Five MUST see locations

Good day folks.

Been a bit since I have posted a blog. Had some unexpected vehicle issues that left me grounded for over a week along with some other housekeeping issues. ‘

A word about blog frequency. Once I get a better understanding of where I am going to be financially, which is dependent on several factors, the Kickstarter success or lack there of, the ArtsNL grant and an artist residency I have applied for, I will strive to post at least twice weekly. If all my funding comes through there will be at at least 10-15 destination blogs. These blogs will have a video component, photos, both the travel documentary type and the fine art type, as well as some general information about the location. There is also a possibility that there will be some interviews etc. as well.

Maybe even a blooper reel lol.

So, here are 5 places I am 100% visiting this summer regardless of level of funding. These might end up being the ONLY 5 places, again dependent on funding, but these 5 should give me some very good results.

St. Brendans, Eastport Peninsula – St. Brendans is a small town located on Cottle Island. Accessible only by ferry from Burnside or by other boat transportation, it had a population of under 150 in the last census. There are a number of other small communities on the 10 mile long island , mostly, from my understanding, now home to cottages and older structures.

St. Brendans is a perfect place to start my project, it is a community that went against the flow of resettlement and held fast. It will give a unique perspective of what these places across the island might look like if resettlement didn’t force the relocation of so many.

Irelands Eye, Trinity Bay – Located on a small island in Trinity Bay, Irelands Eye is accessible only by boat. There are tour companies, such as Gypsy Sea Adventures, who offer tours of the island It is accessible only by boat. The first record of settlement was in 1886.

By 1956 there was a population of nearly 100 living on the island, it had a school shop, post office etc. The community was resettled to neighboring communities in on 1965. This community is in my back yard so to speak and while there aren’t a lot of structure left from the original settlement, there are a number of gravesites, foundations and other relics that will make this an exciting part of my journey this summer.

St. Kyrans, Placentia Bay – I’ll be honest, there is one thing above all else that is drawing me to St. Kyrans. And that is the Mary of the Assumption Church, or what remains of it. This is a haunting place, the photos I have seen are a magnet for my soul. I HAVE to visit there, I HAVE to take these photos.

I cannot wait to point my lens at this beauty. St. Kyrans was a thriving community that was lost as a direct result of resettlement with the population moving to mainland towns and harbours in the region.

Merasheen, Placentia Bay – This one holds a personal connection for me. Merasheen is a town located on Merasheen Island, Placentia Bay and also happens the be the home of my wiles family, the Pomroys. Merasheen was one the largest communities to be affected by resettlement, and certainly the biggest located in Placentia Bay.

It enjoyed an ice free harbour and supported a fish plant, shops, churches, schools. It had a population of around 300 souls when it was resettled in the mid 1960’s. Most of the inhabitants ended up in Placentia, Jersey Side, Freshwater etc. The people who descend from those families retain a strong sense of home for Merasheen and there are regular reunions with many summer home, cabins and cottages dotting the landscape. Most of the original structures are gone, however, with such a strong sense of history and my personal connection I feel its a must go place on my list.

Change Islands, Notre Dame Bay – Actually a group of three smaller islands, two of which are populated, and third that isn’t. Originally settled in the 1700’s Change Islands is in many ways frozen in time. the communities residents take great pride in preserving the past and many of the out buildings, wharves, stages and homes look today as they did 100 years ago. It has a peak population of over 1000 souls at the beginning of the 20th century but has seen that number decline to about 350 today. This place is a project in and of itself and I anticipate spending several days in the area.

So there you have it, my top five. This are communities I will be visiting regardless of successful funding. I will make it happen on my own. As I have said many times, this project is very important to me and is of critical importance to the sharing, recording and preserving of our cultural and historical identity.

I look forward to sharing my adventures to these and other communities.

I could use your help, as always, getting the project going. There is the Kickstarter Project, which is only active for less than 40 days. This is the major source of capital for startup of this venture. If you can spare a few dollars, or even a share, it would be very much appreciated.

You can always buy a print from me here, shipping is free across Canada!

I am also pre-booking my 2022 Calendar, you can purchase those here, this is my biggest sales item of the year and the success of much of my efforts hinge on its success!

Thanks for much for your support and kind words, and excitement over the project, I cannot WAIT to present a full session to you guys, with the photos, art edits, videos etc, its going to be awesome!