The one that didn’t get away.

“ You get to meet some amazing people from different parts of the world.”

Meet Rob Boyd.

To say that fishing is “ in the blood’ would be an understatement for Rob Boyd and many others like him along St. George’s Bay. His father and grandfather fished for years out of Cribbon’s Point. As children, he and his brother Mark were on the boats all the time observing and learning the tricks of the trade and the meaning of hard work.

Commercial fishing has always been an unpredictable business so Rob obtained a university education in Business just to make sure he had something tucked away in case fishing didn’t work out.

Acquiring a fishing license is no mean feat so when a fisherman died in 2001, he and Mark snapped up the license and got into business together.

“ The work is very demanding and stressful. When the catch is landed there are three people to pay: The bank, Revenue Canada and the fishermen. It is not uncommon for there to be little or nothing after taking care of the first two.”

In the early days, they knew nothing about the tuna fishery. The first tuna they ever caught was close to 1000 pounds. They weren’t even sure how to land it and had to call a friend to come and help them. Call it beginner’s luck or whatever, but the boys thought that they would become millionaires overnight. “ We quickly learned that you could go an entire season without landing a tuna.”

Around 2010-11, a few fishermen in the Maritime provinces started tuna charters. This was in response to the proliferation of tuna in the region. Quotas were reduced and the season shortened. Fisheries officials decided that tuna charters would be acceptable as long as it was based on a catch and release basis.

The Boyd’s commenced their charter business in 2012 and have never looked back. They are fully booked every year and many of their clientele are repeat customers. “ Consumers have high expectations of a quality experience and those of us in the industry do our best to fulfill their needs.” Rob is quick to point out that his wife, Sonya is a key part of the team providing excellent food for their guests.

The economic impact in the region is huge and may be one of the best kept secrets. While lobster continues to be the mainstay for the local fisheries, tuna charters are fast becoming vital cogs in the tourism sector. Hotels, restaurants and  car rentals all benefit from travellers from distant locales.  “Besides the fishing itself, our guests comment on how friendly and laid back people are in this part of the world.”

It would appear that tuna fishing has an addictive element. “ Tuna fishing is more of an illness than a fishery. You keep chasing these crazy fish around all day. Saner people would have packed it in.”

Rob briefly tried his hands at the bagpipes years ago . “ As the first born, I was expected to learn but I didn’t have a musical bone in my body. “  Maybe he’ll pick them up again someday and use them to attract tuna from the bow of his boat rather than using sophisticated tracking devices!

Or maybe not!

Grace and poise

“ My dream is to be able to support my niece and nephew so that they can get a good education.”

Meet Gracie Akrose.

The eldest of five children, Gracie was born in Vallavallai, Tamil Nadu, India in 1977. Her father was a fisherman and her mother sold fish at the local market.

At the age of one, Gracie was dealt a blow as she contracted polio. Polio or poliomyelitis is a disease caused by poliovirus. It can cause lifelong paralysis and can be deadly. By the time she was five and with more children in her home, her parents were no longer able to cope and sent her to live at Mercy Home, run by an order of Roman Catholic Sisters. Initially, this was a very traumatic experience for Gracie but eventually she settled in and spent the next ten years with the Sisters.

She began school and by all accounts was a very good student. Upon completion of her 10^th standard ( grade 10 ), she returned home. She was sad to leave the convent as she had been very well treated. Over the next two years she studied tailoring at a convent run by the Sisters of Bethany. She learned quickly and discovered a new talent which was both satisfying and practical. She began doing sewing jobs at home with a machine provided by the Sisters.

Over time her new found abilities became crucial to the survival of the family as a string of misfortunes made her the sole income earner. Along with her parents, she was also supporting a sister, a niece and a nephew who were all living under the same roof. Gradually it became very difficult to run her small business with all of the other distractions at home.

In January of 2017, the Sisters at Sanditham Bethania School offered her a teaching position and also provided her with food and accommodation at the adjacent convent. In addition to a modest monthy income from teaching, she is also able to earn additional money by doing private work for people in the community. She loves living at the convent where she finds peace by attending mass.

As hard as Gracie works, she still finds it very difficult to pay the mounting medical bills, food and repairs at the family home.

