[Article] Entry Island, Quebec - further off the beaten track

Before going to Entry Island, I thought that the Magdelene Islands were remote. Entry island is 20 miles off the coast of the Magdelene Islands, which are in turn many miles away from Nova Scotia.

You might be a little vague on Canadian geography (as am I), so allow me to explain more clearly: this place is really far away.

Read more:
http://www.sitebits.com/2006/entry-island-quebec.html

How on earth did you pick this destination?? Seems like you're omitting some rationale in your article. Were you visiting Nova Scotia or some other populated place in the region?

actually, we were staying on the iles de la madeleine, where you get the ferry to go to Entry Island. i will be posting an article about the Magdelene Islands too- maybe the logical progression would have been the other way around? Anyway, i'm all for obscure destinations in Canada. you don't get much more obscure than that, eh?

Ree should have been more open minded when she decided to visit a Island. Yes Entry Island is part of the Magdalen Islands, and we are only 7 miles from Havre Aubert or 9 miles from Cap Aux Meules, there is not just 24 people living here, ther is 50 families and there are two english speaking communities in the Magdalens, Entry Island has very good relations with the francophones of the Magdalen Islands, as a fact we are under Tthe municipality of Cap AuX Meules. The person refered to as selling beer out his back door ownes a Resto Bar and pays quite heavely for the lisence to do so. Our museum is one we are very proud off it has history datin back to the first settlers early 1800. If Ree was looking for good times or shopping malls no she did not find them on a Island, but I wouldnt find fresh air, peace and quiet in a city , but I wouldnt expect too. A Island is not made up of concrete, so maybe we do have dust roads but for the rest in her article was not worth printing as it was full of errors and I feel it was a great insult and should be corrected. By the way WE host a lot of tourist each year they seem to enjoy our island, that is those who come with open minds and dont expect to find a city on a Island.From some one who lives here.

I, for one, am super-excited that our articles are read on Entry Island! Thanks for your comments!

If you spend some time on our site, you will surely notice that most of our material is quite subjective - that is to say, we mostly publish opinions or, to be even more precise, the impressions of different places as seen by our correspondents.

With that said, I was a bit perplexed by the fact that you found the tone of the article to be critical. If nothing else, it probably helps spread the word about your home island's very existence and provides some nice photos to go with the author's impressions. And getting to the nitty-gritty of the facts and impressions laid out in the article, the only remotely contentious point Ree was making was about the residents' apparent attitude towards outsiders. Note the very careful wording of her sentence and the use of "seem" and "may be", as this was her impression - no more, no less:

Islanders don't really seem to like outsiders much, maybe because their isolation is voluntary (or because most of their visitors are francophone?).

Once again, let me just say that we're excited to receive comments "from the source".

Very inaccurate information. I have never been so disappointed in an article in my life. Before someone writes an article I think they should probably get the facts first. Don't assume their facts are correct. As for impressions by your coorespondants I must assume that they are very negative people to have an impression of such a wonderful island. It is truly an escape for all you buisy city folkes. I can't imagine why someone would be so negative and wrong about such a place as wonderful as Entry Island

I don't see why there's so much fuss about the article . No one was expecting a concrete island when we went to visit Entry Island. I don't understand why you're so hot about Ree's article which had the only intention of pointing out the island as a destination not to be missed once in the Iles de la Madeleine. Yes. Entry Island is beautiful and green and we (me and Ree ) really enjoyed our trip there. We were told that very few people live there yearlong and the number doubles in the summer.And yes the island is remote and that's why it's special.I found it a little bizzarre that people have SUVs in a place where you can walk everywhere with ease (of course, transporting lobster traps etc must be difficult on foot!) but this doesn't mean that I didn't like the place .The point of the article (with the museum and the guy selling beer in his backyard) is to show that the island has a distinct lifestyle and what you get there is peace and green slopes and cows and the nicest breeze. I personally would like to read Ree's style of information rather the cold factual guide book that specifies that it's actually a restobar, not just someone's porch.

I in no way meant to insult Entry Island or her people. I had actually intended this as a positive article about a remote, and therefore (as Alban pointed out) very special island. My comments about the restobar were meant to be a gentle warning to those who DO expect shopping malls and movie theaters (not me!). My favorite kind of bars are simple and fun, as if you were having a drink on a friend's porch.

Then again I suppose that relying on facts from a "local" (that is, a Magdelene Islander) for population numbers, etc. is not always the best way to go.

