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Are there 365 islands in Mahone Bay?

 

“Chester, with its 365 emerald-carpeted islands-one for each day of the year-is a veritable elysium”

(DesBrisay, Miles B., History of Lunenburg County, 1895, p.254)

 

Desbrisay did not acknowledge the origin of the above statement. So in an attempt to answer the question, the MICA Resource Documentation Committee has compiled this list of named islands from historical archives.

Our first step was to identify the geographical area for Mahone Bay, and Hydrographic Chart 4381 seemed the most logical choice.

Those names in bold are from 4381, but others in plain type have a reference provided. If two islands have the same name, their geographical locations are given. Following the chart’s format, no apostrophes are included in any names.

This is a living document as there are still archives to check including old charts, maps, grants and local knowledge. So the question remains, would these islands plus remnants that are exposed shoals at low water, along with many named rocks, equal the mythical 365?

We do not know the answer, and finding it is another historical challenge for MICA. If you would like to contribute information, please contact us at info@mahoneislands.ns.ca

 

MICA RD Committee, March 2016 –
Michael Ernst, Sidney Lang, Margaret MacDonald, Jim Rosbee, Linda Wieser

 

Adams (Squid Cove, near Graves I. Topo 21 A/9)

Andrews     Wamblewreath (Grant)     Billys (Local)     Ernst (Local)

Apple

Arties (East River Topo 21A/9)

Backmans     Prince Royal (DesBarres)     Bachman (CGM and AC)

Bella   Elisabeth Isle (DesBarres)

Big     Kurser (4381 1945 ed.)     Kursers Pt. (AC)     Keizer (DM 29)     Bird (CGM)

Big Crow (near Stonehurst East Topo 21A/8)

Big Chain (Rackets Topo 21A/8)   Centre, Dry, Snipe (Local)

Big Fish

Big Gooseberry

Big Tancook     Royal George (DesBarres)   Uktankook (Mi’kmaq-facing the open sea.)

Birch(Indian Pt.)     Burgoynes (Local)

Birch (Chester)

Bow/Bowl (Stonehurst Topo 21A/8)

Coveys – Island No. 7, Covey (CGM), William Henry (DesBarres), Payzant, Meisner & Chase (Local)

Chockle Cap     Jock Cap (CGM)     Hobsons (DesBarres)

Crowbar (near Daniels, Martins Pt. Trak)

Daniels     Sisters (Local)

Dauphinees (near Middle River Topo 21A/9)

East Ironbound

Ernst Part of Giff. (DM 29)

Fifty Acre

Flat

Frog

Gifford     Young (Local)

Goat

Gorehams (Rackets Topo 21A/8)

Grassy (near Tancook)

Grassy – (Rackets near Big Chain Topo 21 /8 and Trak)

Gravel

Graves

Gunning (near Stonehurst East Topo 21A/8)     Tanner

Heckmans

Hell (near Stonehurst Topo 21A/8)

Hermans

Hobsons     Hobsons Nose (AC)

Indian

Indian (North East end of Heckmans I. Topo 21 A/8)

Jake Is. Rock (Topo 21A/8)

Jimmys (near Deep Cove Topo 21A/9)

Kaulback     Rubys (Local)    Heislers (Local)

Klungemache     Burgoynes (Local)

Little Islands (near Brick Hill 2nd Penn. Topo 21A/8)

Little Crow (near Stonehurst East Topo 21A/8)

Little Duck

Little Fish

Little Green (Rackets Topo 21A/8)

Little Hermans

Little Island (2nd. Penn)

Little Island (West Shore)
Swinnehammer (DM 29)
Swinehemers (Chart 4381 – 1940s)

Little Crow (Stonehurst Topo 21A/8)

 

Little Gooseberry

Little Green (Stonehurst)

Little Rafuse Black (CGM)

Little Tancook

Long

Lookout (Stonehurst Topo 21A/8)

Loye     Louisa Isles (DesBarres)     Trapeans (AC)     Varlings (Local)

Lucy

Lynch

Mark

Marsh (near Long Topo 21A/8)

Marvins

Mash

Mason     Edward Isle (DesBarres)     Sand Islands – Masons and the Rafuses (AC)

Mason (First Penn.)

Meisners     Naas (AC)     Norse (1945 Chart 4381)

Mountain

Mud Islands (near Stonehurst, local name)

Oak     Island No. 28     Gloucester (DesBarres) Smiths (Local)

Pearl     Green (AC &Topo 21 A/8)

Peters ( near Stonehurst East Topo 21A/8)

Plum (near Oak – Local)     Round (Topo 21A/8)

Quaker Chart 4381 1945

Rake

Rafuse     Frederick Isle (DesBarres)     Big Rafuse (Local)

Round     Augustus Isle (DesBarres)     Winters (local)

Round Island Nubble     Mrs. Finneys Hat (local)

Rous     Rouse (DM 29) Moshers (Local)     Stevens (Local)

Sacrifice

Saddle (Chester)

Saddle (Aspotogan)

Sams

Seacombe     Secomus (AC)

Shaw     Hume (DM 29)     Webber **     Mosher **

Sheep (Ind. Pt.)     Frog (AC)

Sheep (Rackets)

Snake

Snipe (Rackets, Local)

Spectacle

Spectacle (Rackets Topo 21 A/8)

Star     Starr (CGM)

Stony (Stonehurst Topo 21A/8)

Strum     Ham     Hamm (DM 29)

Squid

Sweat Islands (Topo 21 A/8)

Tanner (Trak and Topo 21 A/8)

Young     Pernette’s (CGM)

Westaver     Westhaver (DM 29)

Wilneffs (near Stonehurst Topo 21A/8)

Woody

Zwicker     Green (US Hydro.)

 

Maps

 

References

AC – Ambrose Church, Map of the County of Lunenburg, early 1880s.

Chart 4381, 1945 ed., corrected to 1946 Chart 4381, corrected to 2011.

CGM – Crown Grants Map, Sheet #47, available through NS Dept. of Natural Resources.

DesBarres – DesBarres Atlantic Neptune, March 1779.

(Mahone Bay Harbour is Prince Harbour , Mackworth Bay is near Oak Is, Mahone Bay is the area between Aspotogan and Chester.)

DM 29 – Department of Mines, 1929.

** Eaton, K., History of Shaw Island, Lancelot Press, 1984.

Island Numbers – Coveys-Island No. 7, Oak Island No.28, from original grants.

Topographical Maps 21/8, 1940, ed. Topographical Maps 21/8 and 9, 2000 ed.

Trak – Mahone Bay Geobathymetrical Chart, www.trakmaps.com

US Hydro – US Navy Hydrographic Office chart “from British Surveys 1862 -1864” Pub.1903, corrected/printed 1927.

Compiled by the MICA RD Committee, March, 2016