Island Names
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?
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.