A hitchhiking stuff lobster is making its means throughout the nation from P.E.I. to Alberta and has not too long ago arrived in northeastern Ontario.
A hitchhiking stuff lobster is making its means throughout the nation from P.E.I. to Alberta and has not too long ago arrived in northeastern Ontario. (Provided)
Karen and Chris McCallum despatched ‘Fortunate the Lobster’ on a cross-Canada journey in April, beginning in Charlottetown, P.E.I. Fortunate is a stuffed lobster settled in an genuine Atlantic lobster entice that comes with easy directions on how you can maintain the enjoyable and Fortunate transferring.
“We are relying on fellow Canadians to give him a ride to our home in Alberta,” mentioned the McCallums on social media.
Lobster Quest from East to West 2.0
The couple first tried such a ‘Lobster Quest’ again in 2010 the place ‘that Fortunate’ made it to Ontario earlier than taking a detour into the U.S. – the place sadly he was misplaced in Chicago. The McCallums determined to provide it one other do this 12 months when visiting the East Coast, including an air tag to the entice this time.
Social media has helped unfold the phrase about Fortunate, taking off on TikTok and cultivating a following on different social media platforms.
Fortunate has moved by the jap provinces, arriving in Ontario in July.
Fortunate has made new pals and followers alongside the way in which and even new companions have come to hitch him on folks have added stuffies to the entice. Many Canadians have additionally signed the entice exhibiting simply how far Fortunate has come and the way many individuals he has touched.
Web sensation Fortunate the Lobster present right here resting on his cage. (File photograph/ Ontario Chronicle)
Latest journey
A Meaford, Ont. household, Paul and Dominika Kaminski and their youngsters, had Fortunate earlier than he made his strategy to Manitoulin Island and northeastern Ontario.
The Kaminsks took Fortunate to Tobermory and despatched him off on the Chi-Cheemaun to Manitoulin Island, the place he continued his journey in northern Ontario.
“Lucky’s on the move,” the McCallums mentioned on social media on Wednesday.
“He’s making some movement west we are pretty excited. Paul passed him off … Yep and Lucky got on the ferry heading west – his first ferry ride ever – and he is now where? At Manitoulin Island with Elizabeth with her mom and her son.”
Fortunate’s most up-to-date caretaker was Elizabeth Beattie and her household – together with my mother and my two youngsters – two and 13 years previous.
Elizabeth Beattie made a number of stops on Manitoulin Island after selecting up Fortunate the Lobster on August 6, 2024. (Elizabeth Beattie/Fb)
Making it to Manitoulin Island
On Tuesday, Beattie traveled to Tobermory from South Bay on Manitoulin Island.
Over the lengthy weekend, Beattie informed Ontario Chronicle that she was shopping Manitoulin social media pages when she got here throughout a publish on the lookout for somebody to take Fortunate to Sudbury.
Elizabeth Beattie and her household not too long ago took care of a social media sensation, Fortunate the Lobster. She is pictured right here in entrance of the Large Nickel earlier than handing him off to his subsequent caretaker. (Dan Bertrand/ Ontario Chronicle northern Ontario)
Since his arrival on the Island, Fortunate travelled by 5 of the seven Indigenous First Nations there.
“We also did Bridal Veil Falls, where we cooled down because it was a sunny bombing 30 degrees – it was a beautiful day,” mentioned Beattie.
“We also travelled to Randi’s Snack Shack, which was one of Lucky’s bucket list adventures.”
The group benefit from the snack shack’s hen Burgers earlier than watching the Swing Bridge in Little Present, Ont. open and having fun with some ice cream at 3 Cows and a Cone.
“We have been everywhere,” mentioned Beattie.
“We’re Alberta-bound at this point.”
One other step within the journey
The Beatties handed Fortunate and all his gear off to Theresa Handrigan and her accomplice on Friday.
Elizabeth Beattie palms off Fortunate the Lobster, his cages and all of his equipment to Theresa Handrigan on the Large Nickel in Larger Sudbury, Ont. on Aug. 9, 2024. (Dan Bertrand/ Ontario Chronicle Northern Ontario)
The 2 teams met at Larger Sudbury’s iconic Large Nickel to do the alternate and Ontario Chronicle was there.
“I grew up here in Sudbury,” mentioned Beattie.
“This seemed like a really great place for Lucky to his view of the big smoke.”
Handrigan informed Ontario Chronicle that she additionally got here throughout Fortunate’s retailer on social media and she or he started following his journey.
Theresa Handrigan took over as Fortunate the Lobster’s caretaker on August 9, 2024 when she picked him up from Elizabeth Beattie within the Dynamic Earth car parking zone close to the Large Nickel in Larger Sudbury, Ont. (Dan Bertran/ Ontario Chronicle Northern Ontario)
“I realized that he was in southern Ontario trying to make his way further north – well north and west I guess,” she mentioned.
Handrigan discovered that the Kaminski household had been hoping to get Fortunate to Manitoulin Island particularly.
“Take the more scenic route, take the more scenic route instead of the Highway 400 there,” she mentioned.
Handrigan mentioned she feels ‘lucky’ that all the things labored out with the Beattie household so she might take Fortunate on the subsequent leg of his journey.
“I can take him onto to Thunder Bay tonight,” she mentioned.
“We hope to cease on the Large Looney, which is means lower than the Large Nickel – however then our primary cease is Chippewa Falls which is a midway airplane on the Trans-Canada Freeway.
Handrigan and her accomplice are planning to remain at Sleeping Large Provincial Park the place they hope to fulfill up with one other household to take Fortunate additional west – although no agency plans are in place but.
“The forecast is saying that the Northern Lights is likely to be good tonight so perhaps we’ll be capable of get a shot with him and our northern magnificence.
You possibly can proceed to observe ‘Fortunate the Lobster’ on TikTok.
