Through the Tickles to the Rhythmic Atlantic Rollers Where Seals Bask in Bright Warm SunKate and I boarded the “Ryan” and let Brian Murphy take us on a tour through the Tickles one magic day July 22 2017. Brian is a wonderful host with great humour and deep knowledge of the islands and the sea he loves and respects passionately. “The Tickles” are so named because at low tide when boats went through the centre of the passage the rocks would tickle their keels under unwise skippers knew not to hug the shore. There are “ cuts" like that on the Rideau where I very proudly hugged the shoreline knowing full well the shoals lay dead centre of the passage through which I guided my wee boat. I need not assert that the Atlantic is no Rideau but loving the beauty and majesty of water, land, and wildlife prevails no matter where nature is unblemished by humans. Brian told of how his great grandmother watched her husband drown in Murphy’s Cove— unable to assist or get assistance. He told too, of how the islands were named after people who had met their demise in the waters near them—and of how Beefsteak Island was so named because a load of cattle went down— an early death for them, and hungry times for those they would have fed. At a cabin at Murphy’s camp near Wolf Bay, Brian mentioned that it was once the lads that went there to be free of their wives for a bit, but now he said, it seems like the ladies are the ones that are getting away! He talked of Ship Rock and how it looks like the Bluenose from out to sea and he beamed when he said his next tour that day was to take his daughter out to where she wanted to be. Home from away.
The Ryan
Once a light house home for 11 people relocated to other shores
Ship Rock
Sand Bar where the young folk went swimming
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5BAjBPvUw4&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFUw8DcujfQ&feature=youtu.be
