THE OTHER ROOMS

Am still not sure when I set out what will make a successful day and what will make it fall short.

At the Seabreeze the usual crowd – the Brakes – were there, and I started to talk about resettlement and if this area had any communities that were resettled. I also remembered the places that Michael at the Discovery Centre had pointed out which had rarely used rooms. I had asked for a map and was told that it is available at the gift shop. I tried again mentioning that I would like to steal one and was told that there was one always on display at the welcome counter.

Paul told me about Sally’s Cove which was to be resettled but where the people moved back. That became the destination for the day, with side trips to these other places that were mentioned.

The only problem with Woody Point is the fact that one has to make it back to the main road then head North this means that every trip requires that I head south then out in Wiltondale – head north again. I can see Rocky Harbour from the house - it is across Bonne Bay - but it takes almost an hour to get there.

Packed the Deardorff as there wouldn’t be a lot of walking – this is getting to be a problem for usually my exercise programme on the rock is a great deal of walking this time it is a great deal of driving which I am not keen on.

Didn’t know what to expect but didn’t expect what I found at Sally’s Cove. It was pretty much a wash out. While it was a good place to get into the practice of photographing for the day, it was too rustic too stereotypical Newfoundland for me. A fishing area with rooms the tasteful disarray still very much an area in use but I couldn’t get over the tasteful neglect. I made some snaps hoping but thinking nothing would come of them. Stupid to work this way when each exposure costs close to a dollar US.

What was odd was that it was a working area so there was this mixture of picturesque and utilitarian – a lot of plastic, gallon jugs for floats for instance – around. I added to my collection of D.O.F. tags.

While photographically it was a bust, I was slowed down enough to make use of the rest of the day. While I was photographing Kendra was talking with two fishermen who were hanging around waiting to go out. While she was chatting she was making snaps of them. One of them asked if we wanted a beer, yeah sure to which he disappeared. Chatted with the other but as the absence became longer wondered where he went. To the convenience to buy some – Cohr’s Light it seems to be the beer of the Great Northern. We were reassured that he needed some anyway but it again gave us a chance to talk. Both got a look through the Deardorff, tried to photograph them both.

Once again it was reassuring that we had plenty of time to stop and chat and then be able to return to photographing. I like that balance.

A photograph of a church on the way to Cow Head but once in Cow Head I was at a loss, The place is too big too spread out to get a sense of the place didn’t know where to stop.

Did stop to make a snap of painted mural on the façade of Linda’s Place Spoke with Linda as she drove up when I was making the snap, she offered to shut the bar door so that I could get the whole mural. No thanks Then a snap of the ocean with a political poster in it. She invited us in to see the deck and brought the camera through the bar but there wan nothing that really wanted. Thought a bit while she went inside, packed up and then left thanking her.

Left the camera in the car for a walk along a sort of sandy beach just north of the town. Some work with the digital making things monumental, the camera is fine for this meaning that I don’t have to go use pinholes anymore.

Still not really satisfied with the day as the images – while o.k still they seemed more like exercises than nice finds.

This changed on return trip when in the distance on a point we saw some rooms. Turned off and headed out and the contradictions returned. Here at the end of a gravel road in which looked like part of the tidal area were rooms that were cleared of the working contraptions of a contemporary fishing area – no junk hanging about little plastic, but looked used. I think we stared in the building and there were objects that looked like they were in use.

These buildings were iconic. There were the quintessential rooms. That coupled with the Long Range Mountains in the background make them perfect. The sun made the images problematic – the sun and the lobster pots.

Stood and wandered a bit at a loss before moving about with the camera. Three snaps of which two I like. The lists lengthens with places I want to return to but this is one on a RFD day.

Left quite pleased.

The evening ritual continued. Waited for dark but now not night – dark enough so that no light comes in through the drying duct. Kendra headed down to the Seabreeze, I head down to run film, then while washing I head down for a couple of beers.

Line of the evening which I didn’t hear. While talking about the area, one persons mention that there is only area in the world with the same geographical make up of the Tablelands.
-Oh? Where? Kendra asked
-I don’t know was the answer.