'Let's go 10,000': Rock snake in Saint John aims for record length

There is a snake slithering at Little Reservoir River in Saint John, N.B., and it has everyone hissing with joy.

Willy the rock snake was started on June 14 by Shawn Gionet, a member of the Facebook group Saint John Rocks.

“I just seen a little post about Roscoe,” says Gionet, referring a rock snake he saw in a Facebook post. “I said I’m going to start one at the Little Reservoir River.”

He initially placed seven rocks to start the snake. In its first week the body has grown over ten times its original length to include over 100 stones.

“I never thought it would get this big in a week,” Gionet says.

“People don’t realize when we are standing here that we are the ones that started it,” says Gionet. “People think we added a rock and are just taking it in, but really I am just counting them.”

Each rock in the snake’s body is unique from the other. Paintings on the stones range from cartoon characters, animals, and inspirational messages.

A painted rock part of Willy’s body. (Courtesy: Avery Macrae)

“Some of the talent you see on these rocks is amazing,” Gionet says. “It’s awesome, like I said Saint John Rocks. Literally.”

Rock painting is common in the Port City. The over 6,000 members of the Saint John Rocks Facebook group have been painting stones for years, sharing and hiding them for others to find and enjoy all over Saint John.

“Got lots of summer left,” says Gionet. “And this is just a great way to get the community together.”

Gionet is hopeful to see the snake grow over the summer. In order for that to happen the stones need to stay in the body.

“We just suggest people don’t take the rocks,” Gionet urges. “We are missing a few but it’s going to happen, people like the rocks and are going to take them. Like Saint John Rocks is about collecting rocks and re-hiding them. But we are trying to see how big we can get this snake, and we don’t want people to take the rocks.”

Gionet says he hopes the snake can reach record lengths, with a goal of a 10,000 rock long serpent. 

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