Today I hugged a human dressed as a lighthouse. It was a spectacular day. Even from the Zodiac as we approached the small Labrador community of Red Bay, people were smiling, people were waving, and the “lighthouse” was dancing. You could feel the love and joy of this tiny, close-knit community.
The people we met today were, of course, not the first people to settle on this land. This area is acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage Site predominantly due to its incredible underwater preservation of Basque whaling shipwrecks and the settlement dating back to the sixteenth century. This history was illuminated for us by a lovely team of Parks Canada interpreters as we strolled around Saddle Island amongst the vibrant low-lying fall foliage and incredible ocean vistas.
The afternoon was a choose-your-own-adventure of various hikes or free time in town. The day was a highlight for many as the weather and the views above the water were phenomenal. Below the water, Hailey Shchepanik, one of our incredible dive pair, was able to revisit a historic shipwreck she had worked to preserve years earlier.