Gracie’s future is uncertain as there are no guarantees that she can keep her position at the school and the convent. She worries about her family, especially her niece and nephew. She knows that their best chance to succeed in life is to get a good education but after the 10^th. standard, government funding for education ceases. In order to continue their education, these children must pay and there is simply no money for this.Gracie is hoping that with a newer model sewing machine, she can increase her output.

Gracie has no bitter feelings or regrets about the cards she’s been dealt. “ I accepted my physical limitations a long time ago.” Polio has slowed her down but it has not dampened her indomitable spirit. She hasn’t ruled out marriage although she figures that her age and physical challenges present obstacles.

But nothing would surprise anyone who meets this wonderful woman with the perpetual smile and positive outlook on life.

 She lives life with dignity and grace.

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If you would like to make a contribution towards a new sewing machine for Gracie ( $500 ) please go to my fundraising page at http://www.week45.com/supporting-the-daughters-of-mary-in-india/

” So long for now” ( SML )

The lights in the auditorium dim. The set on the stage is simple. There’s an arm chair, a small coffee table and a floor lamp. There are no flashing lights. There are no big screens. A lanky figure walks on to the stage to enthusiastic applause. He sits down in the chair, puts a book in his hands and peers out over his glasses and begins to read.

“ Dave and Morley…”

It was the spring of 2002. Legendary Beatles singer/songwriter, Paul McCartney was coming to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto to do a show. Most baby boomers can tell you exactly what The Beatles sang on their first trip to America when they appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9^th., 1964. Most of us were, and still are, great fans of “The Fab Four.”

My son, Peter became a McCartney devotee as a teenager so when we got word of Sir Paul’s imminent arrival, we knew that this show was a must see… at any cost.

We arrived at the ACC early on a Saturday morning to pick up our tickets. Oddly, the concourse area was empty. There was a security person but we were the only two people waiting for the ticket window to open. I picked up the tickets ( about a mortgage payment’s worth! ) and turned around to see a familiar face staring up at the wall at the ticket prices for the event. It was none other than Stuart McLean of CBC “ Vinyl Café ” fame. Even though I had never met him, he felt like one of the family. That’s the kind of rapport he had with his fervent audience.

It wasn’t a matter of being star struck. It just seemed natural to walk over and say hello.

He was thinking about going to see McCartney but was slightly aghast at the ticket prices. I told him that there were times when you just had to bite the bullet if you wanted to go and see one of your idols. I also related to him very briefly the tragic story of my niece’s husband Melvin Hibbs . Melvin had died just a few months earlier in a plane accident. I told him that life was short and that he really should go to the show. The conversation only lasted about 5 minutes. He asked me for my e-mail address.

A few weeks later, I was very surprised to get a message from Stuart. He had gone to the concert after all, had a fantastic time and thanked me for giving him the nudge to empty his wallet. He wanted to do a story about the encounter and asked me a few more questions. On June 2^nd., 2002, I was the subject of one of his vignettes on “ The Vinyl Café” on CBC radio. However, the story was really about Melvin and Audrey. I enjoyed my “ 15 minutes of fame.”

We stayed in touch and a year or so later, he did a Maritime tour. He was coming to Port Hawkesbury and he invited Audrey and I to come as his guests, including a “pre show” meal in a back room at SAERC. We had a pleasant hour together and he and Audrey had some time alone to talk. He was so gracious, so kind and so genuine. The show was fantastic and it was a night we remembered for a long time.

Stuart passed away on February 16, 2017. Hard core CBC radio fans went into mourning.

Stuart Mclean epitomized everything we cherish about being Canadians. He was humble and self effacing. He never sought fame and fortune. It just appeared on his doorstep after years of paying his dues. He didn’t go for big venues and gaudy light shows when he travelled the country, taking his show on the road. He liked the small, intimate, soft seat theatres where he could make eye contact with everyday people. His kind of people. He gave us a geography lesson as he crisscrossed the country for years. His shows always featured music and he went out of his way to showcase up and coming talent.

The theatre lights have been dimmed. The lamp has been turned off for the last time. The book is closed. The last chapter has been written.

Stuart McLean loved Canada and its people. And they loved him back.