Boats

The traditional cod fishery in Newfoundland and Labrador has all but disappeared since our federal government closed it in 1992. After 15 years, there are a few signs that the cod stocks are finally growing but there is little scientific proof so the fishery remains closed.

I have been photographing boats for years, and the three photos I am sharing today show boats that have been abandoned and neglected and are slowly rotting into the soil.

While these photos do not show the "beauty" of boats and our culture, in years to come they will serve as documentary evidence of the transition of our culture from one that relied on the cod fishery to a new economy. Boats, stages and outbuildings that once served a useful purpose are slowly disappearing from our rural communities. If it was occurring in just one community, one could say this is an anomaly, but I have been photographing them in many communities all across our province.

More boat photos at: http://www.lanephotography.com/boats/boats.htm and http://www.lanephotography.com/battle_harbour/boats_stages/battle_harbour_bs.htm