Who We Are
Annual update
Last Year
This Year
Trail Condition reports
Our Only Formal Trail
New Nature Trail and Bird Blinds
The Right Attitude
Winter Work '93/'94
Finances
Future Needs
Grand Manan Tourism Association - Trails Committee

(See page bottom for prev. editions)

This newsletter is intended as an annual update on the state of our trails and plans for the future. With these priorities in mind it will also be mailed to all members of G.M.T.A. since they have supported us with funds and need to be kept informed. They meet the visiting public, retail the trails guide and must act as an informational conduit between the Trails Committee and the hiker. top

Last Year:

1992 was an important and productive year for the trails. G.M.T.A. obtained provincial funding to allow the employment of a five member crew for ten weeks. This crew was ably led by Neree Losier, Grand Harbour, and resulted in 95% of our trails (said to total 70 kms) being completely re-furbished. In the late fall Kevin O'Donnell, Crown Lands Planner for N.B. revised the trails guide. The maps are now much improved. Thus we were in good shape for '93 when winter closed in. However, March gave us 'The Storm of the Century' which battered us with unusually high winds and many weak or dead trees came down across our trails. On the Ashburton Head - Long Eddy. Light (The Whistle) Trail D.H.B. bad to remove portions of 30 deadfalls. Ashburton Head, burned over in '85, has a great many just standing dead trees so this problem will re-occur. top

This Year:

As well as the above task, pre-season work was done by Jackie Foote, Seal Cove, Maude and Gerald Hunter, Deep Cove, and several of their regular cabin guests to make good winter damage and replace a few 'missing' signs.

Monitoring the trails in this way occupied about 120 hours and relettering 103 signs both proved time-consuming. We found that the 'indelible' felt pens used in '92 worked very well where the sign is in the shade. Out in the sun they went completely blank. Will this explain any mystery signs you encountered this summer? Making up new signs and repainting the metal trail markers used up a further 18 hours. top

Trail Condition reports:

We are asking our 'Friends' to supply written reports of trail conditions to keep us in the picture on what needs to be done and to give us fresh perspectives. Kevin Shoom, Ottawa walked the Pat's Cove to Southwest Head Trail on May 26th (before breakfast!) and filed the first report of the season. He found the trail in good shape. Not surprisingly since Gerald and Maude keep a close eye on it. They have adopted this trail officially now having tended it for years.Chuck Letourneau and Julia Goodman, Ottawa, hiked in mid-July. They filed three detailed reports on Ashburton to Long Eddy Light, Red Point to the Anchorage and Southwest Head Light to Pat's Cove. Each included a critique of what improvements can be made as well as a list of bird species encountered.

D.H.B. would like to expand the guides text to include more details of the flora and fauna on each trail when next we revise it. Ben Allison and Winwardus Geurds set a record with reports covering five full days hiking all dutifully written up. Their shortest report covered Red Point to the Anchorage Prov. Park. "Perfect (Govt. Money.'.)" How right they are. Sidney and Barbara Guptill, Seal Cove, outdid themselves. They have adopted a portion of the "Back of the island trail" as islanders refer to it. Sloop Cove to Dwellys Cove is theirs, including the portion through Maple Grove which is inland from the clifftop. In addition they have donated funds. Well done! Barbara was one of the crew who worked on the trails back in '76.

Henry Biednzycki and Valerie Evans, Charleston, Ma., took hand tools and improved the marking between Dark Harbour and Little Dark Harbour in Mid-June. This energetic couple covered all the ground between Dark Harbour and Bradford Cove in one day before reporting in. I suppose when they got to Bradford Cove they just gave up and walked home to Maude and Gerald Hunter's. It can be done! Sheldon and Shirley Cook, Seal Cove, offered to adopt the trail from Southwest Head Light to the upper end of Bradford Cove Pond. A much used trail. Great. Jackie Foote, Seal Cove, put in many hours in the spring monitoring and re-working trails with D.H.B. The use of his old truck to transport tools and materials was especially welcomed. Muriel Smith, Fredericton, made a practice of walking our shore trails and collecting the driftwood we use for our rustic signs. Nancy Sears, St. Martins, the Fundy Hikers Tour Organizer, covered a lot of trails fast in early June. This was to orient her summer tour leaders who returned later with groups. Two of her reports were amongst the earliest of the season and enabled us to get out and put things to rights.

Paul and Donna Wilhelm, Philadelphia, came to Grand Manan as Elder Hostelers. He it was who donated the sketch of boats at North Head pier at the beginning of the newsletter. The Meades, Newbury, Ma, were also Elder Hostelers. Joanne donated the other lovely little sketches of Swallowtail, North Head seen from the Marathon Inn and Pettes Cove.

A great many other hostelers hiked our trails. D.H.B. works as the birding instructor with these groups at the Marathon Inn and points out many of the trails whilst in the field with them. They hike during free times and their favourites are Net Point, short but very accessible. Good for the botanist and photographer although there are a couple of spots where the trail skirts the 40' cliff top. A good trail to enjoy whilst waiting for the ferry or from accommodations in North Head. It begins and ends in Pettes Cove, not through the Irving Tank Farm! Old Airport to The Hole-in-the-Wall easily walked uphill from the Shorecrest Lodge, Marathon Inn or Compass Rose. This one is a must if you ever aspire to bragging that you have 'done' Grand Manan. Especially good or a summer's eve after you have eaten too much dinner!

