Clubbing in Kerleys Harbour

We got into Kerleys Harbour at 1:00.  That was a good thing because the forecast was for strong winds and heavy rain.  We were anxious to get camp set up before the rain arrived.

A good part of the day was still ahead of us so Barb, Dean, Hazen, Julie and I went on walk-about and did some exploring.  Though the community was abandoned in 1963, someone was keeping the trail around the harbour open.

Hazen and Dean walk past the fallen and rotting remains of a deserted building.

There's not a lot of flat and arable land in most coves.  As room for new dwellings ran out its likely people moved into the next suitable cove.  Sometime before 1845 people settled here as the census for Kerleys Harbour shows a population of 40 in 1845.

Here lies the remains of the community church.  Most of the houses were floated out to their new destinations during resettlement but churches and schools were left behind.  It didn't look like a large structure as was St. Georges in Ireland's Eye for example.  It only had to serve a maximum population of 90, reached in 1935.

The roof of the church was made watertight with felt rather than shingles.  The odd shape of the steeple looks like it required more nails than felt.  I wonder whose handy work this was?  Possibly a Mr. Miller, Ivany, or Clarke.  They were the predominant names in the community in 1921.

We came to a sign pointing to a trail that led to British Harbour.

I miscalculated the distance and after walking for 30 minutes we reached the highest point of land between the harbours at 500 feet.  British Harbour was still a considerable distance away so we stopped to take in the view.

Kerleys Harbour which can barely be seen is slightly left of center, just above the larger pond in the lower left.

We turned and returned to camp.  The rain still held up so Dean and I identified a sheltered spot where we could gather.  I set about cutting branches to make room and we had our "club house".  Ready and open for business I suggested to Dean we have a cover charge of $8.00 but I'm still waiting to collect.

Inside the club house with Dean, Ron and Hazen. 

Julie and Barb.  Ladies drinks were half price *lol*

We didn't have a fire but we talked and joked well into the night.  It was a most pleasant evening.  Closing time came and we were kicked out.  Good thing too because a scant five minutes after retiring to the tents it started to pour rain.

Through the rain, chatter could be heard from the closely huddled tents.  Hazen thought Julie and Barb were holding a Cabinet meeting, then he complained about breaking a tooth.  I shot some video of the inside of my tent with narration.  Dean wondered out loud what I was doing.

Eventually, we drifted off to sleep after a large day to the sound of rain on the tent walls.