Sample Agenda

TWO DAYS (ONE NIGHT) AGENDA

DAY ONE

9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Arrive in Garden Cove and take your luggage to the boat (M.V. Merasheen). Parking attendant will assist you in parking your vehicle.

9:45 a.m.

Board M.V. "Merasheen".

Prepare for Departure and Safety Procedure.

10:00 a.m.

Depart Garden Cove for Woody Island.

10:05 a.m.

The crew will invite you to have a tea or coffee with fresh homemade tea buns, and you can relax in the heated cabins or take in the fresh sea air on the fly bridge as you begin your journey. After you have left the wharf, look to the left - the grassy knoll is known as Bloody Point, where two pirates are believed to have fought to the death.

10:10 a.m.

As we cruise up this beautiful inlet, you can see that this stretch of water is nestled between the hills of Sound Island on our left and the Burin Peninsula on our right. This sheltered inlet is less than a half mile wide, and as the route to Woody Island is only a couple of hundred feet from shore all the way, you have no worries of encountering rough waters. Get your cameras ready as bald eagles often nest on Sound Island and we may see a mated pair. Straight ahead Woody Island comes into view and off in the distance is Bar Haven.

10:40 a.m.

Approaching the dock at Woody Island, you see the four lodges of Woody Island Resort overlooking Old Cove.

10:45 a.m.

Disembark.

You have about an hour and a half or so before lunch to acquaint yourself with our house, the staff, and Old Cove. You can take a walk to the beach (within five-minutes' walk from the lodge); you can chat with the local fishermen; or you can just stroll around the cove at your leisure. Looking out over the water from the sandy beach, you see Arnold's Cove and Come-By-Chance, as well as the resettled islands of Merasheen, Brule, Long Island and Spencer's Cove in the distance.

1:00 p.m.

Lunch is served - Steaming bowls of thick delicious pea soup; fresh homemade bread just out of the oven - enjoy as much as your stomach can hold. Top it off with toutons smothered in molasses and a cup of tea or coffee.

2:00 p.m.

You may like a rest after lunch, but a walk to another resettled community of Janes Cove, at the other end of the island, is a real treat. The walk is approximately 45-minutes ong. The old road to Janes Cove will take you over gently rolling hills and grassland with breathtaking scenery. This is a public road and has not been maintained in over fifty years so be careful as you my encounter some uneven spots, protruding rocks, etc. You can visit the site of the school and church or go off the main trail and visit the old graveyards. You may choose to hike along the beaches or just sit on the hill and gaze up the bay at some of the many islands of Placentia Bay. If you've never rowed a rowboat, now is the time to learn. Ask the staff for a life jacket and you are ready to begin. Horseshoes is a favorite game for many. If you like a game of cards, there is, no doubt, someone eager to join you in a hand or two. Visit our "Store Loft Museum" and browse through some of the material on local history. Some of the photos are a real treat.

5:30 p.m.

Supper is in half an hour. The smell coming from the kitchen assures you it's a good one.

6:00 p.m.

Supper is usually pan-fried cod, vegetables baked and boiled, homemade bread, grandmother's favourite cottage pudding, complete with a complimentary glass of wine.

7:00 p.m.

You've finished a relaxing supper and it's that time of the evening when the sun starts to fade and the sounds from the ocean draw you outside to catch the remnants of an unforgettable day. As you stroll along the path and down to the wharf, you become a part of the history and nostalgia.

9:00 p.m.

Get ready to party. We will be providing live entertainment and you can dance the night away, sing along to your heart's content and learn how to do the "Virginia Reel", or just sit and relax and listen to the music. Please feel free to take along your own musical instruments and join the "kitchen party".

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DAY TWO

8:00 a.m.

Some are already up and soaking up the sweetness of the early morning air as it drifts across the ocean.

8:30 a.m.

The smell of toast and bacon stirs the morning hunger. Bacon, eggs, juice, tea or coffee and heaping plates of toasted homemade bread make up a hearty breakfast.

9:45 a.m.

Breakfast is over and it's time to get the luggage ready so you can take that last walk to the beach, stroll down to the wharf, row a rowboat, or just relax. The staff are scurrying around getting ready for the next guests, but if you need anything, they are happy to assist you.

10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Get ready to depart for the second part of your adventure. (The staff will advise you of the exact departure time).

You are on your way to visit another resettled community. As you pass Woody Island, you get a different view of the trails you hiked along the day before. You will also get a different view of the resettled communities of Merasheen, Brule, Spencer's Cove, Tacks Beach and Isle Valen. Most of these islands have no permanent residents, just those who return each spring to pursue the fishery. Keep an eye out for whales, dolphins, bald eagles and other wildlife in the area.

Muddy Hole also called Bollard's Town is located on Sound Island and is our destination on Day Two. This snug little cove was resettled in the 1940's, well before the official resettlement program began. While the staff prepare lunch, some may wish to hike around the harbour, or you may prefer to sit around the fire and listen to some music.

The fire is lit, the kettle is boiling, the picnic lunch laid out, so it's time to eat. Our picnic lunch is homemade beef soup, sandwiches made from homemade bread, homemade squares or tea buns, as well as tea, coffee or a cold drink.

1:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Lunch is over, everything's packed away and it's back on "The Merasheen" for the return trip to Garden Cove. As we head back to Garden Cove you pass coves which were once home to hearty Newfoundlanders and it won't be hard to close your eyes and imagine you are back at the turn of the century.

2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Arrival in Garden Cove.