You ou may not find your forune in Fortune but you will find a treasure of Island beaches and beautiful scenery.

Entering Fortune is like driving into a different world, and it's a nice one.

This tidy community located about 12 km. from Souris curves itself around Bay Fortune and cuddles against the shores of the Northumberland Strait.

Francis Doiron and David Jenkins (1968-1991)

David Jenkins, who works at Fortune Fresh Fish, has lived in Fortune all his life. His father, Henry, operates the family business that sells fish fillets all over the Island but mostly to the Charlottetown area. His father travels to Nova Scotia to pick up fresh halibut, haddock and catfish. The businffis also sells scallops, sole, hake, cod and lobster in the spring. About 20 boats fish out of Fortune Harbour. "I've got no complaints," says Mr. Jenkins of his life in Fortune. Mixed farming and fishing are the two biggest industries, although Mr. Jenkins says tourism is beginning to pick up. "Up until five years ago it was pretty quiet, but a lot of new cottages have gone up and a lot of local people are taking advantage of it."

THE INN AT BAY FORTUNE

Sitting on a hill overlooking the bay is The Inn at Bay Fortune. A croquet game is set up on its rolling lawns and lawn chaIrs are scattered out front. A veranda runs the length of the building and beautiful white lattice work frames the large windows.

Janet Moore of Fortune Bridge, works there.

"It's a nice place to work." She says she loves living in the Fortune area as she introduces Innkeeper David Wilmer of Connecticut. He's been spending his summers in Fortune since he was a young boy.

"I probably have more friends here than I do in Connecticut," he says with a smile. "I love it up here and more or less grew up here. My kids are coming up here now...it's tough not to like it."

The Inn itself is a unique combination of spectacular, elegant and cozy, with its antique furnishings, polished hardwood floors and fireplaces in each room including the dining room. It was built from a large rambling cottage that belonged to playwrite Elmer Harris (author of Broadway's 1940 hit Johnny Belinda.)

Many of his acting and poet friends would come to visit. Most recently the house was the getaway of world-renowed Canadian actress Colleen Dewhurst, well-known for her role as Marilla in Anne of Green Gables, and her husband at the time, George C. Scott. They bought the house in 1972. Mr. Wilmer purchased the Inn from Ms. Dewhurst in October, 1008 and began renovations in January of 1989.

The Inn is opened from mid-June to mid-October and Mr. Wilmer has more bookings from "September 14 on" than he had for the first two weeks of September."

CHECKING IT OUT

"Islanders really don't think of the Island as a spot for vacationing but everyone else sure does," says Mr . Wilmer. But more and more Islanders are "checking it out" and discovering some of the most spectacular beaches are actually located from "Souris on East."

Tina and Peter Davis, run The Empty Nest Bed and Breakfast just down the road. Their property with a pretty bridge behind dips down to the bay, but Mrs. Davis says most people go swimming at the beautiful beaches nearby. There's some pleasure boating and trout farming on the bay.

And while Mrs. Davis loves entertaining her guests, she's really more into her woodworking business that she operates from a shed outside her home.

Her house is a bit of a showplace for her work. Just off her main living room is a beautiful cherrywood desk that she built by herself. She also makes everything from wood-crafts like clocks, to beautiful old-fashioned full-length mirrors on their own stands, to chests of drawers and cedar chests

Her two children are both off-Island. One is attending military college and stationed in Petawawa and the other is getting her Masters Degree at Queens University. Her husband band teaches high school. After her children left she decided to take a woodworking course and make use of the empty rooms in her house by starting a bed and breakfast business.

She's had senior citizens from Vancouver, Japanese tourists who came back on three different occasions, even newlyweds have visited.

"People from the German embassy have been back to stay for the last two years."

"It's really nice to have these peopIe...I've never met one that I wouldn't have chosen to come into my house. They almost become part of the family...one man worked in my shop for a week.

Mrs. Davis used to live in Charlottetown but says "I wouldn't move back to an urban centre for anything."

She loves her Fortune home and the people who live and work there.

BEAUTIFUL BEACHES

At Abells Cape, just in behind the Fortune wharf there are some beautiful beaches.

"We're keeping them secret," Mrs. Davis says pointing to the beautiful sandy cove where two people are swimming.

Next she's off through the woods, striding along the edge of the cliffs to a famous sundial. It's stuck right in the middle of the woods and Mrs. Davis isn't too sure what the story is behind it. The sundial reads "In Memory of a Faithful Friend and Loyal Servant from Mrs. Leslie Carter and David Belasco." Also inscribed in the marble top of the sundial is, "The creeping shadow marks another hour of absence.

Mrs. Davis leads the way to the home of Mike O'Connor's, a well-known Irish singer. He lives next door to her in a rustic gingerbred kind of house made of Island stone, but he's not home right now.

Down the road on the corner, is a huge old-fashioned home. Mrs. Davis explains that it used to be "Johnston's Country Store."

Heading back towards Charlottetown, one passes over a bridge and sees the sign for the Private View Cottages. Down a dirt road are some rustic log cabins but there's no one at the office there.

The big house at the top of the hill at the intersection toward Rollo Bay is where the famoos Francis Carriages were made, says Mrs. Davis. It belongs to Lorne and Roma Francis.

The Fortune Community Centre, which is also located at that intersection is the scene of community events like dances, bingo and "card plays in the winter months."

Just at the junction which leads off the main highway to Souris is MacCoramck's Grocery store, owned by Frank MacCormack. It has a wide selection of goods ranging to everything from rubber boots to candy.

Right next door to the Texaco which is owned by Roger Burke. Darlene Peters, from St. Charles "just up the road" works at at MacCormacks's Grocery. She says the people are fnendly and Fortune is a "really mce spot."

Copyright
Waldron H. Leard