St. Vincent’s is a quiet little town, geographically located along the southeastern coast of Newfoundland. From the latter part of the 1700s to the early 1800s, the Europeans, mostly of Irish and English descent, were attracted to these coastal waters because of its fine fishing grounds and abundance of fish. These early inhabitants settled along those shorelines and raised their families in their new land — which was then the Dominion of Newfoundland. Their skills, dialects, cultures, beliefs and traditions are still familiar traits today.

The residents along these coastal shorelines thrived on the fishing industry while the supply was in abundance. In 1992, the unthinkable happened, a moratorium was placed on the fishing industry — the primary occupation for the residents in these outport communities and devastated their livelihood. Faced with such adversity as the demise of the fishing industry, the residents were confronted with some difficult decisions to make. The long-term impact that it would have on their future generations was unpredictable and inconceivable. Inevitably, it meant lots of changes, both positive and negative. How they were going to be able to provide for their families and make a living when they could no longer utilize their skills was unknown. The residents were optimistic and some of them sought employment elsewhere. Soon, the younger generation would have to shift their focus more on their education and learn new skills, which often meant relocating. In turn, the population started to decline, as for some of them, not by choice, left for good to find a new life and brighter future. In 1999, much to the disappointment of the residents, St. Anne’s School closed its doors, due to low enrolment, and later was slated for demolition. Since then, students are bused to the Dunn Academy in St. Mary’s. Though the Rectory was demolished a few decades ago, the Sacred Heart Church still remains, and Mass is celebrated occasionally now by a priest from a neighbouring community.

Meanwhile, St. Vincent’s has become much like any other small town, with paved roads and highways, and the once thought-of luxury items – plumbing, heating, electricity, and telephones have long since become a fact of life. The trek to St. John’s can now be done in just over an hour. Today, each household has one or more cars. The town now has some modern new, mortgage-free homes; landscaping replaces the once toiled-over vegetable garden on some of the properties. St. Vincent’s has a Town Council and Mayor – with laws/bylaws, and regular garbage collection. Some of the amenities include a hardware store, grocery stores, craft store, post office, picture framing shop, dance/bingo hall, fast food take-out, fire hall, ambulance service, gasoline pump, and funeral home. As well, access to a bank, gym, or drug store is only a few minutes drive. Medical care is also available within minutes, as a medical doctor is stationed in Trepassey, approximately twenty miles away.

Despite the decline in population, the town has become quite popular as a tourist attraction. In 1995, a Fisherman’s Museum opened, which houses many artifacts of the community. A whale-watching kiosk is located on the St. Vincent’s beach at the mouth of the mighty, powerful and magnificent Atlantic Ocean that attracts thousands of tourists over the summer months. A spectacular sight to see is the large number of mammoth-sized, hump-back whales rolling and tumbling on top of the water. These giant creatures perform as if they are at play with an audience. Another huge attraction is the annual regatta that is held on the Holyrood pond. As well, there are parks and nature trails where you will see some of the wildlife in their natural habitat. Caribou and moose are common sightings any time of the day or night. Anyone who is travelling along those country roads must be always on the alert for them, and exercise extreme caution.

Quite often I find myself reminiscing about the serenity, or sounds of the ocean at night, or a stroll along the cobblestone beach, which were the only sources of my childhood relaxation. A stranger in town is welcomed as a new friend amongst friends. There, you will find some of the most humble, down-to-earth, and hospitable people imaginable. It’s an ideal place to relax and feel at home in true country style.

I could not think of anything that has been more exciting, more interesting, more challenging and more rewarding as writing this book, and accomplishing a goal of such mammoth proportion. During the process, it has afforded me the opportunity to meet or talk with some very interesting people and professionals; the experience itself has taught me many valuable lessons: to be thankful for what I have and accept life for what it's worth; to think positively, never give up hope, smile often, add a touch of humour, and wake up each morning to a brand new day, and strive to make it a better one than yesterday. Life’s too short to not enjoy every precious moment of it.