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. 

The Newfoundland Herald has hit the road this summer and we’ve visited some incredible locations. From Salvage, Tickle Cove and Keels to Steady Brook, Catalina and Green’s Harbour, we’ve met incredible people doing spectacular things.  

One thing has stood out above all others: those who work in the tourism industry dedicate their soul to the art of hosting others. From serving a cup of tea to fluffing a pillow to tickling our funny bones, these treasures of tourism deserve a shout out.

Rising Tide Theatre ~ Trinity, NL

Donna Butt is recognizable in voice and in stance. On the day we visit Trinity, Butt stood proud as a peacock in a sea of tourists almost as enthusiastic as she was about the historic village and its place in this province. From shops selling the most unique products (stock up for Christmas opportunities galore!) to the wide array of edible and entertainment possibilities, Trinity is a head turner and no one knows that better than Butt herself. “Isn’t this lovely?” she gushed after a warm hug of a greeting. 

“Trinity is just so special. It has history and heritage and you can tell just by looking around that the people here really care about the place they call home,” she said. 

She’s right. As perhaps 50 tourists mill about outside the prominent building that’s home to Rising Tide, tour buses continue to load and unload those hankering for a bit of outport history and hospitality. Butt and her team provide all of that and then some on their walking tours. But of course theatre – from short skits to more elaborate pageants – is what drives this diva of the dinner theatre. 

There’s the Trinity Pageant – which stars Luke Rowe, Julia Quinton, Mallory Clarke, Michael Power, Devon Bryan and Juila Quinton – and Woke Island featuring Devon Bryan, Donna Butt and Michael Power.

Shenanigans, which features the whole cast, is an opportunity to have a feed of fish while being entertained by the best of the best when it comes to live theatre on the edge of the Atlantic. From Out of It  and Salt Water Moon, to the moving No Man’s Land, Rising Tide and their shining stars make a visit to Trinity tops for any tourist. 

For more visit risingtidetheatre.com  

Round Da Bay Inn ~ Plate Cove West

Karen and Chris Ricketts buzz around Bella’s restaurant at Round Da Bay Inn in Plate Cove West. These two know everyone it seems, and if they don’t, they quickly remedy that with a smile and a kind word.  

When we finally sit down to chat, it’s near overwhelming. Covering in written word what this passionate, powerhouse of a couple have accomplished is quite the undertaking. First, it’s the inn itself. With themed rooms all with unique and distinct personalities, it’s worth a visit just to tour the premises. From movie stars to relics from Nan’s attic to finds from Pop’s old fishing shed, Round Da Bay Inn is a piece of art – or better yet, a masterpiece. But there’s so much going on. The Ricketts started the Welcome Home Project (New Beginnings on Facebook to contribute or follow their progress), for one thing. 

“We have three refugee families we’re sponsoring. We’re renovating a house with an apartment upstairs for a family and a downstairs unit that can operate as a business,” Karen explained.

There’s many fundraising efforts going on in support of Welcome Home, and one involves a man named Charlie who has captivated and captured the hearts of all he encounters. On the day we visit Round Da Bay Inn, Charlie Comrie, a 96 year old Second World War vet who moved to Plate Cove West from southern Ontario last December, is engaged in a lively breakfast conversation with some guests at Bella’s.

While Charlie isn’t sipping from a coffee mug featuring his own mug that boasts: I Know Charlie on it (funds raised from mug sales support Welcome Home) he is singing the praises of the Ricketts for all the work they do.

The Ricketts equally sing the praises of Charlie. At 96, he runs errands and takes care of his own home as well as lends a hand to help with renovations in whatever way he can.  

Charlie’s presence is a present, Karen and Chris share. “We got to know Charlie and his wife Anna from many visits to Newfoundland from Ontario. We kept in touch through the years. Christmas cards, then phone calls started and the friendship grew,” Karen said. On one visit Charlie mentioned he didn’t want to leave.

“When he was here last year he said, ‘I don’t think I’m going to go back (to Ontario) after all, I think I’d like to live here.‘ Well, we helped him find a house and he was here by Dec. 21st just in time for Christmas,” she said.

