Page 30 - Local Sea Serpents: 3 Reports

ISSUE : Issue 32

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1982/8/1

My temptation was to get aboard the steam? er which runs on a course north three-quar? ters east from Cranberry, a course which just shaves the promontary of Smoky and throws you into the mouth of South Bay of Ingonish. There were a score of other things that I should have attended to, but temptation said go--and I goed. When off Cranberry I came around to see what the mate was doing with the ship. It was thick and hazy ahead and no land in sight, but I am familiar with this old road and I con? cluded the ship was about ten points out of the course. The mate looked at the com? pass, and with an irritating manner of con? fidence said, "North three-quarters east." "North three-quarters east be darned," says I. "This ship is going to hit the North Shore right opposite the French Riv? er Church." "This ship is heading north three-quarters east and will just pass Smoky," said the mate. Well the mate and the compass were right and I was wrong. But this is not the first time I have been ten points off the true courseo It has hap? pened to me before in law, politics, relig? ion, economics and swapping horses. If it would only prove to be my last error in judgment I would soon have the world's premiers and preachers sitting at my feet to leam wisdom. The sun was loitering above the billowy folds of the dark robed mountains as the heaving line spun across the wharf and the steamer quietly swung up against her moor? ing on that glorious Saturday night. On sea and shore and mountain was spread the bewitching glamor of a summer night at the seaside. From the farthest sombre peak be? hind the pale cresent of the moon, out to where the lazy waters of the bay lapped aimlessly on rock and sand there seemed spread over all something that might be seen by sightseers eyes and felt by the nerveless fingers of the dead. With such, language is a lost art and poets are wing? less mocking birds. Accidents are incidental to travel and in? cidents are accident to the aimless wander? ers. On this occasion I had my first view of a sea serpent. I may as well confess that I never believed in the existence of such a creature. But this is what I saw. Out in the waters of the bay, about three hundred yards from the shore, there was something disturbing the water. At times at one end of the disturbance a black ob? ject would protrude from the water, and at the same time along the line of distur? bance there appeared other spots, they would protrude from the water, and look like a snake fence viewed across a grain- field. Suddenly this whole mass, proces- CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE NOW ON SALE: our 10th Year The Fifth ' Collectors' Edition lssues25through29 -$6.50 The FIFTH COLLECTORS' EDI? TION has stories about the Canso Causeway, the Port Hood Explosion, Wishie Rose at Sea, Talks with Steelworkers, The C. B. Fiddler, Gaelic Precent- ing, Micmac Chants, Aca? dian Tales, and much more. It's Issues 25 through 29 bound into one big book. NOW ON SALE EVERYWHERE, OR WRITE TO US. Order for yourself and friends. We pay the postage. Edited & Published by Ronald Caplan with the help of Bonnie Thompson & Ruth Schneider DECEMBER 1982 Cape Breton's MAGAZINE WRECK COVE • CAPE BRETON • NOVA SCOTIA BOC IHO You can wish us a Happy Birthday by giving your? self & friends subscrip? tions to Cape Breton's Ma? gazine and its books: DOWN NORTH and the FOURTH and FIFTH COLLECTORS' EDITIONS. They make good, lasting gifts--and we pay postage. Subscribe Subscriptions are sold on a 4-issue basis. A 4-issue subscription is $7.00 in Canada, $8.00 foreign. The current issue is Number 31, so-you can begin a subscrip? tion with Number 30, 31 or the next issue. Subscribe LET US SEND OUT ALL VOUR GIFTS THIS YEAR! Down North kx)k of Cape The Btxjk of Cape Breton's Magazine Ronaia Caplan. Editor Quantity Limited ORDER NOW: The Fourth Collectors'Edition of Cape Breton's m a x. a z i n e Issues 19 through 24 (292 pages) $6.00 DOWN NORTH The Book of Cape Breton's Magazine DOWN NORTH: The Book of Cape Breton's Magazine is a selection of over 50 stories taken mostly from the early issues of Cape Breton's Magazine. A lot of our readers will want this book because it is a permanent collection with almost 400 photos and illustrations, printed on white book paper and, of course, with no advertisements. DOWN NORTH costs $12.95 paperback and $19.95 hardcover. It makes a great gift of Cape Breton.

Cape Breton's Magazine