We head out at around 8 heading north back to Marys Harbour. We spot another black bear along the highway but it was quick enough that we didn’t get any photos. We are on the day boat to Battle Harbour with six others. The ride to the island is a bit more than an hour. It’s rough enough that we’re in the sheltered cabin. We learn each other’s names: Viv and Dave from Corner Brook in Newfoundland, Lee and Linda originally from the Saint Johns area in Newfoundland but now living near Toronto, and Sharon and Mick from northern Florida.
There are day tours which we are doing as well as overnight guests who are housed in many of the village buildings. We discover the overnight trips are a two day minimum with food and lodging runs more that $1,000. We are happy with our $110 per person day trip.
We are here at Battle Harbour for five hours with a guided tour starting at 1:30. Battle Harbour is on a windswept island. The harbor is along a tickle. A tickle is a channel between two salt water bodies. It makes a protected area for the boats while the village is sheltered from the prevailing winds by the rest of the island. There are no trees on the island just exposed rocks and low vegetation. We hike around the island on a loop trail. As we walk we spot two icebergs along with a minke whale. We see the two Marconi radio towers that created an important communication hub in the early 20th century. The vistas from the trail are stunning. Next along the trail we find the site of a small plane crash where three lost their lives in 1975. Much of the wreckage remains resting there. We arrive back at the village and enjoy our lunch before we meet for the tour.
Battle Island is a preserved fishing village. The last year-round residents were in the 1960s. As time passed the church and other buildings started to fail. A group of local people from Marys Harbour raised money and volunteered their skills and time to restore the church. The church is the second oldest church in all of Newfoundland and stands proudly today. From the local efforts to save the village Parks Canada took over the island and continues to preserve and protect the island. Our guide, Nelson, grew up on the island and was married in this church 22 years ago today. The church is hosting another wedding next weekend.
Nelson takes us from building to building talking about what happened in each. He speaks many words that make no sense to us but then he stops and asked if anybody knows the word he just used. For example, anybody know what a tickle is? He was a master at telling the story even with his thick Labrador accent. As he talks about the history he points out the house he grew up in. He was born here but early in his life his family stopped living here in the winter. His stories include the plane crash back in 1975. Three people took off from the village and flew around the island heading to their next working site. They ended up crashing on the other side of the island. Residents had no clue the plane crashed Two boys, 10 and 11, discover the crash three days later. As we soak that in Nelson tells us he was the 11-year-old.
The tour finishes and soon it’s time to board for our return trip to Marys Harbour. Mick and Sharon are heading to Pinware Provincial Park where we are staying so afterwards we join them for conversation and wine. We may see them somewhere in our future travels.
Seeing North America 