A post by Mark McCarthy:
Being from Newfoundland and Labrador and as President of McCarthy’s Party, one of the things I am most proud of is the integrity of our people, products, partners and local guides. But, since Mother tells me that pride is a sin, and due to the nature of this story, let me instead state how thankful I am for the quality of the Newfoundland & Labrador experiences we provide and those who make it available to our guests.
This past week we started the touring season with our first multi-day island wide tour. All was well and our guests were enthralled with the opportunity to experience their second spring season – albeit Newfoundland style. Daffodils and new leaves on trees in June? Torrential rivers bursting with the waters from the hedging snow melt, whales returning to the coves and bays, gannet’s diving, puffins burrowing and of course the arrival of many beautifully sculpted icebergs at the terminus of their multi-year trek from the glacial coasts of Greenland.
This is indeed a spectacular time of year to visit. However, spring in Newfoundland and Labrador can be a terrible temptress whose winds can swing quickly, resulting in dramatic temperature changes – or worse, a building tidal force whose subtle ripples can whip up a frenzy of wild waves and enormous swells. Treacherous in any event, the situation can be compounded for the unsuspecting sailor who might be lured by the deceitful calm of the protected harbour waters without knowing the disastrous results lurking in the open ocean just beyond the headlands.
Such was the case when our group arrived at the wharf in Twillingate last Monday. On a beautiful, sunny day, where not a wave could be seen on the harbour we were informed that our iceberg cruise had to be cancelled due to weather. Needless to say all hands were extremely disappointed since they were especially keen to get up close and personal with an iceberg. Worse, not minutes later a competing boat operator steamed their boat right along the nose of our group – leaving our passengers with a number of questions regarding the decision to cancel. Our local guide Francis answered their questions as he began to plot a new course for the day. Using a network of backroads and pathways not on our itinerary Francis would provide his guests with the best vantage points on the coast for iceberg viewing. They took beautiful photographs, met some great people and made a far more intimate connection with the land and sea.
And that’s not the best of it. Thankfully our guide stuck to his guns and respected the captain’s decision, for later that evening they met up with some folks who weren’t as fortunate. They were on the boat seen steaming out the harbour, and they had one hell of a trip. Several passengers were overwhelmed by seasickness; including one of the ship’s own crew. They were tossed about, dared not attempt a photo, and returned badly worn and tired.
We are very thankful to everyone involved in this story. Our partners made the right call. Our guide delivered an excellent day of unplanned alternatives and our guests enjoyed the experience of a lifetime. That’s what it is to ‘Let the Locals Be Your Guide!’
