Contents:

HIKING ON GRAND MANAN’S FOOTPATHS
THE RETURN OF NESTING PEREGRINES TO SEVEN DAYS WORK
BECOME A FRIEND OF GRAND MANAN TRAILS
DRAWINGS BY JOHN BELYEA
RESCUE ON THE WEST COAST
KEEPING UP THE TRAILS
TRAIL COLOUR CODES
SOURCES OF REVENUE
WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO OUR DONORS
DINNER TO THANK THE BALDWINS
WE GET LETTERS………
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXECUTIVE MEETING
TOURISM ASSOC. TRAILS COMMITTEE

 I have been enjoying the trails of Grand Manan every year since 1987, introduced to them by Maude and Gerald Hunter and all of my good friends at Cliff by  the Sea. I’ve hiked many trails throughout New England but my favorites are on Grand Manan. I like the intimacy and reflective solitude of these trails, especially the ones on the back of the Island. I never tire of them, which is one of the reasons that I make it a point of hiking most of them during my annual two weeks on the Island. I simply like to walk and there is no better place to do this than on the trails of Grand Manan.

 Over the past few years, I have had a little fun with my yearly rambles by alternating the direction of my hikes. In the odd numbered years, I hike all the trails clockwise (if you can imagine the map of Grand Manan on the face of a clock) and in even numbered years, counter clockwise. This gives me a different perspective on the trails and I am constantly surprised by new things and changes that I discover from year to year.

 As much as I enjoy hiking with others, my favorite times on the trails are when I am hiking alone - especially on any of the stretches from Money Cove down to Bradford Cove. The diversity of terrain and vegetation, the occasional views of the mainland and the surprising wildlife sightings encompass any hike on this side of the Island. Throw in some changeable weather and you are in for special delights. One of my most memorable hikes was from Tatton’s Corner via the South Trail to Money Cove and on to Dark Harbour and then continuing all the way down to Sloop Cove and back out to King Street in Seal Cove. The hike started in a very windy early September rainstorm as a cold front was passing through. I was amazed at the amount of water that ran in various streams throughout this hike. By the time I passed Western Head, the rain had stopped and glorious, crisp fall-like weather kicked in. It was exhilarating!

 My longest hike on Grand Manan occurred in September of 1997. Starting very early in the morning with Beverly & David Parker, Cecilia Bowden, Gene Gillies and Rocky, we walked in to Bradford Cove and then up to Dark Harbour. I then continued from Dark Harbour to Money Cove and out to Tatton’s Corner via the North Trail. It was one of those spectacular clear early fall days that you cherish on Grand Manan - especially along the western coast. It was a day of great hiking combined with good conversation and food - important parts of a long day on the trail.

 I hope that my words will encourage many of you to further explore the wonders of this Island. The trails of Grand Manan are precious jewels to be savored. I leave every year refreshed, inspired and thankful for the respite from the challenges of city  life. Special thanks to all who maintain and tend to these wonderful footpaths!

Henry Biedrzycki, Boston, MA

THE RETURN OF NESTING PEREGRINES TO SEVEN DAYS WORK

 For the history of Peregrine Falcons on Grand Manan, I have turned to The Bird Life of the Grand Manan Archipelago by Olin Sewall Pettingill (1938). He wrote: “The Dutch Hawk (old name) used to breed on Grand Manan, probably in considerable numbers, for the high cliffs along the northern and entire western shore are particularly suited to their needs. This was first described by Herrick (1873) : ‘There is a place between Fish Head and The Old Bishop known as the Seven Days Work where the cliff is divided into seven strata as sharply defined as lines of masonry. On an indentation in the face of this cliff, about one hundred feet from the top, and one hundred and fifty from the bottom, a pair of these falcons have had their eyrie for a succession of years; secure alike from the assaults of the most zealous naturalist and the small boy of birds-egging proclivities.’

 “The Dutch Hawk continued to nest regularly on these cliffs for years thereafter. When Brownson (1908) visited the vicinity of Seven Days Work with Moses on August 4th, 1908, he saw three birds and assumed that they were a nesting female and her two young. As Smith (1922) has intimated, however, it was not long after Brownson’s visit that the Dutch Hawk was intentionally extirpated. It has not since attempted to nest there …”

 In the 1960s the Peregrine’s decline was traced to the persistent use of organochlorine pesticides, DDT in particular. Discovered during World War II, it was used extensively on agriculture crops. These chemicals caused reproductive failures by interfering with egg shell formation and hatching success. By 1970, a joint Canada / United States survey reported Peregrines would vanish from North America by the end of the decade.

