The bustle and excitement of lobster trap setting day changed forever for the people of Lark Harbour / York Harbour with the loss of two men on Sunday.
The men were on board the Miss Jenny, a 23 foot open boat that capsized, sending them into the water.
FFAW Secretary-Treasurer Jason Spingle says the loss has left the entire region reeling.
He says as the rep for the region for 20 years, he knows one of the young men very well. “He has a young family, I actually visited his house there a couple of years ago, and it’s devastating to say the least.”
Jason Spingle
Spingle describes the first day to set lobster pots as a busy one as harvesters get their pots out as quickly and safely as possible. The season was scheduled to start on Saturday, but conditions weren’t the best and the FFAW had already successfully convinced DFO to postpone for a day.
The two deceased were in the boat at the time, while there were four people on the beach when the boat capsized.
Ria MacDonald, the Deputy Mayor of Lark Harbour, says the town opened the community centre last night for a while, but most chose to grieve in their own way.
The community hall will be open again today, and the town hopes to have grief counsellors in place either today or tomorrow. Educational psychologists will be at the school to help students.
“And then it’s just lean on each other. That’s all we can do,” says Deputy Mayor MacDonald.