 We ask Chris (who is also renovating a recently purchased church) how the idea of the themed inn rooms started. Basically, they just had “stuff” they needed to use, he said with a laugh. “We bought a house full of antique furniture for a summer house or retirement home or whatever it was going to be, and at the same time we had bought this inn,” he said. 

Karen laughed, adding that things just “snowballed” after that. “Karen woke this night and said, ‘what if we did one of the rooms up like Nan’s attic? We can use some of the antiques in that and it would be different.’ And that was the first one,” he said with an almost sly smile. Karen laughed as Chris continued the yarn.   

“It was a middle of the night revelation of Karen’s but honesty, I was in my element.  I was like a junkie set free because then every time we were at yard sales or saw deals we’d pull up and say, ‘There’s something for the golf room, there’s something for the captain’s room, there’s something for this room or that room and then it just kept going.” 

We ask if they have a favourite room. The Seaside Retreat is Karen’s because it’s “so light and airy, and blue and pretty.” Chris has a fav too. Bayman’s Cove.  

“Meet your neighbours in Bayman’s Cove.  Gaze in through the ‘windows’ to see depictions of outport life and imagine the stories ol’ skipper could tell! Live your Newfoundland outport vacation,’ the room’s write up says. 

It’s like a little piece of heaven on earth, we say as we tour the rooms. Chris laughs. 

“You know, it really is. We didn’t realize at the time what this place would end up meaning for us or for others, but  we’re really glad we get to have a little fun and we try to not take ourselves too seriously while still having other people who come here really enjoy themselves.” 

There’s so much more to share when it comes to Karen and Chris so tune into future editions of your NL Herald! 

For more visit rounddabayinn.com

Chateau Chance Cove ~ Chance Cove, NL

Jordan and Jen Chubb know that it takes a village to accomplish many things worthwhile in this life – like raising a child – but they also found out how important that is when it comes to being involved in the tourism business. How did this young couple end up owning a rental property on the edge of the ocean in Chance Cove? By chance, of course!  

“We just saw the house and we saw the view from the pictures and we said ‘Let’s go see the house,’” Jen said. They loved it instantly and bought it. Then, the renovations began. “It needed lots of work but we said, ‘You know what, we can make a go of this place.’ So we ended up buying it and renovated it from top to bottom. And here we are three years later,” she said.  

One thing that required no reno was the sound of the ocean right outside the door. Jen beamed. 

“You are in there in the bedroom and the waves are rolling in or outside just watching the sea from the deck. That was definitely one of the biggest things that drew us to the place.” 

The couple knew they could get people to come to a small town like Chance Cove to experience the beauty of simple living. 

“Our scenery and all the things that Newfoundland has to offer. That’s priceless,” she said.

The couple’s adventures have really opened their eyes to the beauty of Chance Cove and of people in general, Jen continued. “When we were in the final stages of getting ready to open up the first two units it was June of 2020,” she said. 

Stores were just opening after the first lockdown and there was a huge shortage of goods on the shelves. It was so hard to find furniture, she added. “There were delays upon delays for online orders – up to a year,” she said. “A number of business weren’t in operation so we had a bunch of friends and family reach out and say ‘Hey! If you need anything, you’re welcome to look in my shed and see what I have,’ or ‘I’m moving and I have these end tables, do you guys want them?’ And I would be scrounging up all of these odds and ends and cleaning them and painting them to put in the units. It really did take a village to get started but somehow it all came together.”

And now? “It’s time to enjoy sharing the beauty of the ocean and the walking trail and the beach area of Chance Cove with others,” she said with a smile. 

“We didn’t even know where Chance Cove was when we bought the house and we have been learning to appreciate the area along with our guests so to speak.” 

A year after they bought the house they finally did the walking trail just minutes from their rental home.  “We love it there. Chance Cove is beautiful.” 

They’ve gained so much making the jump into tourism, in so many ways they never expected, she added. “This entire process was like a learning opportunity for us to kind of think about what’s there and what the place has to offer, because we’re not from Chance Cove. We’re kind of just learning to appreciate it a little bit at a time whenever we get a chance to go visit and we love that we get to share those experiences with others.”

For more follow Chateau Chance Cove on multiple social media platforms

It’s been an interesting summer, and there’s certainly been much to celebrate. My daughter turned 14 for one thing, and we have had the pleasure of spending many a day together touring the province. 

