| As you whip north out of St John's,
along the Torbay Road, you pass a number of places with names that
make sense. Flat Rock was named
because it is made up of flat rocks. It is so flat that the
Pope gave a speech there. Middle Cove (see the pictures on our
Investigators page) is a cove in the
middle of some other coves and Outer Cove is a bit outside of Middle
Cove.
But who the hell named Pouch Cove!
And if it is written "Pouch" they why do they pronounce it "Pooch"?
Even the origin of Pouch Cove is
strange. It was settled around 1611, about 28 years after Sir
Humphrey Gilbert claimed the island. Its main attraction was
that its harbour was dangerous sailing.
Let me say that again. "Pouch
Cove's main attraction was that its harbour was dangerous sailing."
The statement is not a strange as it
might seem. In the early 17th century there were restrictions
placed, by the British, on settlements in Newfoundland. It was
said that Newfoundland was not a much a colony, as it was, because
of the abundant fishery, an industry. Pouch Cove's dangerous
harbour keep the Royal Navy at bay until the attitude changed in the
late 1600's.
There are three pictures of Pouch
Cove, the home-town of my daughter-in-law, Kathy Pippy, that I
particularly like. (Kathy's OK, too.)
And while you are in
town, drop by the town hall and meet up with Sarah
Patton. She makes a good soup and she's also the Mayor.
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