Finding the "less"

by Amber Handrahan (Canada)

Making a local connection Canada

Looking around, I thought I had it wrong. There was not a soul on the wind worn beach, nobody clamering for pictures of the old fishing boat that had washed ashore, and no lovers walking hand in hand along the miles of red sand beach. PEI, I had read was the emerging destination for sun seekers and photographers, what's more, it was ranked the best place to travel in Canada. So where were all the people? I arrived on the island via the confederation bridge, this is the only connection the Island has to the mainland, or as the locals call it "away" The smell of the sea hits you from every direction, while the bridge makes an inspiring back drop. This is the kind of welcome every destination should provide! Here is where you choose if you are travelling "west" or "east" I had chosen "west" for the unknown. The "west" end of the island is the lesser known area of the island, hidden away from the "Anne of green gables" fame and the incredibly popular Cavendish boardwalk. Offering visitors a look at the real island and it's people. Still, I hadn't expected it to be this barren or wild. I was amazed at the towering red cliffs, they stretched out forever. Seeming to gaurd the island from the sea, protecting the land and the homes that stand only feet from the towering cliffs. There was a fishing boat washed ashore, with a few lobster traps inside, weathered and worn. Life here hasn't changed much over the years, you still make your livelihood off the changing tides and the will of the Atlantic ocean. After picking up a few pieces of sea glass, running my fingers along the frothy lapping waves, I headed back towards my car, on to my destination. This stop had not been planned - The pull of the cliffs, blue water and salt air pulled me to it. I was glad I went, my soul felt calm and still. Apon check in at my cabin I was told " its lobster season, if you get down to the warf when the boats come in, you can buy it right from the fishermen" I was giddy with excitement, not only for the prospect of fresh lobster, but the whole experience sounded forgin to me. While the thick east coast accent made me want to hear more. Before unpacking I looked around the cabin, it was small, incredibly cute, with fresh flowers on the table and the bedside. Again, I could feel my heat skip a beat, everything was so perfectly quaint and wholesome, it made me want to be a better person. In the coming days I would run into locals who would tell me about the "good old days" when they would dredge for Irish moss with horses along the beach. Or how they remember the day the bridge connected them to the "mainland" every local had a story and a smile for me, I was humbled. Many of these people had not left the island, some had never even travelled as far as the Capital City of Charlottetown. It amazed me how content they were with their lives and their families. Making me question what exactly I was looking for travelling without a home base for all these years. I learned the beach was barren that first day, because it was Sunday. The only day the fishermen and local farmers dont work, so it starts slower. Had I have gone later in the day I would have seen families playing, four wheelers and local kids buried in the sand. The beauty of beaches are not lost on the locals, they love and respect the ocean, knowing it can take as much as it gives. At first glance, I thought I had it wrong. I thought there had to be "more" to this colorful island, to make it a top travel destination. I was wrong, it is the "less" that makes the island unique. The less that draws in people who want to connect to realness, to the earth and to others. It is the "less" of the island that gives so much more.