Welcome To Fogo
Noon seems to be the best time to leave Twillingate, after some blog work and filling water tanks, saying “fair winds” to sailor friends and waiting for the rushing flood tide to settle down.
It is sunny with a breeze from the southeast - at least it started that way - then shifted to the west as we turned east. Within an hour the wind indicator at the top of the mast is spinning 360’ so we won’t be sailing. Harald puts a preventer on the end of the boom to stop it from swinging wildly but that doesn’t help much either. The swells are high and we are bouncing. We motor the rest of the way to Fogo.
Frank and Margaret were hiking near French Beach and captured this photo of us on our way east. That’s us - the little white spot, centred on the horizon. Just love the rugged foreground!
Brimstone Head is clearly visible on the horizon. This, believed to be one of the four corners of the flat earth, according to the Flat Earth Society, will be our Canada Day hike.
By 3:45 we are moving slowly through the narrow tickle between Boatswain Island and Fogo Island. The wind is behind us and the rocks are spraying with white water. We have about 125’ of useable water, but it looks daunting. We creep through, passing the wreck of the Portuguese trawler, Marina Joana (1948) or the Fayal (1935) - the sign we see later isn’t clear - there might be two wrecks.
At 4:00 we are secured to the fish plant wharf, in the town of Fogo, as far from the crab processing as possible. The wharf is not clean and the water is filled with processing debris, which also brings the seagulls, which also brings other debris. We trust the fishplant will not be operating over the weekend and that things will become more pleasant.
A walk seems to be in order, just to get the lay of the land. We wander further than intended, up the hill behind the fish plant, past the churches, the Chinese restaurant and the old courthouse. A senior local stops us for a chat - asks where we are from and why I am taking pictures. I told him because the area is beautiful and I want to remember all of it.
I tell him my mother was from Newfoundland. He responds with “ask her why she left and didn’t come back!” “Too many tourists who like it so much they decide to stay. Joe Batt’s Arm is now filled with new construction of very large homes. And that “inn”! Should tear the thing down. Been nothing but trouble for us.”
He is referring to the Fogo Island Inn, built in 2013. It has 29 guest rooms, at $4,075 per night during the time we are on Fogo Island. But let’s be fair, that includes all meals. Its unique design, covering 4500 sq metres, was designed by Todd Saunders of Gander and built for Shorefast, a registered charity established by Zita Cobb and her brothers. The vision was to create a space to showcase and preserve the traditional hospitality, art and culture of Fogo Island. Any profits are reinvested into the community. Other people we speak with during our stay, have nothing but praise for the inn and what it has brought to the region. (Islanders also get a free night’s stay every 10 years.)
He has to be the most bitter Newfoundlander we have ever met.
The low green building at the base of Brimstone Head is the Lion’s Club building. We understand we can go there for showers - a 20 minute walk. Our visit here in 2017 brought us to the same building for a kitchen party and our official “Screeching In” ceremony. It was dark and raining that night so we didn’t even see the rocky outcrop.
It is warm and we are thirsty. The cafe and small general store have closed for the day so we wander back to the wharf for a supper of steak and leftover pasta.
Sunday is windy and wet. A day to stay put, catching up on some cabin chores and reading. Early afternoon we hear a “hello aboard” and come out to find two people standing on the edge of the wharf. They are sailors, too, so wanted to come by to “check us out”. Katharine sees the name of the boat and realizes she follows us on Instagram. The gentleman is Chris, his wife, Jill, is in the car. They are sailors in Victoria, BC, where they sailed with Katharine before she relocated to Newfoundland a few years ago. We talk sailing and Newfoundland but the weather is not pleasant. They do not want to come aboard but do invite us to share a table with them tonight at Bangbelly. They have reserved for 6:30 and we accept the invitation to meet them there. Time to get cleaned up and presentable for what is apparently an exceptional dining experience. It is cool so sweaters are pulled from the closet.
The chatter begins as soon as we are seated. By the waitress’ second pass, we are ready to order. I have the cod in creamed curry with candied cabbage and puffed rice. The others all order the moose with spaetzle and partridge berries. The food is delicious, the company memorable and the service personal.
