One Burin Peninsula family is taking ‘ome schooling to a whole new level, making sure the kids learn their lessons well

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Lobster fishers Melissa and Darren Grandy of Garnish decided to take the school closure due to Covid-19 in stride, and use it to their family business advantage. 

Learning the ropes

What are the children, Chloe age 11 and Logan age 14, learning? How to tuck rope and bait traps. Mom Melissa laughs. “There’s a new DFO requirement for the protection of whales, it’s called tucking a rope, so we had to learn it ourselves, so I explained to the kids what was going on and how we needed to keep the whales safe, so I taught them,” she shared.

So far so good? Not quite, she chuckled, adding, “how to coil a rope didn’t go so well. Let’s just say more practice required on that one.”

Logan, a Sea Cadet, has a basic knowledge of what to do, she shares, but her daughter is the one who seems to long for the hands-on fishing knowledge. 

“Chloe enjoys doing things like that and asks to be involved, so I encourage that. I loved learning with my parents when I was her age.”

But Logan isn’t off the proverbial hook. “Logan went with us a few days ago to fill gas cans we will need. With the price so low, it’s time to fill up.”

Salt & pickle bait

More lessons are planned, mom adds proudly. 

“How to salt and pickle bait so it lasts longer and doesn’t spoil. They will be asked to fill bait bags this year for our pots. That will include cutting bait into halves. Logan really enjoys hacking up the fish,” she laughs.

While Melissa admits her 14 year old son, typical for his age, would rather avoid any hard labour, he does pitch in when he gets “da look.”

Her daughter on the other hand is always ready, willing and able.

“That girl, she’s a sponge for everything she can learn when it comes to being out on the water in the boat.”