Today many young boys in Augustine Cove are members of ill Crapaud Minor Hockey Association. The minor hockey owes a great dob t of gratitude to the late Claud MacWilliams who really organized the firs ( minor hockey team in this area. This was a group of boys (Bantams) Oh this, and surrounding districts who in that year, 1954, won the Islam 0 championship in their division. The boys from this area who were mem a bers of that team were: Dale MacWilliams, Alger Cutcliffe, Wayne Howe t1 t

Today there are sports the year round in which to take part an Augustine Cove has many participants in such sports as hockey, curling figure skating, skiing, ski—dooing, golfing, horse racing, fishing, swimming ‘ and hunting. Indeed, it can truly be said that Augustine Cove is a ven sports—minded community.

“OLDTIME ICEBOAT CROSSINGS”

With the efficient winter service now provided by the M.V. Abug- weit and the M.V. John Hamilton Grey, it is difficult to realize the hard- ships involved in the iceboat crossings of Northumberland Strait in earlier days. (A re—enactment of these crossings was carried out in lhé] winter of 1973, by three crews of men—one crew being from Prii Cé County, one from Queens and one from Kings. Many people were (an- lightened as to what the courageous men went through many years ago ‘ when these crossings by iceboat were carried out many days in winter.)

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Up to the commencement of the car ferry service in 1917, the communication between Prince Edward Island and the mainland v'a: often interrupted by heavy ice blocking the winter steamers and the only communication between Cape Traverse and Cape Tormentine. The firsl j record of an iceboat crossing was in 1825 when one or two trips Were : made from Wood Islands to Pictou, a distance of twenty miles. -

In 1828 private parties tried crossing from Cape Traverse to the New Brunswick shore, a distance of some nine or ten miles. Trips wcré sometimes made once a month, later as often as weekly. This was con- tinued until 1861 when one or more boats endeavoured to cross at leaS’ twice weekly — later extended to three trips a week — until shortly after the Island entered Confederation when the Federal Government tool over the service. and plans were made for daily crossings.

The boats used for this work were about 18 feet long, stronsill' constructed of oak and had two runners, covered with iron on the bottom to be used as sleds where solid ice was to be found. They were equippef; with oars, and a sail could be set up and used if required. They hat straps on each side by which the crew and passengers hauled the boat: when open water, or lolly, was encountered, the oars were used. Whel the government took over the operation each boat had a crew of a captail? and four men. Mails and small baggage were carried, also any passengerE who wished to take the risk. The fare. for passengers was $2.00 if the! helped to haul the boat, or $4.00 or $5.00 to sit in the boat and not work

When conditions were good the average time for a crossing w: from three to four hours, but often times a whole day would be re-quil”el dependlng on the condition of the ice in the Strait, and the weather.

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