St. Paul Island (Nova Scotia)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- There is also a Saint Paul Island in the Indian Ocean, and another in Alaska.
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St. Paul Island ( AST) is a small uninhabited island located approximately 24 km (15 miles) northeast of Cape North on Cape Breton Island and 71 km (44 miles) southwest of Cape Ray on Newfoundland; it is along the boundary between the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Cabot Strait.
An extension of the Appalachian Mountains and the Cape Breton Highlands, the highest point on St. Paul Island is 147 m (485 feet) upon “Croggan Mountain.”
St. Paul Island is formed of granite and is extremely rugged with its shores being completely encircled by rockface cliffs. It is split by a narrow channel that fills with sea water. There are no land animals on the island, although it is inhabited by numerous seabirds. Its ecosystem is considered fragile and due to the danger posed by visiting the island, visits must be cleared with the Canadian Coast Guard (the island’s owner) beforehand.
The island is nicknamed the “Graveyard of the Gulf” (of St. Lawrence) as it is fog-bound throughout much of the navigation season and posed a significant hazard during the age of sail. Although it may have seen use by the Mi’kmaq Nation, it is believed to have been discovered by John Cabot.
With the light station now automated using solar power, the island sees few visitors, aside from Canadian Coast Guard helicopters on maintenance trips. The island used to host a Marconi wireless station and it still sees occasional amateur radio operators who use the callsign prefix CY9. Other visitors include birdwatchers and SCUBA divers.