They also favour Beech Hill on the Back Road in Castalia. Only a 25 minute walk uphill to the treeless bluff on a rocky ridge. You can look east from here and see all of the islands in the archipelago as well as Digby Neck, N.S. when visibility is good. Look for the sign just south of Bancroft (the Airport) Road. There are a couple of small parking spots. top

Our Only Formal Trail:

Our trails are unimproved and informal. They are cleared just - wide enough to allow single file passage (and not wide enough for an A.T.V.). They are marked sparingly to enable you to remain on course and resolve puzzles where the many other (vehicle) trails criss-cross the hiking trail. There are a few rustic bridges over gullies but no formal steps or guard rails. Such refinements are well beyond our means.

The one exception is from the Anchorage Provincial Park and Red Point, above Seal Cove Village. This past summer it has been completely reworked. Boardwalks were put in place over the many wet spots and fill was brought in to re-surface the drier portions. This trail gets very heavy use by the campers and it is highly appropriate that it be walkable for everyone from toddlers to the elderly. Billy Daggett, Park Superintendent, who oversaw the work, was pleased to note mothers with their babies in strollers out on it! There are a number of seats and scenic outlooks. Birding is good along this trail especially when the wind is westerly. For the past two summers at least, Merlins have nested adjacent to this trail and have been frequently recorded. The stretch of tide-water this trail overlooks is the island's best for all the sea ducks as well as loons and grebes. When the tide is at half or less you can use the trail one way and walk the pebble beach the other. It is about a mile (1.4 km) in length and there are parking areas available at either end. At the Anchorage Picnic Site toilets and fresh water are handy. top

New Nature Trail and Bird Blinds:

At the Anchorage ponds (The Lagoon, Long Pond and Great Pond) a new Nature Trail has been constructed this summer with three bird-watching blinds put in place by Neree Losier and helpers. At the time of writing the blinds overlooking The Lagoon and Great Pond are complete and operational. They did great service for fall birders who appreciated being in out of the elements and watching birds, undisturbed at close range. The Long Pond Blind is on site but will have to await next summers funding. Also planned for next summer are a bog walk at Great Pond and a shore blind for the Red Point trail. When completed, these trails and blinds will include interpretive signs and displays. All-in-all a most exciting addition to our trails system. Together with a beach walk east to grassy Ox Head (where the Harbour Seals can be seen hauled out on Ox Head Ledges) a great day can be spent between Red Point and Ox Head through the Provincial Park Nature trails and blinds. top

The Right Attitude:

On Grand Manan, islanders and visitors both enjoy a sort of permissive trespass tradition. It means we can use all these trails across privately owned land because the owners have not raised any objection. There are very few exceptions to this unwritten rule. We are extremely fortunate that few islanders tolerate fences or harbour the mentality which goes with them.

"The island is too small as it is", I was once told. High marks go to The Smiths (a couple from Maine whose address I lack). They have a small 'camp' near Southwest Head. When our trail was re-worked last summer it was found to pass in front of their windows. They responded by erecting a couple of seats on the boundaries of their property for the hikers, with signs saying "P'lease feel free to rest for a bit and enjoy the view". top

Winter Work '93/'94:

It was announced at the October meeting of the G.M.T.A. that the Rotarians had been instrumental in securing further provincial funding for winter-work which will include upkeep of our trails. The project will be based at the Boys and Girls Club and administered by Charles Jensen who has made a small building available. Duane O'Neill has been appointed as Foreman/supervisor with a crew of four labourers. The monies, from the Environmental Trust Fund, will cover ten weeks work. D.H.B. has spent a day afield with Duane in order to orient him to what most needs to be done and ensure that the work done this winter compliments what has been accomplished during the past two summers. Duane is enthusiastic and sensitive to the aesthetic and social elements involved in the task. Work is planned to begin on November 1st. Let's hope the weather co-operates. top

Finances:

Our present small budget has been used to cover the cost of paints, brushes, trail markers, nails and gasoline for loaned power tools. Also gas for loaned vehicles used to transport tools, material and helpers. All labour has been donated this year. We began with $500.00 granted by the membership of G.M.T.A. We have also received $116.00 in donations from Friends' . At time of writing we have $351.81 on hand, from which will have to be deducted the cost of duplicating and mailing this newsletter. Moneys donated are much appreciated. Dollars are very versatile! Since the cost of servicing a bank account (about $70.00 annually) was our biggest single expense we cancelled it. Cash and cheques now come directly to D.H.B. who issues receipts, keeps a set of books and reports to GMTA. So it has cost a little under $4.00 to carry a membership. top

Future Needs:

Maintaining the existing trails (and adding a couple more) is our main challenge. Updating and expanding the trails guide remains an ongoing project. Finally making this Annual newsletter into a proper vehicle for communication between us all is needed. Can you help? There are a good variety of slots to fill.Working on the trails - brushing

• Signs and marking
• Writing reports on trail conditions
• Recruiting new members who will get involved.
• Producing articles for inclusion in future newsletters.
• Donating black and white sketches or maps to illustrate the revised guide or this newsletter. At present photographs are beyond our means.
• Typing and duplication of the newsletter.
• Mailing and producing the newsletter. Someone with a word processor and the 'know-how' could render a great service. The newsletter doesn't have to be produced on the island.
• Donating tools and materials. Jackie Foote donated cans of paint this year. Clippers, paint brushes, chain saw files are all useful contributions. When a 'Friend' adopts a trail we supply any hand tools or materials needed. D.H.B. makes up signs in his workshop.
• Working on the trails - brushing. top

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Grand Manan Tourism Association - Trails Committee

Don Baldwin - Chair
Maude Hunter
Walter Wilson
Eugene Gillies
Billy Daggett
Andy Normandeau

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Comments? Please contact:
D.H. Baldwin

Baldwins' Guest House, 2071 Route 776, Grand Manan, New Brunswick, Canada E5G 4K6
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November 12, 1993.

Note: Laurie Murison prepared the newsletter for the web site version.