Escuminac, 1959

 « Remembering the Perils of the Sea » , 2001

Dale McIntyre knows the benevolence of the sea. Because of his decades of hard work, the Escuminac fisherman has pulled enough from its depths to make a comfortable living for his wife and three daughters. But he also knows of the sea's dangers. Dale's father came back in from fishing just hours before the Escuminac Disaster of June 20, 1959- a vicious squall that killed 35 of his fellow fishermen. He drowned at sea just two years later.

The harsh reality of the dangers of fishing is etched on the collective memory of the entire community of Escuminac. The disaster has become epic, « a legend that affects everybody » , Dale says. « There are still widows and children, relatives of the men who died » .

The same reality is carved in stone at the monument to their memory, located at a high point just in front of the wharf. Conceived and constructed by artist Claude Roussel, the austere, warning, yet compassionate and heroic sculpture was designated a provincial historic site just two weeks ago. The monument's designation as an historic site is special. Most historic sites in the province are buildings or sacred sites, not works of art.

 « In recognizing the monument, the province is as well commemorating the event in which 35 fishermen lost their lives » , says Richard Phillips, with the province's Inventory and Commemorations Heritage Project Executive.

 « It was conceived out of pure human compassion and the feeling of sorrow for them, » Claude says. « At the same time, it came out of admiration for the people who risk their lives every day for survival. » The actual vision of the sculpture came to Claude when, a few weeks after the disaster, he felt compelled to visit the site. Near St. Louis, the road became impassable for his Volkwagon (sic) and he had to turn around. In his frustration, the idea emerged.

The faces of the sculptures - with heads tilted in both sorrow and pride - are simply and almost identically lined, with brow bones and noses jutting out from a smooth background. « The sculpture doesn't represent any person in particular, but it represents everybody » , Claude says, the fishermen who both lived and died, « and everybody can identify with it » . Inscribed on the base are the names of the dead, as well as the survivors who risked their lives to save another one.

Two stone fishermen stand just behind another, who has a net slung over his shoulder. The fisherman on the right places a supportive hand on his fellow fisher's arm, while the other one on the left grasps a piece of the net. « When I put together the Escuminac monument it was meant to be almost a meditation » , Claude says. « It was meant to help those who lost their loved ones to contemplate their great loss, and to help encourage and strengthen spiritually and inwardly, those who suffered their loss » .

Just out of art school, Claude had developed a method of production that was free and experimental. « This way of working simplified stylized shapes, » he says, « and it was useful to me to make a work that would be destined to garnish a public space. » Indeed, simple would describe the small, modern-looking sculpture, which preceded the larger by 10 years. Few straight lines portray the three fishermen. Only minimal details were used, so the statue could concentrate on the expression of power, determination, pride and courage of the fishermen in the face of nature's uncontrollable elements. In its simplicity, the monument speaks volume to the memory of the Escuminac Disaster, and reflects the character of the community itself. « I was aware of the modernity of it » , Claude says. « At the time, in my own community of Edmundston, I had negative comments about it that disturbed me » .

But Brigadier Michael Wardell - who led the effort to financially help families of those who died in the disaster - could comprehend the message of the maquette, and understood Claude's intention that the 24-inch wood carving eventually be enlarged. It seems that besides Brigadier Wardell, the community of Escuminac understood the message portrayed by Claude's vision as well. « The reaction was very positive » , he says. « I've never had any negative comments about it from any of the people in the community. Even though the style of work was not the kind they were used to seeing, they were open to my sensitivity to the event and the caring I have for it » .

Nine years after the disaster, Claude received a call from Brigadier Wardell, who told him they had found the funds from Sir Max Aitken for the enlargement of the small statue. But for Claude, the order was daunting. The six-month deadline loomed seemingly too close for the full-time founder of l'Université de Moncton's fine arts program and art gallery, but he travelled to Smith Cut Stone in Shediac many nights a week to work on the huge sculpture with the help of some workers. In the finishing stages, his brother Maurice lent him a hand while finishing up his degree at the university.

Still, Claude says, « to be confronted with sculpting a 14,000 pound block of limestone was physically and mentally a heavy task » . Although he still regrets that he didn't have more time to refine the statue further, the valiant people of the Baie Ste-Anne region, the support of his family and the university gave him the motivation he needed to finish the task.

For 32 years, the monument has stood at the head of the Escuminac wharf, whispering remembrance to local people and to tourists who stop at the site. And it seems the community has responded. « People around me revere that monument » , says Fernand Gibbs, who was born, brought up, and drifted salmon in the community before moving to Ontario. Though he visited each year to fish, Fernand returned for good after he retired and now sits on a board that is working toward a Fishermen's Museum of New Brunswick for the Baie Ste-Anne and Escuminac region.

 « It means a lot to the older fishermen who were in the disaster » . Indeed, for Cyril Jones - one of the few remaining survivors of the Escuminac disaster - « it's a good thing to have. It's a good remembrance for the younger generation » . Cyril was just 20 when he was caught out in the squall, with his late uncle, Captain Bernie Jenkins. Together, while Bernie made passes along another boat in distress, and Cyril sent out a line, they rescued three men : Captain John « Jack » Doucet and his sons, Alphonse and Evé. Cyril's boat was swamped and nearly capsized after the rescue, and the men spent hours bailing water from their boat before they were able to repair the motor.

For their bravery, Cyril and Bernie were awarded the Order of the British Empire. Alphonse, who saved both his brother and father, was given the Queen's commendation. Cyril - who believes it's a miracle he made it through that fated night - remembers the first time he saw the monument. « I thought it was a great piece of art, that's for sure » , he says. « I thought, Somebody must have done a lot of thinking before they thought of that » .

The monument's recent designation as an historic site is also special to him. « It means people are still thinking of us » , Cyril says. For their families, children, friends, and the next generation of community members, the monument also carries meaning. « For me, it means the danger of the sea » , McIntyre says, « to fish safely and respect the sea every time I go out. I think about it every time; I always have the disaster in the back of my head » .

Source : Ellen Creighton, « Remembering the Perils of the Sea. Escuminac Monument Commemorating Lost Fishermen Declared a Provincial Historic Site » , Times & Transcript (Moncton), 21 juillet 2001, p. F-1 et F-2.