It was easy driving the last day of being in Newfoundland. We had a slow, easy start, we repacked a few of our things so we were not having to bring anything extra onto the ferry or during our after the ferry rest of the night on Cape Breton. The weather was good, we had a few remaining recommendations from our St. John's guide at the information and tourist center. We had driven this route before, some during the day, some at 1 a.m. in the morning. It was fun to see how we had both accommodated to the roads, not seeming nearly as daunting as those first few days that seemed so long ago. We drove through Channel-Port Aux Basques and headed to Margaree, destination the Seashore Restaurant. Margaree is about 15 minutes from the ferry port, but it felt far far away. This was a fishing village, it looked like everyone of the several dozen homes had all been recently resided. This little village was right at the edge of the ocean in the very south western corner of the island. There is probably about 60 miles of road to the east and then there are NO roads. There is essentially one way in and one way out. And the Seashore Restaurant was not only a favorite tourist spot especially for people getting on/off the ferry but was most certainly the local place to go. We arrived mid afternoon, a little surprised about this place and the restaurant. Somehow we had both expected a quaint, old, fishing village that looked like the northern and eastern coastal towns, this was not that. We looked at each other and said yes, we have come this far we are going in for some food. There were two rooms, the first one must have been pretty full, the second had lots of open tables. They reluctantly sat us down, and clucked about reservations and wondering if we would be long, we assured them that we were looking for a mid-afternoon treat, and we were given the menu. They weren't kidding about the food. I had a very very tasty bread pudding, Marcia had a ice cream sundae, and we were both sugared out and happy when we hopped back in the car. Somehow during this time my sense of timing and when we needed to get where and when was just off. Before I talk about our arrival to the ferry, I want to share some pictures of the new ferry vessel that we did not go on, the one that sails in and out of Argentia, the Ala'suinu - I want to share the introduction of the Ala-suinu from the Marine Atlantic website:
The Ala’suinu: Celebrating Centuries of Travellers
The names of our vessels are a representation of our organization. They honour our history and our communities, and they all hold an important part of Marine Atlantic’s legacy. Our newest vessel, the Ala’suinu (pronounced Ah-laa-sue-in-ou) is no different. Ala’suinu is the Mi’kmaw word for “traveller”. The name celebrates and recognizes the Indigenous culture and heritage of our region in a respectful and meaningful manner and is a symbolic gesture of our commitment towards truth and reconciliation.
For years, Mi’kmaq have travelled between the Province of Nova Scotia and the Island of Newfoundland to visit kin and strengthen the relationships of the Mi’kmaq nation, as well as to harvest natural foods. Today, many of our passengers are travelling for the same reasons, on the same route. The Ala’suinu celebrates those who have made this journey throughout history, and those who will in the future.
While the name of the vessel honours the heritage of Mi’kmaq communities in our provinces, it will also introduce passengers to an Indigenous language. For centuries, the historical and ongoing mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples across Canada (Turtle Island) has resulted in Indigenous Peoples being removed from their cultures and languages. Our languages hold our stories, songs, and family histories, and without them, many of us would lose the connections we have to our ancestry. Because of the Ala’suinu, a Mi’kmaq word will be spoken and celebrated every day by Indigenous and non-Indigenous people alike. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC) calls to action include five recommendations around language and culture, citing that “Aboriginal languages are a fundamental and valued element of Canadian culture and society, and there is an urgency to preserve them”. We’re proud to have taken this to task with the naming of this new vessel.
The Ala’suinu is a physical representation of our journey towards truth and reconciliation. At Marine Atlantic, we’re committed to continuous education and action that promotes truth, remembrance, and recognition of Indigenous Peoples across Canada (Turtle Island). As we work and live on Indigenous lands, we feel that it is important for us to not only understand the history of Indigenous Peoples, but to work to build and support an unbiased environment where Indigenous Peoples, communities, and cultures can grow and thrive. Through the Ala’suinu, we’re providing a space where Indigenous art, languages, and cultures can live and exist in its traditional lands, where thousands of travellers can avail of these learning opportunities.
Marine Atlantic would like to respectfully acknowledge that we operate in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq Peoples, and on the island of Ktaqmkuk, the unceded, traditional territory of the Beothuk and the Mi'kmaq Peoples. We also acknowledge Labrador as the traditional and ancestral homelands of the Innu of Nitassianan, the Inuit of Nunatsiavut, and the Inuit of NunatuKavut.
Marcia and I were so excited to be going on this vessel, to travel on the traveller. It did not happen. It was a big disappointment, and I know that someday maybe even next year I will travel to Newfoundland once again on the Ala'suinu. I asked permission of Trena Byrne the administrator of Newfie Connection on FaceBook to use photographs she had taken of the Ala'suinu. She gladly said yes and wanted to make sure that I talked about the Newfie Connection page, it is linked above, it is a fun group good pictures, information and love of the province. I have not been able to find many pictures of the new ferry, Marine Atlantic has a fun video and good information about all of their vessels. Thank you Trena Byrne for your photos and for graciously letting me use them in this blog. Here are a few snaps of "the traveller":
Due to my miscalculations we arrived at the ferry station much too early. The building was not nearly as nice as in North Sydney, there was some outdoor seating and a small area with chairs, and a cafeteria that did not seem very inviting. It was here that I received an incoming call that said Sarasota Memorial Hospital, I picked it up and knew that it had to be a call regarding my brother, Bob. It was. My brother had been on his E-Bike and there was some kind of accident and he was found unconscious by a young woman and 911 responded, he was intubated and he was now in the trauma ER. This was overwhelming, the information was sketchy, and I was going to be getting on a ferry heading south in the Atlantic Ocean. The nurse assured me that she would stay in touch, that he was in good hands, and that I should check back when I got off the ferry, and yes it was ok to keep calling while I was waiting to board. We also made arrangements that my daughter would be able to get information and that she would also keep in touch with the ER. So much, this incredible trip, the deeply touching ways that being in Newfoundland tapped so deeply inside of me, the disappointments, the joys and then this incredible news about my brother. I really had no idea how serious this was, and at that point the medical staff did not either. There was a traumatic brain injury, there was weakness on one side of his body, and he had a broken clavicle bone. He was on a ventilator and many tests would be made while I was making my way to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.
The good news, is my brother is home, he has recovered in amazing ways and we stay in touch almost daily. It is a lot to process and he is taking this all one day at a time.
Meanwhile, back in Channel Port Aux Basques, the ferry was on time. We got to watch all the vehicles departing from the ferry and after what seemed like a very long time we were all told to get to our cars. We were in the lane where we would be specially parked so that the wheelchair assistance for Marcia could happen easily and safely. We were one of the first vehicles to drive in after all the big semi trucks had made their way up the ramp.
We had an accessible cabin, the good news it was larger and the bad news no window. Marcia stayed in the berth, I went out on the upper deck to watch the setting sun, had some supper and when back in our little room I got ready for bed and fell asleep almost immediately. I did not wake up until we heard the first announcement that we were 30 minutes away from the port.
We had left the rock. It would be close to 1 a.m. when we arrived at our motel for the night. We would go back to sleep and have one more night in Canada before arriving in Patten. Here are the last pictures from those last hours in Newfoundland. What a time we had.
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