We’ve had some wild mother/daughter adventures. In Steady Brook, for example, we started the morning off with facials and pedicures at the Salt Water Spa at Marble Inn Resort and by the afternoon we were squealing with fear –and delight – as we tackled ‘The Spider Challenge’ at Marble Mountain. 

A challenge it was, one I’m glad we faced together. There’s videos that will never see the light of day. Still, it was certainly an experience that will stand out for us both, that’s for sure. 

That perfect selfie

That night, as a reward for a hard-day done, (and to calm our rattled nerves) we headed back to the spa to soak up some saltwater therapy. All’s well that ends well, right? We’ve enjoyed adventures on the high seas while fishing for cod and swung from a zip line over Petty Harbour. Now that was exhilarating! We’ve co-captained a paddle board through jellyfish infested waters and squealed with horror as we took turns knocking one another off into a sea of pulsating slime. Bonus points if the jellyfish were already dead when the dumping occurred. 

We’ve hiked and raced our way to see waterfalls and to capture that perfect selfie on top of whatever cliff there was to climb and we’ve gone off-grid a time or two and (gasp) actually had to pull out our phones only for snaps instead of for snapchat. Fun times! 

We’ve slept in lighthouses that captured our imagination and we’ve stayed in tents as well as in the most luxurious settings one could imagine. We’ve slept in the same room and settled in for the night floors apart. My daughter has chased and caught frogs and codfish and she’s read by flashlight in a tent as well as in a hammock over the ocean. 

There’s been lobster pods and lobster cookouts. There’s been boating adventures where she turned green with seasickness, but stuck it out like a champ just so the rest of us could jig our cod quota. She’s sat in a car with dogs on her lap for hours and eaten whatever’s been tossed back over the seat at her when travel demands dictated that meal time meant sliced peppers and cheese from a sandwich bag used – and then reused  –maybe one too many times. 

We’ve picked berries and plucked flowers, grateful to Mother Nature for her bounty, and we’ve peed outside when nature called.

Our time together

Fires in central changed our throw caution to the wind philosophy when it came to adventure destinations and we had to be aware and alert, and caring for our two elderly dogs during one crazy hot summer also meant keeping their needs and wants in mind, too. 

There were unexpected deaths within my friend circle as well as in my family while we were travelling and there were things that had to be shared and discussed and people we had to mourn over. It’s been a summer filled with experiences and growth. For both of us. 

While we might not have literally taken the road less travelled on any of our adventures, the roads we did take certainly led us towards one brilliantly beautiful destination: togetherness. 

At 14, there might not be many more such road trips for us, but my child, oh, the wonderful places you’ll go without me down this road called life. 

I just hope her future travelling partner is as fun and as fearless as she is and that she’ll sometimes think of our times together – spider challenges, seasickness and jellyfish wipeouts and all – and smile. I know I will.

Pam Pardy, The Herald’s Managing Editor, can be reached by emailing pghent@nfldherald.com

NTV’s Chief Meteorologist Eddie Sheerr loves the great NL outdoors, but the best part of all is sharing the beauty of this place with his family, particularly his young daughters, Emily and Allie

Trinity. Bonavista. Champney’s West. Bear Cove Beach. Lockston Path Provincial Park. If you follow NTV’s Eddie Sheerr on social media, no doubt you’ve seen a few of his eye-popping pictures along his travels of the beauty this province has to offer. 

Sheerr and his wife Susan have long been outdoor enthusiasts, but knowing they can now share that love with their daughters Emily and Allie has brought so much more joy to their adventures, he shared. While Allie is too young to have a bird’s eye view from daddy’s shoulders or backpack, she  does enjoy the stroller, Sheerr said. 

A great summer

“Emily still likes the ride. My back doesn’t like it quite as much now that she’s older, but she still does. She likes to go in the carrier, and seems to really enjoyed it no matter where we go if she up there looking around.” 

Allie also seems to have a love of the great outdoors. “Allie has a stroller, so I haven’t put her up in the carrier yet. She’s a bit too small yet I think, but she likes going around and seeing everything.”

We ask Sheerr if his family have any favourite views to take in. 

“The entire island is beautiful in and of itself. Cape Bonavista was really nice. We were out there on a really nice day but really any anywhere that has a view is a good area. And I’m really glad that we get to enjoy it like we do.”

