Thoughts from the Water

Sailing route from North Sydney, Nova Scotia, to Argentia, Newfoundland, pretty much across the open Atlantic ocean.

Well, here we are. Our sailing time was 4.00pm and it is now 6.30pm. They let us on the boat, The Atlantic Vision, about 30 minutes ago with no sailing time in sight because of Maria. As of noon today, the sailing was still on but I imagine they are cautious now as Maria roars through Newfoundland and incidentally right by where I live. I took the precaution before I left of moving all the lawn and deck furniture in and battening down the winter door at the front of my house. I am glad now. I just hope all the trees will hold.

There are many boats and ferries at anchor in the harbour as I look out my gorgeously huge window. This is not a porthole by any stretch of the imagination. The weather outside is innocent: blue skies, a few white caps on the waves, but not a hint of Maria on this side of the crossing.

No news on when we will be sailing but we have been assured there is a ton of food on board and much to entertain us in the interim. I feel sure there is many a story to be told in this waiting for the crossing.

Sidetracked!

Placentia

I'm writing this on the Atlantic Vision, the wonderful ferry running between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and which is even better than before as it now has highspeed.

Well, ahem, we're a day late. And, ahem, there was a slight problem in that I thought we were sailing on Monday 29th, when in actual fact, ahem, it was Tuesday 30th. Says so right on the ticket. The ticket that Grandgirl and I failed to look at until the security guard pointed it out to us at the gate to the empty ferry terminal.

So no, we didn't skulk the 200K back to home (something about waving goodbye to all and sundry as we left and then showing up on the evening of the same day with a red face). We stayed in Placentia. At Harold Hotel. A most fortuitous decision as it turns out.

We went for a wonderful walk on the Placentia boardwalk after dinner. The dregs of Irene were all around us, unseasonable heat, raging wind and the ocean beating off the rocks below us. Magnificent.

Today we visited the old graveyard, some of it early 18th century. The old caretaker was shattered to hear I was of the lapsed catholic variety. I regretted telling him as soon as the words were out of my mouth as he took it so personally. He insisted on showing me a grave that held a Margaret O'Brien whose epitaph read "She died as she lived in God's Grace." And told me to think about that. I too could live like that, it wasn't too late.

"Maybe I already am in the grace?" I said to him and he shook his head sadly muttering about the one true church.

After the attempted conversion, we went for another long walk, this time by the wonderful river with the boats tied up and the sun splitting the rocks.

Meanwhile I ran into the president of the historical society whom I had met a few times at conferences and took the opportunity to talk about my play. We popped into a gorgeous new cafe recommended to me by a friend. Stunning. Home cooking and patisserie and the old general store beautifully renovated with floors and walls restored to their former glory. The owner and her husband are currently living upstairs but plan to eventually transform this space into an art gallery for her work.

She owns one of the inns in the area and in chatting it turned out she was looking for an accountant.

Well, duh, bingo. I have a new client. A most fortuitous misreading of tickets. All is not lost and Grandma is not destined for the home or a minder. Just yet.

Ferries & Irenes Don't Mix?

Photo by Grandgirl who raced out in stockinged feet to get this wondrous shot the other night.

Grandgirl and I are packing up the house and sorting out the car and assuring Ansa, that yes, she is coming with us even though we are washing her bed and packing all her stuff in her own little bag. She looks stunningly lovely actually, as she was groomed only a few days ago. But she walks around the house with that worried look that dogs get. Comical. But we try and keep straight faces around her as she goes from bag to bag and the place where her bed used to be. And licks our legs as she walks by reminding us that "Lookeehere, yes, you do have a dog!"

So far the ferry is leaving on time. Even though this morning's was moved to an earlier time because of Irene. We are sailing on the Atlantic Vision, which I sailed on before and raved about.

They have changed the hours of operation to be more people friendly. We are leaving at 6.30pm and arriving in the morning at 9.00 a.m. A huge improvement. Before it was appalling, arriving in the middle of the night in Cape Breton with long, long hours of mountainous, often foggy, driving in darkness in order to hit the Nova Scotia mainland.

It is well over a year since I was in Ontario so I am looking forward to catching up with everyone. Reportage from the road may be sporadic.

So far Irene is avoiding us. Let's hope she stays that way. My sympathies to all and their dear ones who have suffered.