Fisherman's tales

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"The way girls roam over the earth now is something terrible.

It always makes me think of Satan in the Book of Job,

going to and fro and walking up and down.

I don't believe the Lord ever intended it, that's what."

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Rachel Lynde in Anne of the Island

The shore I have pictured here is of short sandstone cliffs boarding Wood Islands Provincial Park, Prince Edward Island, looking out over the Northumberland Strait.  The calm, still water reminds me of being at the shore of Lake Erie on a calm day, except that our stones are grey and brown, and these ones are vibrant and red.

Aside from the lighthouses that you are first drawn to at Wood Islands (more on these another time)....

....there is a row of wooden shacks, lined up on a platform, with a miniature lighthouse just to the side.  Kirsten and I didn't know what to make of them at first, but it soon became clear what they were:  a play fishing village, for visiting children to run around in and pretend to be fishermen.

When a person lives near the water, there is a good chance that he fishes.  Since Prince Edward Island is, well, an island and surrounded by water, lots of people fish.  It is a large part of the Island culture.  You are never too far from the shore wherever you are, and as we passed miles and miles (oh, excuse me, kilometers) of sea, there were many fishing boats dotting the blue waters.

**Little insider note:  From what I understand, while we were there, these fishermen were all out catching lobster.  I heard (this is strictly hearsay and I do not claim any fishing knowledge!) that since the winter was rather harsh and cold, the lobster catch is very good this year.  But apparently, the odd part is that the lobster price hasn't decreased at all, even with such an abundance of lobster.**

Now, when I think of harbors and marinas and all sorts of ports and docks, I think of the marinas down by Lake Erie, filled with boats and yachts.  There are buildings crowded all around, and a forest of white masts.  It looks impossible for any of the boats to be able to get out into the open water.  Seagulls and noise, people and cars--the view is very busy!

But not at Murray Harbour, which I have pictured here, or really any of the harbors we passed.  They were quiet.  Small.

They were darling.

I am so used to the pavement wasteland, the bustle and buildings and people all crowded along the edge of the water.  But not on this Island.  The countryside rolled into little towns, with no traffic lights (well, maybe one), where all the little boats were lined up at the dock to await the next day's fishing trip.  I was struck by the beautiful simplicity of it all.

My cousin, from the country herself, nicely pointed out what a suburban girl I am ;)

While driving along the top of the Island, going between Basin Head Provincial Park and Greenwich National Park, we saw the most vibrant of fishing villages:  North Lake.  The red dirt, the blue sky and water, the green grass, and the little yellow row of buildings created such a perfect picture.

This is truly one of the best pictures of Island life, I think.  Farm, water, farm, and water.  Everyone farms potatoes, and everyone fishes for lobster and crab.

I never took a picture of North Rustico, but I want you to know that if you go to the Island, this is the bay where I actually found the Briggs & Little wool yarn.  Let me tell you the story....

How I Finally Found Yarn on the Island

Because it is hard to....

Everyone who goes to Prince Edward Island knows that while you are there, it is required that you visit the "Anne" spots.  So, first we had some fun at the "White Sands Hotel" (Dalvay-by-the-Sea), acting all fancy-like....

And then we found the Lighthouse, which is still owned by the Coast Guard and has a nice memorial plaque for the Yankee Gale of 1851....

Until finally we got to the childhood home of Lucy Maud Montgomery, where she was raised by her grandparents for some time.  This is "Green Gables":

The home and the barns are part of a museum now, trying to show what life would have been like as an Islander a hundred-or-so years ago.  The similarities between what I know of my farming family in the Southern Tier of NY and the farming Islanders are many, and I was not wholly surprised by what I saw.

But there WAS a room that had a spinning wheel and a yarn swift.  And I squealed.

AND there was a girl working there who, in between letting the "ignorant" tourists know that they need to turn around and pay for entry to the museum, was crafting with some yarn.  I noticed the yarn as soon as I walked in, as she said, "Hello," and also like every good Canadian worker, "Bonjour."

At first, Kirsten and I only mumbled a "hello" back to the girl, and continued into the parlor.  But I began a mini dialogue with myself deciding the level of silliness in asking the girl where a yarn shop was.  You see, I had already decided to buy yarn from the Island as a souvenir, but in general there happened to be very few shops around the Island albeit yarn shops.  I knew of the MacCausland's Woollen Mill, but I also knew that the mill would not be open the day we would be near it.

So finally I approached the girl, hoped I didn't look too goofy, and I said, "Sorry!  This may be kind of weird, but I noticed you had yarn...and I was wondering if you knew where a yarn shop might be?"

She was very sweet, but apparently she didn't really know, and she gave us an apologetic look.  "I think there's one in New Glasgow," she said.  "Or...somewhere near there!"

Kirsten suggested I ask the girl at the ticket booth, who was older and might have a better idea.  In any case, she probably was experienced in giving tourists directions all over the Island.  We did so, and she answered that she did not know of any yarn shops (what is wrong with this Island???) but that she knew of a wool shop in North Rustico, which we had already passed through.  There was a chance that they had yarn, and if they didn't have yarn, they might know where to look.

I turned to Kirsten a little sheepishly and asked, "Do you mind if we go back to North Rustico, before we continue to Cavendish?"

With my cousin's blessing, we departed Green Gables and started the hunt for the wool shop.  I don't remember if I had to turn around during this hunt (I probably did thousands of three-point-turns driving around the Island), but I know it was a much shorter trip than I anticipated.

I walked in the front door, trying not to expect too much, when....

The whole back wall was covered in Briggs & Little yarn.

I never bought Briggs & Little before.  I had always wanted to, but found it inconvenient.  Some yarn is simply not suited for online sale, and online sale is the only means I tend to use these days.

Therefore, my smile was large, and I found myself suppressing squeals of joy.  I am not sure Kirsten quite understood my excitement, but I was so happy to find that yarn, as I assume my wool junkies will sympathize with me.  One-ply sport Briggs & Little.  Two tan colored skeins, and one red.  I finally had the tools to turn the Island into knitted memory.

And guess what?  I basically got a 20% discount due to the currency exchange rate right now!!!

The End