What about the weather? It’s been a great summer so far. While Sheerr would love to take the credit for the sunshine and warm temps, he just laughed. 

“We got off to a bit of a slow start with maybe a few less than great days, but it’s been phenomenal and it looks like it’s going to continue. And we were outside  having lunch together a couple of weeks ago and it was probably 25, 26 degrees and there was no wind.”

While not one to usually complain about such things, no wind in Newfoundland can mean bugs!

“Typically,  you’re out and loving sunshine and no wind, but the bugs! In Newfoundland you are usually wishing for the wind to calm down, but I was wishing for it to pick up, though I got used to it. Emily had a few bites and the flies were circling, but we enjoyed ourselves anyway,” he said with a chuckle. 

Sheerr has had a busy year work and family wise. A new baby combined with a busy, windy winter kept him hopping, but he still makes time for those who reach out to him, like Jake Thompson of NTV’s NL Now.

“I was his first guest and I’m in the hundredth anniversary show, and it was definitely an honour to be back with Jake. It’s really good to see him making that show a success. He’s done a great job and it’s great to see him continue.”

Sheerr, who was visiting family when we spoke, paused to speak with Emily who was working hard to get her daddy’s attention. He has to go. It’s family time.  Sheerr’s last words were ones we should all heed. “Newfoundland is a beautiful place to live or to visit. Take in as much of the beauty as you can.”

I remember the stories told by my grandparents about the tsunami that stuck regions of the south coast back in 1929. 

Luckily, in the area that I’m from, the giant wave caused by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake simply washed up over the harbour and went straight out Backcove Beach and back out to sea. Other areas were not as lucky.

I’ve done interviews over the decades with seniors from surrounding communities who were not as blessed. Many who were children at the time remembered the wave and its aftermath. 28 people were killed, which is the greatest reported loss of life in any Canadian earthquake disaster, and some communities were all but washed away.

Besides the loss of lives and homes, 127,000 kilograms of salt cod were destroyed as were many fishing boats, wharfs, stages and other gear fishermen used to earn a living.

Perhaps it was listening to those first hand accounts that raised my caution level when it came to living near the sea, but reading that areas of the Burin Peninsula had recently experienced two earthquakes within a few days of one another heightened that awareness. 

One earthquake registered 4.6 and the second 3.6. Both occurred in the same area 300 kilometres south of Grand Bank. No damages were reported, as the magnitudes registered were low, but those two shake-ups followed another that registered 2.6 weeks earlier on May 31st.

Nature and its unpredictability on display yet again. While nowhere near tsunami proportions, I’ve bore witness to the unpredictability of the sea a time or two. From fog banks catching us off guard while out fishing to winds and waves that come out of nowhere, the sea is something to be wary of on the best day.

Not long ago, while walking on Middle Cove Beach, I strolled close to the ocean’s edge to get a picture. The sea was calm. Not far away, a young couple were walking along the water’s edge with a small child and their leashed pup as all  enjoyed the sun’s rays and the refreshingly cool water. I turned and walked back up the beach then heard the squeals. 

A good lesson

Out of nowhere a wave struck, knocking down the young family and, had the dog not been tethered, it quite likely would have washed out to sea. The child was bobbing when I looked back, and the father – who had also been knocked down –  made a quick grab and righted his lad. 

The water swirled around my toes, wetting an area that had been dry as a bone seconds earlier.

The family were wet and shocked. A good lesson for those who stood around snapping photos, scanning the horizon for whales and pondering the timing of the return of caplin to our shores.

The recreational fishery has begun. Beef bucket loads of flopping spawning fishes will soon be collected by the kiddies, whales watchers will gather on beaches around the province and eyes will be on the horizon on constant lookout for the spray from a hungry humpbacks or a wave of a diving tail – but be cautious and aware.

Let’s make sure there’s no tales to tell that are more newsworthy that a giant mammal sighting off our shores. No one wants to be all shook up over word that someone fluked into a rogue wave encounter instead of feeling the excitement and the thrill of a whale’s fluke sighting. Have fun, but be safe near the sea this summer.