 In Canada, captive breeding began in Alberta in 1970. Re-introduction of young birds began in 1982. By 1989, twenty-five young falcons had been released in three locations in the Bay of Fundy, but not on Grand Manan itself.

 When a pair showed up on Seven Days Work in 1990, it seemed reasonable to assume that they were a product of the release programme. Noticed first by Robert Young while working on a herring weir, it was reported to the writer, and a watch was begun. Although the birds were behaving territorially, the time for egg-laying and incubation came and went without even a nest being built. Could they be sub-adults merely “playing house”?

 The following year proved this assumption, when on June 1st, 1991, the female raised up off the nest as Jackie Foote and I approached by boat. A small white head peered out over the edge of the nest. The chosen site was precisely that reported by Herrick in 1873. On June 23rd, three fledgling young were counted on the ledge beside the nest. In these ten years, the nest has produced one to three young falcons annually, making a total of at least twenty.

 Although the nest site cannot be seen other than by boat, hiking birders have compiled many thrilling observations. The most productive period for sightings is in June, when both parents make trips to and from the nest site bringing kills to the nestlings. The lookout on Ashburton Head overlooking the mouth of Eel Brook, and the haul-up in Whale Cove are the best vantage points. Hikers on the cliff - top trail between Whale Cove and Ashburton Head have been screamed at in early May, when the breeding pair are re-establishing their territory. In spite of Pettingill’s conjecture, Seven Days Work remains the only known Grand Manan nest site.

Don Baldwin

BECOME A FRIEND OF GRAND MANAN TRAILS

We Need Your Help!!!

You could adopt a trail (see map for trails needing adoption.) This involves doing light maintenance several times during the summer season (the heavy work of removing blow-downs or building bridges is usually done by a “trail blazer”, paid for by a grant we have been fortunate to obtain).

Starting, say in April before the bugs come out and the hikers arrive, you walk your adopted trail, preferably with a partner. One of you, with hand clippers, can cut away at the intrusive alders, hard-hack and brambles. Your partner, meanwhile, repaints the tin-lid markers or nails up new lids or signs - all supplied by Don Baldwin. Friends of Grand Manan trails can help by saving tin can lids which will be painted by Don and used as trail markers. Don also provides Trails Maintenance Guidelines and lots of encouragement.

During the summer-fall season, you will need to check on your trail to ensure that the way is clear, and the markers are visible in both directions. Summer growth may obscure them or storms may necessitate remedial work. And any litter should be carried out, perhaps in plastic garbage bags. When you see that a trail sign is missing/required/faded/ etc., make a sketch indicating which direction the arrow should point. Then call Don Baldwin with the details. Danger and Caution signs are now available from Don to mark “impromptu trails” and undercuts. 

So you see the trail adopter’s job is not onerous - mainly brushing out and painting. And you would be contributing to the safety and pleasure of innumerable hikers. Our trail adopters are our single biggest asset. Please contact Cecilia Bowden or Gene Gillies at 662-3868 to report trail conditions, or if you would like to adopt a trail.

But most importantly, we need financial donations. So far we have been self-sustaining, thanks to the generosity of Friends and the Fundy Community Foundation, by the fund-raising dinner and the sale of pins. Please help by sending a donation to the Treasurer, Don Baldwin, at the address on the last page.

DRAWINGS BY JOHN BELYEA (drawings are omitted from the web version)

 Again this year, as in 1998 and 1999, our Trails Newsletter is featuring pen and ink drawings by John Belyea, who lives in Saint John and works at the Regional Hospital. John has been visiting Grand Manan since 1993 when he first came biking with friends to pursue his interest in whales. 

 Over the years, John has explored various subjects and media: in grade school, he started with snakes and lizards and amphibians rendered in pencil, coloured pencil and markers, then moved on in high school to scenery rendered in acrylic paint.

