In a tale that reads like a script from a maritime drama, Mason Devoe and Lindsey Gale of Codroy Valley, Newfoundland and Labrador, experienced a life-changing event aboard Marine Atlantic’s Ala’suinu ferry.
Marine Atlantic Alasuinu ferry – Image VIA SOURCE VIDEO
Lindsey Gale, 33 weeks pregnant, decided to join her partner Mason on a quick trip to the mainland. Mason planned to help a friend with a roofing project, and Lindsey saw this as one last opportunity for a getaway before their baby arrived.
“I thought, well, why not? One final trip before I can’t travel anymore,” Lindsey told CTV News.
The couple boarded the ferry under calm skies, unaware that their journey would be anything but ordinary.
As Halloween night turned into the early hours of November 1, Lindsey started experiencing what she thought were Braxton Hicks contractions—brief and irregular false labor pains.
“I had a couple of what I thought were contractions earlier in the evening, but they were so short and far apart that I brushed them off,” Lindsey explained. However, by 4 a.m., the situation had escalated.
Realizing this was no ordinary discomfort, Lindsey and Mason called for help from their friend Sherry Scott, the ferry’s chief storekeeper. Sherry quickly stepped up to help.
“I was woken up by a call from Mason, asking me to come to their room because Lindsey might be in labor,” Sherry said.
As contractions became more frequent and intense, Lindsey used a mobile app to track them. The results were clear: this baby was on the way. Sherry, joined by her husband, Mason, and other passengers, kept Lindsey comfortable while waiting for medical guidance.
The ferry crew contacted the bridge for instructions. The captain and crew increased the vessel’s speed to reach port faster, shaving 45 minutes off the expected arrival time. Meanwhile, two onboard nurses arrived to assist, and 911 operators were contacted for additional guidance.
“They did absolutely everything in their power to help us,” Lindsey said. “From the crew to the nurses, everyone was amazing.”
Despite the ferry’s increased speed, baby Miley had other plans. As paramedics boarded the vessel in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, they barely had time to set up before Miley made her grand entrance.
“She was born just two minutes and 30 seconds after paramedics walked through the door,” Sherry recounted. “It was incredible to witness.”
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Advanced care paramedic Kathleen Whalen described the delivery as swift and seamless. “It became clear this was going to be a field delivery, and everyone worked together to ensure it went as smoothly as possible,” she said.
Baby Miley was officially born at 6:59 a.m. Nova Scotia time—or 7:29 a.m. Newfoundland time, depending on whose clock you were on. Her birthplace is equally unique.
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“It wasn’t a hospital birth, a home birth, or even an ambulance birth. Miley’s birth will go down in history as a ferry birth,” Sherry said with a laugh.
For Mason and Lindsey, the ordeal was both overwhelming and awe-inspiring. Mason admitted, “There were moments I didn’t know what was going to happen, but Lindsey handled everything like a champ.”
The family is now resting on land, with Miley working to hit a few milestones before they’re cleared to return home. The ferry crew is eager to welcome the young family back onboard for their return trip.
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“We can’t wait to see them again and celebrate Miley,” Sherry said. “I watched her take her first breath, and I can’t wait to watch her grow up.”
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