Pam Pardy, The Herald’s Managing Editor, can be reached by emailing pghent@nfldherald.com

Glamping is a new fad sweeping the globe for outdoor enthusiasts that want a little bit extra, one that is taking over the province of Newfoundland and Labrador

Travel restrictions in Newfoundland have prevented people from vacationing. Some have looked to vacation from home in the form of “glamping.”

Glamping is a new trend that mixes glamour with camping. Generally, glamp sites are set up as an above-ground platform with a tent over the top of it. These sites include necessities like a bed and a stove with cookware. There are several glamping sites set up around the province, such as at Humber River or Gros Morne National Park. 

Ashley Hann is the owner and operator of the Humber River Off Grid Tours. Hann was one of the first to set up glamping tents for the public over five years ago.

“When I went camping as a kid, you had a little tent that you stuck in the ground and slept there,” said Hann. “With glamping, you can go camping without the hassle, without the packing, and just come in and go camping. All you have to bring is yourself and your food.”

Hann was first encouraged to open a glamping site by friends that she had met in the tourism industry, who shared she was living in a great location for tourism. “At the time, glamping was very new to the province, so I wanted to try that,” Hann said. “When I started, there were only one or two sites on the island. Now, they are popping up everywhere.”

With such a level of comfort added, is it possible that glamping takes away from the traditional camping experience? The traditional experience of camping is having to work with what you have. With such luxuries at the camper’s disposal, the experience no longer feels like “roughing it.”

TA Loeffler is a professor of outdoor recreation and education at Memorial University and a well experienced adventurer. “I spend as much time outside as possible,” said Loeffler. “Some years I probably camp about 150 nights!”

Loeffler is no stranger to the concept of glamping, and she thinks it is a completely authentic experience.

‘Eye of the beholder’

“I would say that camping is in the eye of the beholder,” Loeffler said. “You can still hear nature and see nature. If glamping helps to get someone outside in nature and enjoying a time away from home, I’m all for it.”

Don Clarke, a director of sales and communications at Outfitters, has noticed a rise is business in his store. “Business has been very steady. With the start of COVID, it just made the opportunity for new people to get outdoors and camp increase. Outdoor activities are social distancing and isolation at their finest,” shared Clarke, adding, “At its core, you’re getting outside and disconnecting from your everyday life. You’re still reconnecting with nature and your environment.”

With two glamping tents set up and a rise in popularity, Hann is excited for the future. “It’s the exact same thing as camping, you just have more comfort,” Hann said. “You’re still roasting s’mores, you’re still in the wilderness, and you’re still getting all the scenery of the outdoors. It’s just in a more comfortable space.”

Most who call this island home feel the call of the ocean to some degree. We either have, or had, family members who earned a living as fisherman or we grew up with the ocean a stone’s throw away from our homes. 

For many, the ocean was a babysitter of sorts, a place where children could roam looking for priceless jewels (sea glass or smooth unique looking stones) for crafts, fuel in the form of driftwood for a bonfire or for trouble in the way of wave-wetted pant legs and sea sogged sneakers. It doesn’t matter how old you are, walking along a Newfoundland beach brings peace and calm, and often wind-blown hair and a wind-burn tan to boot. 

Captivate the Curious

The ocean also has creatures great and small that still captivate the curious. Who doesn’t love to hear that there’s a humpback off our shores? In the spring and early summer the T’Railway that runs through Conception Bay South is filled with locals out for a jaunt who pause often to cast a glance towards the sea in hopes of catching sight of some sea spray as they spy the wave of a whale’s tail. 

Lydia and Helena – two Great White Sharks – have been tracked visiting our shores. While no one wants a close-up encounter with one of those sharp-toothed come from aways, it’s still  thrilling to know that such mysterious creatures find our rugged shores worthy of a stop-over visit a time or two a year as they make their way around the globe, shark fin calling card out as an ominous – yet somehow also glorious – greeting card. 

Wildlife catches our collective attention, of that there’s no doubt. A walrus who spent Mother’s Day sunning himself on the beach in Middle Cove was the star of the show that weekend for those eager to get out and about on a rare sunny day in early May and head to the beach for a walrus selfie and a look-see. 

Seals. Giant squid. Strange looking sea beings caught by a local fisherman. Even just a good day’s catch or a slew of spawning, flopping capelin can captivate and draw onlookers by the thousands with buckets and cell phone cameras.  

Go Wild this Summer! 

