Walking on this beach is unusual because of all the activity mere meters from shore in New London Bay. The beach stands at the entrance to the bay and a channel is marked for boats. My husband and I took my brother, Frank and my sister-in-law, Michele there when they visited last week.
We walked the beach within sight of the lighthouse
as the lobster
or mussel fishing boats
powered alongside us in the bay, headed home after a morning of work. We waved to the crews who waved back or blew horns in response.
For Frank and I, the shoreline with the boats in the background, brought to mind our grandfather O'Brien and his fishing career. When he first began fishing in Newfoundland as a young lad with his father, Edward, they rowed to the fishing grounds, fished all day and rowed home. We wondered what he would say about these boats and the seafood fishery.
Some crews threw offal overboard as they motored into the bay,
causing a feeding frenzy for the gulls.
The flutter created great photo opportunities.
The beach showed the effects of winter but little garbage. The only garbage we saw was a deflated helium balloon from some occasion which is but a memory now. We were reminded of the hazards such balloons present to wildlife. This one was mired in the sand.
The old lighthouse stands watch as it has since the 1870s. Its tapered construction makes it look small from a distance. Behind the sand dunes, it is protected from the sea as it operates on solar power these days. The lonely hours tending the light are part of history now.
Much has changed with the fishery too, a modern industry today, which developed over the one hundred years since our grandfather rowed to the fishing grounds for cod. Today, this area of New London Bay is a great location for watching these modern boats as they head home from work.
What work did your grandfathers do?
26 comments:
Wow, those birds really did go wild. That's the only garbage you saw, not bad.
I love lighthouses. This is so pretty and I enjoyed learning about your grandfather. The gulls are pretty in flight. My grandfather was a farmer. A large hospital stands where his farm once was.
Wonderful pictures, Marie. My grandfathers were both almost unknown to me. My paternal grandfather walked out on his family when my father was twelve and was never seen again. My maternal grandfather owned and ran a hotel in Bakersfield, California until he got sick and died at 62.
Your walk looks beautiful and refreshing! I love lighthouses too! Andrea
I love this lighthouse Marie, the little addition at the side is unusual. Always fun to see the birds following after the fishing boats. One of these days I'm going to do one of those family tree things, I sadly know relatively little about my grandfathers.
What a beautiful place to take a walk. The gull feast offers a great photo opp. They sure like seeing the boats coming in.
My grandparents came from Newfoundland just before the turn of the century(1900)to live a better life in the Boston, MA area. He left Nfld as a fisherman and learned the trade of carpentry, raising 13 children. They are all gone now but I know where my roots came from. I lived briefly in Argentia in the 1970's while my husband was stationed there with the US Navy. I will always love Newfoundland. My question is: What is offal? Thank you for your wonderful blog and insights into your past. Bess from Massachusetts
What a beautiful walk. Only one piece of garbage is a big win. Sadly a rare win these days.
My family is a mystery to me. I have no idea what either of my grandparents did and there is no-one left to ask.
Isn't it interesting that fishing has changed so much - and is still one of the most dangerous professions?
The birds were wild, HW. It was exciting to watch.
My grandfather farmed as well, Mildred, just enough food for the family.
I am sad when I see where the old homestead was. It is so changed now.
Thank you An. I enjoy learning about your life. You family moved a lot, so it would have been hard to know your grandfather I guess. Communication wasn't as easy as it is today either.
It was a great walk, Andrea.
I found it improved my life to know about my ancestors, PDP. It makes sense of so much in my life.
It is an excellent place to visit, Bill, especially when the boats are coming back.
My grandfather had sisters who moved to Boston at that time as well. They called it the Boston, States at that time.
Offal is animal remains. In this case is could be herring, which is used to bait the lobster traps. Any that remains after the trip would be thrown overboard. The gulls love it.
The beaches here are usually clean, EC.
The ocean is a cruel master, regardlessf the technology.
the beaches are home for me, yours are beautiful!! and that's one great looking lighthouse!!!
It is a beauty of a lighthouse, Debbie. The beaches are beautiful too.
What a sweet lighthouse. Loved your photos as always. My grandfathers were entirely different...one sold organs to churches in the late 1800's and the other was an author with 3 published books (very old fashioned wordage compared to today !)
You have the writing gene too, Ginnie. I think it is amazing how the ability comes out in later generations.
My paternal grandfather was a farmer in Manitoba. My maternal grandfather was a sawmill owner in Switzerland before emigrating to Canada to be a farmer. After his death, my grandmother remarried and owned a country hotel in Saskatchewan with my step-grandfather. He was the only grandfather I knew; the others died long before I was born.
What a fantastic scene with many birds! Your lighthouse is always charming.
My break is going to end soon.
Your grandfathers were an important part of the fabric of Canada, Debra.
The birds were exciting to watch, Tomoko!
Nice lighthouse! One grandfather ran a general store, and the other was a minister. He started ministering to the miners and loggers out west in Kicking Horse Pass, but ended up in Ontario.
How interesting, FG. Different backgrounds but somehow, your parents found each other.
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