A Terrible Tide by Suzanne Meade

It is early in the evening of Monday, November 18, 1929 on the Burin Peninsula, located on the southern tip of Newfoundland. Celia Rose's family are preparing to celebrate her thirteenth birthday with everyone home for this special dinner. Her sister Winnie, who has a limp due to a bad leg is helping set the table for seven. Celia has just set down the last of the new porcelain plates her father purchased last year when the floor begins to shake. As the shaking intensifies, the everyday plates fly out of the cupboards to the floor, 

Celia's father orders everyone out of the house. Celia's older sister Viola, her fifteen-year-old brother Eddie, Winnie, her younger brother Eddie, and her mom Addie and her father George, all grab their coats and run outside. Celia's family, along with their neighbours, watch as buildings sway and boats bob wildly. After the shaking stops they all wonder what might have happened. An explosion or low flying planes? No one seems to know.

After their home is checked by Celia's father, they return home, wary that the shaking might start again. Celia worries about their dog, Boomer, a huge black Newfoundland Lab, who hasn't been seen since the shaking began. Celia and her family go down to the Taylor's General Store when Eddie arrives with the message that Uncle Ray has called on the telephone. Before Celia gets a chance to talk to her uncle, the shaking resumes and they have to hang up.

On their way home, Celia's Uncle Bert meets them to ask her mom to come and tend to Nan who has fallen and cut her head. When her mom returns, Celia asks to go search for Boomer but she is told to go to bed. However, Celia can't sit still, so under the premise of using the outhouse she grabs her coat and boots and heads outside. Down at their dock, Celia meets Eddie who reassures her that Boomer is able to take care of himself. At the dock, Celia hears a strange sucking sound as well as a low rumble. When she walks to the end of the dock, she sees the water in the bay has drained away and the boats laying on their sides in the mud.

Suddenly Celia hears voices yelling to run fast. She turns and is shocked to see at the end of the bay, a frothing wall of water racing towards her. As she sprints up the shore past her home, Celia notices the door of her family's home wide open and hopes they have fled. Ahead she spots her mother, Viola pulling Winnie and Henry to higher ground. Can she make it to safety before the wave crashes into her and her family?

Discussion

A Terrible Tide is a short novel by Canadian author Suzanne Meade about the 1929 tsunami that killed twenty-eight people in Newfoundland. The tsunami was the result of a magnitude 7.2 earthquake along two faults on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. The quake caused an enormous submarine landslide that disabled twelve submarine transatlantic cables. It also caused a tsunami that was comprised of three waves which crashed into the coast of the Burin Peninsula. The residents of Newfoundland had no warning of the impending tsunami, as the region had no buoys to measure water height. Twenty-five of the deaths were due to drowning, while three others died of injuries sustained in the disaster.

A Terrible Tide captures the initial terror of the earthquake as the people of the Burin Peninsula struggled to understand what was happening, the devastation the tsunami caused and the difficulties the residents of Taylor's Bay endured in the days immediately afterwards.  The story is told through the eyes of thirteen-year-old Celia Rose, who is struggling to find her place both in her family and in the community. The novel covers the time period from 5:00pm on Monday, November 18, 1929 until Tuesday, November 26, 1929, a little over a week. Meade highlights some of those struggles which included the lack of warm clothing and even proper boots, the destruction of most of the food supplies including winter supplies stored from gardens, a lack of fresh water due to fouling from sea water, the loss of most homes and most of the fishing boats and gear. 

 

The destroyed telegraph cables, left the Burin Peninsula isolated and unable to contact the outside world for help. As conditions continue to deteriorate, Celia's father and mother debate whether he should attempt to travel by boat to get help. Celia and her family, along with others in the town, struggle to find enough food to eat, relying on turnips and a few ducks. Without proper fishing gear and likely because of the tsunami, they are unable to catch fish. Without medical aid, they only watch as young Henry becomes desperately ill from a wound on his leg. Despite all of this, the residents find the time to enjoy a dance, to raise their spirits and bring the survivors together.

When help does finally arrive, Celia's father makes a life changing decision to leave their community and start over elsewhere. This is a difficult thing for Celia to accept. She is devastated because it means leaving behind some beloved members of her family. But her mother tells her, "Oh, my child, it's the way of life. A family must grow and change. We could never stay together forever."

This well-written story offers younger readers a glimpse into life in the early 20th century on a remote part of Canada's East Coast (Newfoundland would become a Canadian province in 1949).  It is a story of resiliency and courage, of self-sufficiency and community. Meade includes a Historical Note at the back, complete with black and white photographs of the aftermath of the disaster.

Book Details:

A Terrible Tide by Suzanne Meade
Toronto: Second Story Press   2021
185 pp.