And iceberg sightings? A ‘berg stuck in a bay is a roadtrip waiting to happen, so pack those coolers tight with snacks and beverages – but save room for an ice cream pause along the route because it wouldn’t be a proper excursion around the bay without a custard cone pit stop.

Beaches that go on for miles. Sea  side sunsets. Pond trouting cast off contests. Bakeapples. Blueberries. Moose sightings. Cod jigging. Eagle sightings. 

Where else on this great earth of ours can you pack so much wonderful into one summer? You may get wet as you wander around in wonder at our  wildlife, but that’s the fun of it. So go wild this summer! You won’t regret it! 

Pam Pardy, The Herald’s Managing Editor, can be reached by emailing pghent@nfldherald.com

Kali Kenny and Noah Perchard are excited to hit the road in the OZFM Staycation Summer Cruiser! 

Perchard, who was part of the team in 2021, says that this year is going to be “incredible,” if summer 2021 was any indication. 

“Last year was fantastic. I learned a lot from Becky (Daley) and just being out on the road and meeting all the nice people and having the experience of being able to go places I hadn’t been before was great. For those reasons right there – the people and the places you get to see and experience – those things are particularly the biggest highlights of this job for sure,” he said.

Kenny is new to the position, but she’s equally excited and offered how  thrilled she’ll be to “pick up 50 copies of The Herald,” for family and friends. 

“That’s a song, right?” she said, to which Perchard quickly quipped, “Don’t worry. You’ll know all the words to that one soon enough!”

Dream Come True

Kenny says she feels like being part of the OZFM family and a member of the Staycation Summer Cruiser Team is a “dream come true.” 

“I feel like I listened to music before I even heard my mother’s voice. I’ve always been really interested in radio and in media ever since I was little. As far back as I can remember, doing something like this has been a dream.”

Touring the province and meeting people only adds to thrill, she added. “I grew up with both of my parents riding motorcycles and I was always just hooked on to the back of one of their bikes and I was told to hold on tight,” she said with a laugh. 

Some of her fondest memories are of sightseeing from that perch. Kenny recently purchased her own motorcycle, and she’s having the time of her life. “I’m hitting the road  on an old 1987 Yamaha Virago. I’m an old-school girl that way,” she said.

Touring the province being part of how she’ll now earn a paycheck is pretty special, she added.  “I am constantly trying to see as much of the island as I can. My grandparents live in Cape Broyle, so I’m out there every Sunday that I can.” 

It doesn’t matter if she’s just out for a cruise, having a picnic, or strolling around a lighthouse – it’s just great to explore the beauty this province has to offer. 

‘What a great gig’

Perchard, who you may have seen on Son of a Critch or on Astrid & Lilly Save the World, shared that he’s excited to bring Kenny onboard and show her the ropes. “It’s nice to show someone how fun this job is and to experience what a great gig this is and to share what I learned. Then knowing I can amplify what I did last year because the concerts and events are back on the go and restrictions are lifted, that makes this an even more special opportunity,” he said.

Perchard also loves the radio side of the job, and being part of the OZFM family is part of the draw. 

“I loved it last year. I loved slowly getting better with my radio voice. It was pretty cool. You hear lots of jokes saying you have the face for radio, but it’s a good thing and it’s just so much fun.”

 OZFM Station Manager Jay Lawrence has a hard time containing his excitement as the new Staycation team get to know one another and pose for the camera. “They are both great young people with loads of personality and lots of energy and they’ll be on the road Saturdays and Sundays from May 24th weekend through Labour Day,” he said.

There will be lots of “free stuff,” to hand out and stay tuned to OZFM and to the Morning Jam for prize draws and more. “Listen to OZFM daily to find out where the Staycation Cruiser Team will be and hang out and meet them and maybe get some great giveaways while they last,” he said.

‘A great place’

For Kenny and Perchard, the fun is just beginning. “Newfoundland is a great place to staycation and we get to highlight all the best spots and attend the best events,”
 Perchard said smiling. 

Kenny, grinning from ear-to-ear, agreed. But there’s something else too, she said. “I love that (NTV/OZFM/The Herald) are locally owned and they’ve always been local. I’ve told so many people since getting this job that it’s exciting to be part of something that’s Newfoundland home grown, because I am too, actually. I’m one-hundred per cent Newfoundland home grown.” 

