Fishers' Loft Inn By Ship Cove

Barb Ayles, Head of Housekeeping & Breakfast Cook
Barb’s family, the Furlongs are from Plate Cove West on Bonavista Bay. The Furlongs arrived in Newfoundland from Ireland in 1703 and have fished from Plate Cove West since then. Barb lives in Port Rexton with her husband, Ron and their animals Cookie and Tilley. And she cares for all the other animals in the community. She will welcome you in the kitchen if you are looking for an early morning cup of coffee or tea..

Judy Best, Receptionist, Gift Shop Manager & Bookkeeper
Judy returned to her home in Trinity East several years ago. Since her return she has welcomed guests to Fishers’ Loft, kept our books in order and managed our gift shop. If you have any questions about your stay at the Loft Judy is there to answer them. Judy and her youngest son, Michael live on the old family (Wiseman) property in Trinity East where her father farmed for many years.

Colette Churchill-White, Server, Host & Assistant Cook
Colette is a Rex from Port Rexton. She spent her childhood along with her friend, Roxane Rex in “the Cove” (the part of Port Rexton that can be seen from the inn). Colette has an arts and education degree and teaches high school in our offseason! She is a girl guide leader, the mother of Olivia and Jill and is married to Derek White, our favourite plumber.

Helen Fowlow, Evening Cook
Helen began life as a King in Trouty, a small and beautiful outport 15 minutes from the Loft where her father once fished. Her original family home is White Point, recently the site of the television mini-series "Random Passage". Helen now lives in Trinity East with her husband, Alex and her family including her grandchildren, Blair and Sebastian. An accomplished cook, she prepares a fresh and varied meal for our guests daily.

Diane Gullage, Assistant Manager
Descended from Port Rexton and Catalina families, Diane grew up with her grandparents who owned a family business in Catalina, then managed a Co-op Store in Nunavut (Canada’s newest territory) before settling in Mount Pearl. She joined Fishers’ Loft in 2006 and has worked in all departments of the inn. Diane cooks, walks, mountain bikes and snowboards. In the winter months, she either pursues a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in French at Memorial University or travels internationally.

Florence Monks, Housekeeper
Florence drives across the Peninsula every day from her home in King’s Cove, one of Newfoundland’s earliest fishing stations (1700's), where she lives with her son, Michael. She puts our rooms into top order for guests and keeps the whole inn looking fresh and clean.

Kathy Norman, Receptionist & Server
Kathy is from Clarke's Head — at the mouth of one of Newfoundland's favourite salmon streams, the Gander River, in Gander Bay. She is descended from Nathaniel Gillingham, the master boat builder who designed and constructed the narrow, shallow-draft Gander River boats. Kathy has made Port Rexton her home for many years, is a teacher in our offseason and the mother of Daniel and Jonathan. She keeps the laughter level up in the kitchen.

Ann Philpott, Housekeeper and Baker
Ann is a descendant of the Walsh family who arrived on the shores of Bonavista Bay in the 1820's from County Cork Ireland. Her father, Peter, was an inshore fisherman. Ann grew up in Plate Cove West with seven brothers and two sisters. For much of her life Ann has worked in fish processing plants with a three year sojourn to the Canadian mainland and St, John's where she worked in a bakery. Ann has two boys Elvis, a computer network administrator and Neal, a welder. In her spare time Ann reads and sews.

Karen Philpott, Housekeeper, Server and Substitute Breakfast Cook
Karen was born into a fishing family in Keels, Bonavista Bay.Through successive waves of outmigration the population, once 372 souls in the 1940's, is now fewer than 70. A once thriving community with a lobster canning factory is now a scenic fishing village with beautiful beaches,outstanding traditional architecture and a geological phenonomen, The Devil’s Footprints. Karen is a Hobbs whose ancestors settled Keels from England perhaps as far back as 1795. She lives in Plate Cove West and has spent much of her life in the fishery. Karen is married to Ralph Philpott. They have two children Curtis, an electrician and Colette who is finishing high school.

Roxane Rex, Assistant Cook, Evening Manager
Roxane is a native of Port Rexton, a descendant of one of the two founding families of this community — the Rexes from the west country in England. Since joining our staff, Roxane and her sunny disposition have become an invaluable addition, assisting and substituting for Helen in the kitchen, keeping our bar stocked and managing the dining room and bar service in the evenings.

Chris Sacrey, Gardening & Maintenance
In 1850 two Sacré brothers first arrived in Newfoundland from the French Channel Islands. Chris was raised in Botwood, central Newfoundland and now lives in Bonavista with his wife, Michelle and young daughter, Olivia. He can do everything from fixing a car to plumbing, electrical work and carpentry -- all this learned from years managing apartment buildings.

Dave Sweetland, Gardening & Maintenance
The Sweetlands arrived in Bonavista from Devon, England in the 1790's and have lived there ever since. Dave owned a general store in Bonavista for seventeen years and is a fund of local knowledge. Among other things he is a skilled carpenter, painter and gardener. He was a hockey player and coach for many years. He and his wife, Peggy have a son Andrew and nephew, Michael Ryder who plays professional hockey.

Pats Walsh, Server and Housekeeper
Pats Walsh was born a Philpott, one of 13 children whose father came from a long line of fishermen in Plate Cove West on Bonavista Bay, a family which originally settled there in the mid 19th century from Yorkshire.. Many of her family are still in the fishery. She lives in Plate Cove with her husband, John and is the mother of Darren and Colin. She brings good humour to the kitchen and dining room and local knowledge about the peninsula for enquiring guests.

The Fisher Family, Owners of Fishers’ Loft
Peggy is from Ottawa, John from England. They met restoring and reconstructing an 1850's courthouse in Toronto — Adelaide Court/Cour Adelaide – to become the bilingual home of three professional theatre companies. Port Rexton was the location of their summer home and year round residence since 1990. In 1997 they began work on what has become a 21-room/suite inn with an ocean-view restaurant, licensed lounge and living room/library. With support from John and Peggy, their sons, Luke and Gabriel are assuming the management of the inn - Gabriel developing the greenhouse and surrounding kitchen gardens along with the inn’s various IT requirements; Luke managing and developing the physical assets of the inn and marketing, including special programs and events. Luke selectively works as a First Assistant Director in the film industry and Gabriel, in the offseason, pursues his interest in snowboarding and international travel.