Monday, July 14

Today was the first day of QLF Ocean Adventure Camp. Two other interns and I run the camp for kids ages 6-11. Our main focus is marine life, so through a variety of outdoor games and activities we open the kids' eyes to the beauty of their environment. For a craft, they created their own oil spill in tin containers. They dipped a bird feather in the oil and noticed how heavy it became. As a result, they realized that birds right in their backyards have difficulty flying because of the oil spills. Later, we hiked up Mont Peront. A trail leads to a spectacular view of Blanc Sablon Harbour. I asked the campers to identify types of whales and birds they saw, and I learned that they knew about the marine life found here.

I look forward to going to Greenly Island, the site of the first east to west trans-Atlantic flight of the Bremen, a German plane. We will spend two days there, and we will talk about the history of the island and the many types of birds found there, including puffins. At night, it’s all about the ghost stories.

Saturday, July 12

Today, Sophia and Aaron, two other QLF workers, and I went crab fishing at 3 AM. Riley, the captain of the boat, is one of our most dedicated observers. He has great documentation of whales and often sends it to Trish. With this documentation, she is compiling an atlas of the concentration of whale species in the Lower North Shore, southern Labrador, and western Newfoundland. Two fishermen greeted us at the docks with cooked snails. I tasted one, and it was enough. It took 2 1/2 hours to get to the crab pots. We watched the fishermen load the boat with fresh snow crab. Each line had 25 pots attached, and there were a total of 125 pots. It took them 5 hours to collect every pot. Next we went to Middle Bay, a tiny community of 31 people. Towns like these are suffering in the Lower North Shore because much of the fishing industry has decreased after the near depletion of the cod industry in the early 1990s. After the fish plant weighed the day's catch, we went back to Blanc Sablon to sightsee. We saw harbour porpoises, a seal, a few humpback whales, and puffins.

Saturday, July 5

Today is the last full day on our trip through southern Labrador. We met with fishermen, our Marine Species at Risk observers, along the way. There are about 100 observers throughout Quebec’s Lower North Shore, southern Labrador, and western Newfoundland. All of the communities we visited seemed to welcome us. The goal of this trip was to catch up with our current observers, but it was as important to meet new fishermen and explain our program to them. Pinset’s Arm, a fishing community of 63 residents, was overjoyed to see unfamiliar faces. It is located almost an hour off the main road, so anything new is a real excitement. We introduced ourselves and explained the program, and several fishermen shared valuable information. Someone we met fishes 180 miles off the coast of Greenland for 30-40 days at a time and catches endangered Greenland sharks almost every day. Any information on sharks of the Lower North Shore/southern Labrador is valuable to QLF because not much is known about the marine life in this region.

I tried bakeapple, a local berry grown only in this region, for the first time during this trip. An observer and friend of QLF, Daryl, invited me, Kendrick, Trish, and Sophia over to his house in Cartwright. His wife made us bakeapple cheesecake. Amazing! We even obtained a killer (orca) whale video and pictures taken last year from him.

This upcoming week, I will be working on the Blanc Sablon Radio Show and advertising for the QLF camp with Rebecca, a QLF intern who lives in the residence with me. We will introduce ourselves and offer environmental/community news and a music segment.

Saturday, June 28

I, along with several other QLF interns spent the night on an island 30 minutes from the Quebec mainland. Dwight, a friend of QLF who lives in Old Fort, brought us to Dog Island, where he and some of his 17 siblings have summer houses. Numerous shipwrecks, dating back to when the French came to Quebec, surround Dog Island.

We played many games that turned out to be a lot of fun. Bat and ball was similar to whiffleball but consisted of two bases and a wooden stick for a bat. We also hiked the hills. The views were breathtaking. This untouched land is unlike anything I have ever seen before. With no electricity, we lived a simple, relaxed life one night. Nighttime came and it became really cold. I put on two jackets and roasted marshmallows by the campfire. We got up early in the morning and explored the caves and rocky hills again.

Friday, June 27

Today the interns met Garland, a fisherman and observer for Trish’s Marine Species at Risk program, which asks local fishermen to keep a journal and take pictures of species at risk, including blue, beluga, and killer whales. Data collected from these fishermen is used for studies conducted by Trish and QLF. Garland showed us his collection of seal skins that he sells mainly to Japan, their biggest importer, and his collection of traps for mink and other large rodents. I will always remember when he said, “Work is never work when it’s something you enjoy.” He loves to fish despite the financial struggles and harsh conditions. People like him are the reason why institutions like QLF exist.

Tuesday, June 24

Early this morning, from midnight until 4 a.m. was the annual bonfire at the local beach. Children from surrounding towns, including some from Labrador, attended this celebration of Saint John the Baptist Day, a national holiday in Quebec. I woke up the next morning tired, but Trish greeted us with fried Caplin, a small silvery fish that makes its way in schools onto the shores in the area to lay their eggs. To my surprise, they tasted nothing like fish, but more like a chicken finger. Caplin are one of the types of seafood that locals make their money on in the Lower North Shore. After the collapse of the cod industry, many have struggled to find a living in this remote area of Quebec.

Saturday, June 21

Today marked the beginning of the First Annual Coast Fest. This festival will travel down the Lower North Shore. Its intention is to celebrate the numerous cultures found here by displaying local artisans' craftwork, having barbeques, and dancing.

The sun made a rare appearance today for the event. About 100 people showed up. There was music playing by locals, along with Frances, a QLF intern. I noticed the kindness and hospitality of all the people of Blanc Sablon. They actually came up to me, along with the other interns, and introduced themselves. Everyone in the town knows everyone, so when they see new faces (a rarity) they go out of their way to greet you.