For more visit ozfm.com 

Dave Snow, owner of Lakewood Development which owns Marine Park in Pouch Cove, says he is living the dream. Growing up in a family of seven, with every family member embracing the great outdoors and everything it had to offer, Snow says offering today’s generation a chance to discover and enjoy what was so much a part of his own upbringing is a mind-blowing opportunity. Whether providing a chance to enjoy the great outdoors at Marine Park as a camper, or by upping the ante with a unique summer day camp operated through Max Athletics, Snow said getting outside and embracing the outdoors is key.

“Being outdoors, it’s how we grew up,” he begins. Snow reflects back to a favourite family photo. “We as a family, we have this picture. My mom and dad, everyone in uniform. Myself and brothers in Boy Scouts, my three sisters in Girl Guides or Brownies,  the seven of us in uniforms. I grew up going hiking in the woods with my dad for three days, and I think that’s missing today. As a business man or as a parent, when I was raising my sons, I said we only have a few years to instill in them the things that they will have to carry for a lifetime. So what’s important to me? What do I remember best about growing up and spending time with my family? All the best memories I have are when we were outside doing things together.”

SUMMER CAMP

With that in the back of his mind, Snow reached out to Max Athletics. “They are leaders in their field. I wanted them to do a Marine Park Summer Camp. A kid can tell you how to get from level four to level six in a game but they can’t tell you how you would know if water is safe to drink. They can’t tell you, if you were in the woods, how to walk out of it. They probably can’t tell you how to survive in the water or how to light a fire or how to stay warm at night, so we’ve raised a group of humans that are very inept at things that are real and very connected to things that are not. The Max program, we’ll have a university trained outdoors specialist who can teach these great skills,” Snow says with pride. There will be also be field trips, fun time outdoors, swimming, geocaching, orienteering and outdoor hut construction. The program is open to campers, but also to the general public. Snow says keeping a program like this accessible to all is key. “We envision that this place is sort of like a big family here, and I think that’s part of why I have the place and why I work so hard at offering things like this Max camp. It’s so I can offer my version of the world to others. We are a family campground. Yes. That’s what we are. But there’s so much more to offer from a place like Marine Park.”

With encouragement and assistance from his brother Bruce, Dave says asking questions like; what else would be cool? has helped grow his business into something he’s incredibly proud of.

ONE CAMPER AT A TIME

Currently licensed for 350 camp sites – 90 of those added over this past winter – Snow says his business has grown and changed so much since he first put chainsaw to tree in 1997. “We build campsites based on what we think is the upcoming demand and we judge that based on how quickly our sites lease in a particular year and how long the waiting list is. We like the seasonal (camper)business that we’ve built, and we’ve built that one camper at a time.  One of every four families that came in for the night or come for a weekend say something like, we really like it here. We had a ball. The kids really enjoyed themselves. We’d like to stay.  And they stay. Come in for a weekend, experience the property, which we think is pretty beautiful, and experience the environment that we hope we’ve fostered.”

FEEL-GOOD VIBE

The original feel-good vibe of Marine Park hasn’t changed, Snow says. “Back when we were smaller, under 80 campsites, people would say, ‘it is really nice here.’ They still say that. And that’s important,” he says sincerely.

Snow recalls back to a time when he lost sleep over a $400 invoice he received for blasting through a rock to make one of the park’s earliest roads that connects the Marine Park site.

“We took this place from one full time employee and two part time staff to what it is now, and it’s been an incredible ride,” he says with a chuckle.

Today, Marine Park offers boat rentals, mini golf, giant water slides with more being constructed and a beach-side concession stand that serves hot food and cool treats. There’s also Levi John’s Country Convenience store that houses both Greco Pizza and Captain Submarine (delivery to campsites available!) and so much more. Besides the summer camp, Marine Park is also offering on-site babysitting training and lifesaving courses.  Snow smiles.

  “Our model seems to continue to be successful as things continue to grow and expand. The things I had envisioned are happening. Now, I see a swimming pool, more food concessions, five giant water slides, a splash pad. I’m not done dreaming yet. I have this long-term vision; grow, but keep it organic and pure and real. We want Marine Park to be the place we can be proud of saying we own. Always.”