Additionally, I had heard mixed things about the hospitality of Entry Islanders, and combined with my own daylong experience there I had to agree that most are a bit standoffish - is it because of the isolation of being anglophone in a primarily francophone region or is it perhaps because visitors stomp across the fields looking for the fastest route to Big Hill, litter, and demand fast food and beer?

I hope that my article will actually encourage the right people- those who like kite flying, wandering cows, and picnics - to visit Entry Island.

I am very upset that our island is being put down in this manor. Before posting something on this site you should have the right facts. I think this person should get a compass! Nova Scotia in not the nearest English-speaking Community. Our population is more than (this made me laugh) 24. Yes there is a church, a school and a historical museum. The museum is not a place that outlines FAMILY GOSSIP! It shows how islanders lived in the past and present. Our veteran?s wall proudly displays pictures of all the men from Entry Island who served in WWI, WWII and the Korean War. In World War II 37 men from Entry Island enlisted (the population then was around 150) of theses 37 men 14 went to Hong Kong. Only 6 of the 14 returned home. If this is FAMILY GOSSIP you tell that to the families of these men. We have the only War Memorial Church in Magd. Islands. If the people here do not like outsiders it is because because of people like this Ree not that they are Francophone. The people of Entry Island have worked and lived side by side with the French people here in the Islands for 100 years or more to imply that such a thing as what this person has said is totally disrespectful. Yes the path to Big Hill is well trodden which is proof of the 1000?s of visitors from all over the world that our island receives each year. You say your material is subjective....I myself think this article (I say that word with a bitter taste in my mouth) is totaly inaccurate and fraudulent.

that's true, there are english communities on the Iles de la Madeleine- not to mention P.E.I. only 30 km (?) to the south!

you sure didn't make your article sound so positive as you do now. Maybe it is your writing tone. If you want your article to sound so positive then maybe you should think about the words you choose before you post them.

not a put-down. just the in-articulate (and insensitive) ramblings of a fledgling writer. perhaps you will like the new version of this posting.

Before going to Entry Island, I thought that the Magdelene Islands were remote. Entry island is 20 miles off the coast of the Magdelene Islands, which are in turn many miles away from Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. You might be a little vague on Canadian geography (as am I), so allow me to explain more clearly: this place is really far away from wherever you are. (unless, dear reader, you are an Islander yourself).

The island has a few hundred inhabitants (the number seems to vary depending on whom you ask) during the winter, with the number growing during lobster season. There is a school, a charming church, and an historical museum ( to me it looks like the island's collective attic) full of photos and general paraphenalia of island life, illustrating family lore throughout the decades. The snack bar at the port has the feel of being invited for a drink on a friend's porch, and the only lodging on the island welcomes visitors with open arms ( I didn't have a chance to stop by) Despite this, most islanders don't really seem to like outsiders much, maybe because their isolation is voluntary (or because most of their visitors are francophone?). Or could it be because people come for the day, trample fields on the way to Bill Hill, scare the cows milk-less and generally terrorize the spirit of the place?

The biggest attraction on Entry Island is, well, the aptly named "Big Hill". You can walk the well-trodden path to the top and enjoy and picnic or fly a kite, or just watch the cows and clouds go by and think about just how far away you are from your worldly cares. And if your worldly cares and shopping malls mean more to you then fresh breezes and the simple life, then steer clear of Entry Island- it shouldn't be difficult considering its location.

Entry Island: Big Hill

Editor's Note: Ree traveled to Entry Island in July, 2005. The island is still there!

It sounds a tiny bit better but it is your opinion. I guess since you are not "an islander", you do not fully understand the importance of the museum which is a very important part of the islands life. It has great meaning to the islanders. As for your milage.....you have it all wrong. Entry Island belongs to the magdalen Islands and is therefore only but a few miles from the attached islands not 20 miles. The whole idea of the disliking visitors is in my opinion not true. Especially the francophone idea of it all. Entry Island has worked with, done business with and is friends with many francophone people. Some have even married into francophone families and had children that were raised francophone. The whole concept of us not liking francophone's is very untrue. I think that maybe sometimes there are many tourists who visit the island and walk through peoples yards and think they can go anywhere and walk where they want, as if they own the place themselves. I think that maybe that is the impression you got Ree.

your new version is..........to little to late

All right, it's time to put an end to this discussion. After all, this is what my moderator privileges are for.

I reiterate that, in my professional opinion, the original article was not negative and even if it were, this an American website and we (still!) have the First Amendment.

Personally, I feel that I learned a lot more about the residents of the island from this discussion than I did from the article. And I wouldn't say my opinion got better.