Theodore Tugboat…

Well I’ve had a wonderful sunny weekend so far.

Friday I told stories on Theodore Tugboat. That’s him, right above me – and the picture links directly to the Theodore Tugboat website – if you want to check it out for further details.

I left the Halifax shoreline at 11:30am with 50 other people – the maximum the tugboat was allowed to carry. There were a lot of kids so I had a blast telling them a Raven story, an Anansi story, and a ghost story. We reached the Dartmouth shoreline and picked up another loadful of passengers and tugboated our way back to Halifax – while I told two or three more stories.

Then, we picked up another boatload, made the trip back to Dartmouth and picked up the fourth boatload. We got back to Halifax and my shift was done.

I had a great time. At first, I felt a little silly, trying to match my gum-gas against the absolutely gorgeous scenery of the harbour. I know on most days it looks like nothing but a big old pile of water and seagulls to most of you – but on a bright sunny day with the roll of the waves and the horizon bedecked with speedboats and sailboats and tour boats and tall ships of all shapes and sizes it is a sight to behold.

Still, the audience was very appreciative. The kids seemed to enjoy my storytelling – and for those who didn’t want to hear me flapping my gums they could always retreat to their other side of the tugboat.

Only I wish I’d thought of sunscreen. I had long sleeves and a good straw hat but the backs of my hands were charred ochre by the end of the storytelling.

On Saturday I was booked for two more runs – with sunscreen. Now I’m done with tugboating. Today I have a two hour storytelling session on the main stage of the CBC tent, at the foot of Prince Street, directly beside the Maritime Museum. They have a fine shady tent and a open-air restaurant – (Q’s Smokehouse) – and a cash bar – so I am hoping for a good turnout. I get done with that then I have to hotfoot it to work for a night shift of telephone talking. I expect by Monday my tonsils will be in desperate need of a long rest.

Yours in storytelling,

Steve Vernon