Bay of Island’s Dory

As a child, I often took a trip in my grandfathers dory. We’d row across the harbour to the island just outside the harbour entrance for a boil-up with friends and family . These little boats hold a very important place in our culture and history. One of the most common and traditional ways fishermen caught their catch in the early days of Newfoundland was by using a dory. I’ve often heard tales of ancestors rowing 20 kilometers and more just to catch their fish. These boats have continued to play an important roll in the inshore cod fishery. On the West Coast of Newfoundland in the Bay of Islands where I live they are still being built and used for fishing. You can tell a Bay of Islands dory by the orange and green colour.  I really enjoy seeing these boats all along the Bay of Islands on my jaunts around the bay.

Original 10×20 Acrylic commission. Reference by photographer Crystal Braye.