Backmans Island

In partnership with:

This was our second island partnered acquisition. It was for sale at the time and after an agreement with the province on MICA’s financial contribution, and several rejected offers, a deal was eventually negotiated with the seller. The call-in from the pledge campaign again allowed MICA to meet its financial commitment and secure, which was probably the most popular island in the upper end of the bay. The Andrews Island acquisition model was followed very successfully for this acquisition. This successful acquisition legitimized MICA as a serious grass roots organization with a sound strategy and a very good public support.

The late Honorable Michael Baker and several of his government colleagues announced the province’s commitment to work with MICA for the acquisition of both Backmans and Covey Islands at the 2006 Gala Dinner and Auction.

Another typical drumlin island of about 42 acres and located off Second Peninsula. 

It has the ‘big cove’ which has traditionally been very popular and also the ‘little cove’, both of which offer great places to picnic and swim. There was a very prolific mussel bed in the big cove up until the late 1980s but that is long gone. The island has the notorious bar facing west that has caught many a boater. When we acquired the island there were several private moorings in the big cove.  Erosion continues on the north and east facing shores with sand appearing to be increasing on the west sides. Pins have been installed on the north side in an attempt to measure the erosion. There was a very large mussel bed in the big cove as recently as in the nineties but that has disappeared.  This is the most used of all MICA islands and with very few exceptions, users are ’Leaving Only Their Footprints’.