DAY 2: Rigolet and Makkovik
Posted by Terri
Rigolet
We started the day just before sunrise and managed to squeeze in a few last snaps in the pretty morning light before we took off to Rigolet.
We landed in light rain and heavy black flies. But we came packing with three kinds of insect repellent. And I’m happy to report, we won. Soon after, the sun came out and stayed out, putting a sparkle on absolutely everything.
We had arranged to meet up with Kristy, who graciously gave up her day off to show us around the Rigolet she knows and loves. Her pride in her hometown shines through, and it’s easy to see why.
Not only can you find the world’s longest boardwalk, you can also find something you can’t quite pinpoint on a map.
Just a couple hours on the ground, and I had forgotten about whatever was stressing me out just 24 hours ago. Mostly because my phone didn’t work (a miraculous discovery).
Friendly people, incredible natural beauty, kids who still ride bikes and skip stones, and a real sense of community that was palpable.
We photographed boat builders, craftspeople, carvers, off-duty police officers shucking scallops, on-duty police officers driving quads, a gentleman named Hooker from Mud Lake (Hi Hooker!), and many, many more.
The one thing they all had in common was their desire to maintain the traditional way of life, and their willingness to share it with open hearts.
During our short stay, we were fortunate to catch some of the annual Rigolet Salmon Fest, including the BBQ lunch, and the leftover floats from yesterday’s parade. One of the homemade signs said, “Rigolet, the place to be.” And how true it was.
Makkovik
With just a quick 25-minute flight North, we landed in Makkovik.
We literally weren’t in town for 10 minutes and Michele was in a boat. On our first scout about town, she met up with Reg who was just out for a spin. With his dog Bryce swimming behind him, it made for a pretty idyllic introduction to a pretty coastal town.
We heard about the Trout Festival happening and instantly wanted in on the Community Bingo. Sadly, it was being played by radio and we had shooting to do. But we did snag some amazing Trout Festival swag at the community centre, ate a pinwheel, and headed on.
We stopped by the White Elephant Museum, where we chatted with Joan, learned about the incredible Moravian and Norwegian history (Andersen, not Anderson), and bumped into some visitors who just sailed in on the Northern Ranger.
On account of some recent bear activity (and a general fear of bear activity), we missed out on the boardwalk, and decided to call it an early night (relatively speaking) and get caught up on some writing and editing.
So here we are, at the end of day two. Tired, sunburnt, and covered in more than one fly bite. And we couldn’t be more thrilled.
Post-script:
A big thanks to Kristy for the unforgettable day in Rigolet, Natalie and Barb for the loan of your trucks, Garret for the quad escort to our hotel, and our pilots Benny, Dave, and Romain who not only got us there, but who had the patience to let us take many, many pictures.
