Archives for April 2020

Newfoundland Tsunami 1929

EAST COAST HERITAGE VIGNETTE

When we think of tidal waves caused by a tsunami occuring; it’s usually a phenomenom far from our reach in Asia or some other southern climates. Newfoundland; however, suffered through the devastation of it’s own tsunami on November 18th, 1929. What would be a calm evening would soon errupt into disaster and devastation.

5pm: It all began with an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale. It hit the area known as the Grand Banks which is about 400 km south of Newfoundland.

7:30pm: The first wave; called a trough wave, hit the southern coast on the Burin Peninsula. This wave would then roll back exposing the ocean floor. This caused many boats in the various harbours to topple sideways. Minutes later, three more massive waves pounded the peninsula with a sea level that swelled by about 20 feet. These waves pulverized about 40 communities all along the coast of Placentia Bay. Approximately 100 homes were destroyed in Point au Gaul alone.

8pm: It was all over! In it’s wake; it caused massive destruction , sweeping people out to sea, destroying homes, harbours, boats and literally anything in the way. Twenty Eight people were confirmed to have perished in the disaster and hundreds were left destitute.

In the aftermath; all means of communication were severed and there was no help from outside sources. It took 3 long days for word to reach the St John’s Authorities and for help to arrive. The people were alone! Imagine…I can’t even begin to but now you know ….

Ice Fishing

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It’s winter and the ice is frozen! The ice fishing shanties are clustered in little communities all over the waterways. Well, ice fishing is as old as the hills all over northern climates of the world. You just cut a hole in the ice and drop a line! Do it for sport and just for the commaraderie. It’s sure to be a good time.

Ice fishing on the Bay of Chaleur(photoD.Dugas)

The shelters can be as simple as a tent and as fancy as a small house you can actually sleep in. The most popular is a basic 6X6 shanty made of wood and decorated up in some colorful ways. All you need beyond this, is something to sit on, a line,a hook with a bobber, fish bait, an auger to cut the hole and a scoop to keep the hole free of sludge. Fresh caught and frozen on the ice; for a great feed back home! Doesn’t get any better ‘n that! Dress warm but a small propane heater can heat a shanty right nice. The season usually ends in early March. Beware when the weather begins to warm up as many a shanty has been lost due to an early thaw!

It is certainly not a sport for kings but it’s surely a popular one. Be so lucky if you ever get invited out to a shanty. The social gathering on the ice with yer buddies is guarenteed to be a good time. I just betcha have a lot of fun!

Maple Sugar

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An East Coast winter would not be complete without the advent of Maple Sugar Season. The syrup and sugar production was first discovered by the Indigenous Peoples who thankfully shared the technique with our earliest settlers. Maple Sugar has always been associated with the northern climate as Maple and Birch Trees thrive in that weather. From mid-February to early March(weather permitting)production begins and the producers head to the woods to tap the trees for the treasured syrup.

Liquid Gold Syrup

The majestic Maple tree produces starch, stores it in it’s roots, gradually converts this into sugar then this sugar rises into the sap of the tree. With the right temperature; the saps runnin’ and the real work begins. Time is crucial as the ideal weather needs to be above freezing days and nights below freezing. The liquid sap is collected and transported to the Sugar Camps; in barrels, hauled by horse and sled. In todays world; you may see a tubing system connected to each tree that gravity feeds the sap; on down to the Sugar Shack. At the camp; the sap is boiled down, often on an open fire. This evaporates the water content and produces the pure liquid gold syrup we all so love. An average tree can have a producing life span of 100 years and provide up to 60 litres of raw sap over the season.

So; when you are out driving along a mountain ridge and see smoke rising deep in the forest, someone’s boiling sap. Maple sugar season is in full swing. Stop into your local Sugar Camp and enjoy some fresh syrup, maple sugar, candy and a feed of pancakes; if you are lucky. Spring is in the air!

The NB Fenian Raid 1866

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EAST COAST HERITAGE VIGNETTE – THE NEW BRUNSWICK FENIAN RAID OF 1866 – The Fenians were an Irish Republican organization based in the United States. Their mission was to pressure the U.K. into withdrawing its stronghold back in Ireland. So in April of 1866; directly after the U.S. Civil War, a plot was hatched by the Fenians to capture New Brunswick. About 1000 armed Fenians arrived in the Eastport – Calais area of Maine intending to invade Campobello Island. The British, wanting to end the threat, immediately sent a half dozen Warships and about 700 British Regulars into the area. In short, the Fenians seeing this display of British military strength, skedaddled from the area ending the threat to New Brunswick. This whole event led to New Brunswick joining Confederation shortly thereafter. And now you know …..

Nova Scotia Privateering

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East Coast Slang Heritage

Published by Chris Holder · March 29 at 12:32 PM ·

EAST COAST HERITAGE VIGNETTE – NOVA SCOTIA PRIVATEERING DURING THE WAR OF 1812 – In June of 1812; the Americans had declared War on England. This period in history greatly affected the East Coast as it put all of our shipping ventures at risk. Let me tell you about a schooner known as the “Liverpool Packet”. It was purchased(in 1811) by a Mr. Enos Collins of Halifax to serve the Nova Scotia Coastal Trade. It had been in service as a former slave runner out of Baltimore Md. It would then sail out of Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

When war broke out; the astute Enos received a “Letter of Marque” from the British Admiralty. This document would make the schooner a legal Pirate Ship. He then heavily armed the boat, crewed it with about 45 sailors and hired Joseph Barrs as it’s Captain. Mr. Barrs came from a seafaring family in Liverpool NS and was already experienced in Privateering. The Packet would lie in wait in the waters off the Coast of Cape Cod to capture ships and cargo destined for Boston or New York. These ships would be sailed to the Halifax harbour where the cargo would then be auctioned off and profits split between the Crew and Enos. The Packet would capture 30 ships before it was finally seized by the Americans and Barrs would be jailed in New Hampshire. The ship was kept in service by the Americans for a short period and would be recaptured by the British. The Packet found its way back to Enos and was refitted with a new captain at it’s helm.(Captain Barrs was still incarcerated) The mighty schooner would go on to capture about 20 more ships; before the War ended in 1814. The old Packet then resumed service as a coastal trader on the East Coast.

Mr. Barrs retired from privateering and settled his family in Kentville NS; where he lived a genteel lif until his demise in1824. Enos invested his profits from his privateering days very wisely. One venture was in banking that would later become the CIBC Bank. He purchased a huge estate; in south end Halifax, that he called Gorsebrook. This property is now the Saint Mary’s University Campus. He died in 1871 and is buried in the Camp Hill Cemetery in Halifax NS. Upon his death; he was reputedly the richest man in Canada! Not too bad for an old Pirate from Liverpool, NS. And now you know …

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