 In 1998, while staying at Baldwin’s Bed and Breakfast, Ellen Belyea, John’s wife, encouraged him to show his sketch book to Don and Maureen. Don, ever on the lookout for material for this newsletter, urged him to try drawing Grand Manan birds and scenery and to include recognizable landscapes as backgrounds to the bird drawings. John has been so successful with this approach that this summer the Grand Manan Museum featured an exhibition and sale of 17 of John’s drawings. The Peregrine Falcon head accompanying Don Baldwin’s article was featured in the exhibition. (Work from the exhibition as well as notecards are for sale in the Museum and at Island Arts.) “Don Baldwin has been a great inspiration and I can’t thank him enough for his timely encouragement,” says John.

 While John devotes much of his spare time to his art and frequently visits Grand Manan for whale watching, he also studies classical guitar and Baroque and Renaissance music.

 Thank you, John, for the drawings we “commissioned” from you for this year 2000 newsletter. They make all the difference in its appearance besides reminding us of our majestic scenery and this summer’s great  hiking.

RESCUE ON THE WEST COAST

 In late July, there was a very unfortunate accident when a couple from Montreal fell off the cliff at the Tumbledown near Indian Beach. 

 A number of Grand Mananers helped with the rescue. Though we may have missed some who were involved, we want here to recognize Ian and Barbara Spicer (and Ian’s cell phone); Corporal René Tessier of the RCMP; EMT members, Charmaine Taylor and Sharon Ingalls; Chad Morse who helped in the ambulance; Fire Department Volunteers, William Clinch, Darlene Clinch, Chubby Brown, John Spicer Jr., Mark Wilcox, Justin Dean and Alex Parker; fishermen, Paul Brown and Raymond Morse; extra help, Douglas Clinch, Joseph Fleet and Jordy Leighton; and at the hospital, Dr. Dapena and Karey Ingalls, RN.

KEEPING UP THE TRAILS

 Sheldon Cook, who was responsible this year for getting the early work done on the trails, reports that almost $1800.00 was spent on the job. An advertisement on the Community Channel was answered by Malcolm Green of Seal Cove, who offered to do the lower end of the Island starting at Pat’s Cove and working around to Dwelly’s Pond. He spent almost two weeks cutting, brushing out and putting up markers.

 Another notice put up in the Trailer Park up King Street brought an immediate response from two Newfoundlanders, Gary Mahoney and Eugene Watkins, who took on the northern end of the Island. Considering that they were not familiar with the trails on Grand Manan, they did a very good job.

 Contributions were later made by several of our regular summer visitors. The Kelty family, Philip, Catrine, Emmett, Maya, and the dog Ruby, set out from Harrington Cove one morning equipped with discs, nails and hammer, and re-marked the trail from Dark Harbour to Money Cove.

  Alan and Elaine Demaline of Orangeville, Ontario, undertook the job of checking and marking two trails - one from Sloop Cove to King Street (in good shape) and the other from Pandora Head to Bradford Cove (needed a little work and still needs a bridge to be built).

 Our thanks to all of them.

TRAIL COLOUR CODES

Because bright red is the most visible colour on the trails, it has been chosen to mark trails which follow the shoreline.

Yellow, orange and blue are used on inland trails which connect with red shore trails.

Red has also been used on some inland trails which do not connect with any other trails in the system (eg. The Beech Hill trail on the Hill Road).

SOURCES OF REVENUE

 One of the sources for raising funds every year has been the sale of the sew-on cloth trail crest. This year, with the help of Vern Horsman, we had some metal pins made using the same logo. They sold extremely well. Several Grand Manan Tourism Association members stocked the pins. Whale Cove Inn, Harrington Cove Cottages, Shorecrest Lodge and Island Arts led the way in sales. Total amount raised was over $910.00. 

 Revenue came from some other sources, too. Judy Stone of Seal Cove painted a series of charming water-colour notecards of Grand Manan. She donated a percentage of the sales to the trails. Andrzei Urbaniak of Orleans, Ontario also made a contribution with all money from the sale of his matted Grand Manan photographs going to trail maintenance.

 We are very glad to have received a grant of $600.00 from the Fundy Community Foundation which has its headquarters in St. Andrews and gives out funds for community improvement. The grant was put to good use toward upgrading our Island trails for the benefit of Islanders and hiking tourists alike.

WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL TO OUR DONORS, WHO INCLUDE:

David Bartlett, H. Thomas Bartlett, Malcolm Bull, Brian Dalzell, Ed & Janice David    Linda Duchin, Fundy Community Foundation, Anneke Gichuru, Valerie Gilbey
Frances Hodge, Gerald & Maude Hunter, Robin Kenny, Germaine & Clint Landry      Richard & Edith Lebowitz, George & Helen Logan, Mary Majka, Paul Nelson
David & Kath Ofiana, David & Beverly Parker, G. Ratzer, Joanna Ryan, Ralph Smith        Heather Trim, Doreen Wallace

(List as of Fund Raising Dinner, October 11, 2000)

DINNER TO THANK THE BALDWINS

 October 1999, following circulation of the Trails Newsletter, and Don Baldwin’s announcement that he was retiring from his leadership role on the Trails Committee, a dinner was given for him and Maureen.

 Laura Buckley, President of the Grand Manan Tourism Association threw open her Inn at Whale Cove dining room to 40 members of the Association and “Friends” for a fund raising dinner and presentation to Don and Maureen of a lovely wood carving of a shorebird by Lincoln Harvey of Woodwards Cove.

 Don thanked all present for their help on the trails and Billy Daggett for his words of appreciation. Don especially thanked Maude Hunter for her continuing support and inspiration. Diners ran in from a rainy deluge to fill up the cosy dining room. All the seats were booked and the late comers could not get reservations. The sum of $373.00 was raised for trail purposes.

 Our thanks to the volunteers who helped serve and clean up - Jim Leslie, Linda L’Aventure, Laurie Murison and Cecilia Bowden. A special thanks to Laura Buckley for hosting and cooking a delicious meal.

WE GET LETTERS………

 I can’t think of many better ways to begin a new year than to contribute to the upkeep of Grand Manan’s beautiful trails and to ask to be put on the mailing list for trail information. My husband and I have thoroughly enjoyed three trips to Grand Manan and have done about 2/3 of the hikes described in Heritage Trails and Footpaths on Grand Manan. We can’t wait for our next opportunity to vacation on your beautifully unspoiled Island and to do some more hiking!    
           Robin Kenny, Flemington, New Jersey

 I was just reading your latest Trails newsletter on the internet at the Grand Manan tourism web page and have to say I am quite impressed with what you and your group are doing on the Island. I was there in early July and had the opportunity to hike some sections of trail out to Hole-in-the-Wall, Ross Island, and White Head Island…… I have a popular Cycling/Trails website and have put links to the Grand Manan Tourism web page and have done a short write-up on your group. Hopefully you will get a few more new members for your organization as a result. If you have any trail news you want to pass along to me that would be great either by mail or email. I write articles occasionally for Fredericton’s “Northside News” weekly newspaper too and have started a story on hiking on Grand Manan. The address for my web page: http://www.ncf.ca/~ea839/index.html or http://www.ncf.ca/~ea839/midnov99.html (Grand Manan ) Keep up the good work! 
          Kyle Purves, Fredericton, New Brunswick

For years, my husband, David, and I have enjoyed the trails on Grand Manan and have hiked all over the Island on many occasions. Throughout that time, we have noticed a steady improvement in the trails…. I know all who hike will echo my appreciation and thanks to you, Don, for your leadership, and to the members of the Grand Manan Trail Association, and the many volunteers, like Sheldon and Shirley Cook, who have done so much for the maintenance and improvement of all the trails throughout the Island. All of your efforts are so very much appreciated.  
         Beverly J. Parker, Waterdown, Ontario
 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXECUTIVE MEETING OF THE 
GRAND MANAN TRAILS COMMITTEE, October 3, 2000

Present:
 Don Baldwin (Chair and Treasurer), Maureen Baldwin, Shirley Cook, Sheldon Cook
 Ce Bowden, Gene Gillies, Maude Hunter, Beverly Parker, Ann Chudleigh
 Foster Hammond and  Stephen Harvey (Anchorage Park)
 
Topics of Discussion:

• A major revision and printing of the Trail Guide is planned; watch for it next summer.
• We are applying for a major federal grant for the Guide and workers for a trail upgrading blitz during the winter and spring of 2001. (Details next issue if we’re successful.)
• Barbara and Sydney Guptill have ideas for new trails in the middle of the Island.
• The Anchorage may be able to help with picnic tables and promotion of the trails to its campers.
• We need to look into legal protection for landowners who have trails on their property.
• When we apply for grants, it is important to show both community support and increasing financial donations.