The wharf in winter

The boats are long gone from this place. What remains is rooted here, standing against the elements, totally unprotected. It is silent, except for the wind which whistles around the old fishing shacks.

I pull up my hood as I look around, thinking if I stayed a minute too long I’d become an icy statue permanently affixed to the wharf.

Conway Narrows on the northwest shore of Prince Edward Island is frozen and Milligan’s Wharf, a protected area for recreational and commercial boats, is encased in ice. 

Looking out to sea, the sand bar which parallels the shore is barely visible, itself entombed in ice and snow.

Nearby, the buoys which mark the channel for the safe passage of boats are piled together, attached to their concrete anchors. They add a splash of colour to the white and grey as they wait for the return of the boats and warmer weather.

Walking around the fishing shacks I notice that winter blue, the colour of the overcast sky so common this time of year. The muted light creates a mid morning twilight. 

Tire marks in the snow proceed onto the ice. Someone chanced a vehicle breaking into the icy depths. 

While this cold has probably thickened the ice enough to support a vehicle, I wouldn’t take a chance. How about you?

Fishing shacks

They stand quiet and deserted today, each a unique expression of the owner. You can imagine the activity around these fishing shacks during the fishing season. Early morning, fishers prepare for the work day, then tidy up in the evening. They talk about the cost of fuel, lobster prices, sea conditions and the day's catch.

 

 

This time of year however, some shacks are inaccessible.

Others are cheerful colours,

 

 such as this yellow one which matches the sunny day.

Lofts maximize space in a few of the fishing shacks,

 

 though these haven't been used recently.

 

One decorative shack is covered with colourful buoys 

 

and a lovely weathervane on the roof.

 

Another has a satellite dish,

 

while others cannot be accessed until the lobster traps are moved away from the doors.

 

Bigger shacks appear to have two rooms.

 

Rows of fishing shacks dot the coastline of the fishing communities of Prince Edward Island. They are testament to the history, culture and traditions of the people who build and use them.