We cool off in Albert County during these heat waves. Waterside beach crawls with frustrated tourists by day. Locals come out at night and settle into beach chairs along the moonlit sand. At day’s end clouds roll into Alma swallowing the hills. As tall pines poke through, a thick cooling fog pours into the ocean like milk. The windy overlook our government closed in the first weeks of the pandemic now teems with tourists who are potentially six times more infectious. Some men from Montreal carry undetected monkeypox this year and some tourists from New York may even carry polio. Strangers are more dangerous than ever to locals but tourism itself is booming. Along the back roads of Goshen, Gowland Mountain and Elgin, locals gather to cool in the waters of the lower Pollett river. A colony of kids has formed along River road, slumming and squatting in makeshift camps festooned with lights and tiki torches. Rocks along the river are strewn with abandoned towels, panties and t-shirts. It’s a party atmosphere, the final cooling destination after touring local bbq pits. As usual, everyone is welcome but, anyone allergic to bold behaviour may want to steer clear. There are no polite “safe” spaces here. This is Albert County, the wild and beautiful birthplace of reality.
