNN’s Larry King Live Williams said, “I have to set the record straight. I live here and I actually know.” When challenged on his point of view on the matter he countered, “This is about propaganda. This is about using superstars like your husband.”

‘Have’ & elected high 

But for a reflective Williams, none of that mattered. His own proudest moment as premier? “Coming back from Ottawa with the Atlantic Accord was certainly right up there but just being elected as premier was the proudest moment. You don’t realize at the start how important that is. When you actually go out and encounter people, you are no longer Danny, you are the premier, and that’s a special role in this province, and it’s a position that each and every person involved here have had the honour of holding.” Were there lows as well? 

“As I was getting into politics, someone said; you are about to experience the highest highs and the lowest lows of your life and there’s so much truth to that.” 

A low moment was when he felt his government had to take down the Canada flag. “We just got shut down, and I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, and that’s when we took the flags down; talk about a low. But being a ‘Have’ province was a high, and just getting elected was a high.” 

Any regrets? “I wish I had been around for the very end of Muskrat Falls. I said I would spend 10 years in politics and then I’d move on. And I did.” 

Distinct people

Reflecting on who benefited more; Canada or Newfoundland, Williams doesn’t hesitate. “In a lot of ways it was good for Newfoundland to join Canada, but Newfoundland and Labrador have been very good to Canada in the biggest kind of way and I don’t think Canada has ever really added up the benefits that we brought to the country. I think Canada is way ahead on who got the better of the deal because we brought a lot more to the table, and still do.”

Williams was always known for passionate speeches. From his 2007 Speech from the Throne he said; “My Government will affirm Newfoundland and Labrador’s status as a distinct people… Our people are proud nationalists who believe it is only by affirming our identity as Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that we will realize our goal of economic equality within the federation… our province will achieve self-reliance by becoming masters of our own house.”

Speaking of being masters of our own house, seeing Williams reflect on the Atlantic Accord victory on the eve of Confederation’s 70th is interesting. 

“It was a struggle, but I knew we were in the right,” he says. From his speech made on January 31, 2005, Williams said, “The effort to secure a better deal on the Atlantic Accord was about more than money for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. It was about integrity and dignity and honour, and it was about pride! And those things cannot be bought. I can tell you that I have never been more proud to call myself a Newfoundlander and Labradorian!

“Almost 14 months ago, I went to Ottawa for my very first meeting with Prime Minister Paul Martin. The very first issue that I raised with the Prime Minister was our offshore revenues and the inequitable arrangement that existed between the federal and provincial governments. I pointed out that we were NOT principle beneficiaries, as was intended under the original Accord.

“That day was the beginning of a long, hard, intense and difficult road. After that meeting, I decided that my main focus had to be convincing the Prime Minister that our province deserved a more just and equitable arrangement. We not only deserved it, but we needed it, if we were to have any hope of turning our terrible fiscal situation around. The hopes and dreams of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians were about to be fulfilled. Finally, there was recognition that we have not been principal beneficiaries. We have not received a fair and just return on these great resources, which we brought with us into Confederation.” 

The Midas Touch

When Williams stepped down in 2010, his speech was like almost everything he ever touched; pure gold. 

“It was in November of 2000 when I decided to run, and a decade is a long time. At that time, I reflected upon the words of John F. Kennedy, who said, and I quote: ‘Anyone can make a difference, and everyone should try.’ And I’m darn glad that I did.”

Williams addressed those who were often critical of his fighting, fists up ways. “You know, I laugh when critics and some reporters say that I’m nothing more than a fighter – someone always looking for a racket – never happy unless I’m taking someone on. Well folks, I am here to tell you today that those people are right,” he said.

He added there had never been “one battle too great or too small” for his team if it thought it would lead to a better life for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

“We fought the federal government for equity under the Atlantic Accord, and won. We fought the big oil companies for more benefits, and we won and today we actually share a tremendous partnership and a mutual respect with them,” he said that day.

When asked about the other premiers and their role in this province’s place in Canada, he paused. “Every one of these people earned a place in history. Being premier of this province is an honour,” he said sincerely.

Now that’s he’s no longer in politics, Williams hasn’t softened when it comes to his passion for this place and its people. “I always felt Newfoundlanders and Labradorians deserved to be treated with respect, and I fought for that.”