Larry, after the fact

You have probably heard that Hurricane Larry made landfall in Newfoundland a few days ago. Everything unfolded as predicted; Larry landed on the Avalon Peninsula, where its greatest impact was felt. Here in Port Blandford, about a 2.5 hour drive northwest from St. John’s, we had brief, heavy rain and winds that were significant but not dangerous. We were fortunate.

It never occurred to me that hurricanes might be a fact of life here, but they are more common than I expected. Approximately every 5 to 10 years for the last half century, a hurricane has made landfall in Newfoundland. In 2010, Hurricane Igor caused significant damage, and is still talked about today. And in 1775, over 4,000 people perished – many of them at sea – in a hurricane that is still Canada’s deadliest natural disaster.

Newfoundlanders seem to take these things in stride, and to find the humour in the situation. Here is a screenshot of a post on Facebook that made the rounds here.

Newfoundlanders probably have a specific name, or even two, for beagles that end up on the roof of a fish plant after a hurricane. Wind barkers? Mad ruff doves? Be-gulls? Pretend you’re a Newfoundlander, and add your own name suggestions in the comments.