Lighthouses of Canada: Southern Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is the province at the extreme southeastern corner of Canada. The southern and eastern parts of the province lie on a peninsula facing the Atlantic to the east and the Bay of Fundy to the west. To the north, the peninsula is joined to the rest of Canada by an isthmus that separates the Bay of Fundy on the south from Northumberland Strait and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the north.

For its size, Nova Scotia has an extraordinarily long coastline and very large of number of lighthouses, roughly 170 in all. The Directory covers these lighthouses on five pages. This page lists lighthouses at the southern end of the peninsula in the counties of Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne, and Yarmouth. Roughly speaking, this covers the coast from St. Margaret's Bay around Cape Sable to Yarmouth Harbour.

Rip Irwin's book, Lighthouses and Lights of Nova Scotia (Halifax: Nimbus Publishing, 2003) is an essential reference for understanding these lighthouses.

Lighthouses in Canada are maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard, a unit of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

CCC numbers are from the Atlantic Coast volume of the List of Lights, Buoys, and Fog Signals of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from Volume H of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 110.

General Sources
Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society
This outstanding web site has a wealth of photos, information, and news.
Nova Scotia Canada Lighthouses
Excellent photos plus historical and visitor information from Kraig Anderson's LighthouseFriends.com web site.
Lighthouses in Nova Scotia, Canada
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Nova Scotia
Lighthouse photos from visits by C.W. Bash in 2008.
Nova Scotia Lighthouses
Fine photos by Paul Illsley.
Lighthouses in Nova Scotia
Photos available from Wikimedia; included is a large collection of photos by Dennis Jarvis (several appear on this page).
Leuchttürme an der kanadischen Ostküste
Photos of Nova Scotia lighthouses taken in 2004 by Bernd Claußen.
Shelburne County Tourism - Lighthouses
Photos and brief accounts of the county's lighthouses.
Leuchttürme Kanadas auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.

Fort Point Light
Fort Point Light, Liverpool, August 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by C. Hanchey

Lunenburg County Lighthouses

Mahone Bay Lighthouses
Pearl Island (3)
1973 (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white flash every 10 s. 11.5 m (38 ft) square cylindrical steel-wood tower covered by white aluminum siding; gallery painted red. No lantern. Dave Heffler has a view from the sea, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. The island is a wildlife management area, one of only two nesting sites for puffins in Nova Scotia. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1929 by a 2-story keeper's house with lantern centered on the roof. In late 1998 there was a proposal to build a memorial on the island to the victims of Swissair Flight 111, which had crashed just offshore on September 2. Following sharp protests by environmental groups, two memorials were built on the mainland instead. Located on the highest point of the island 22 km (14 mi) off the entrances to Mahone and St. Margaret's Bays. Inaccessible. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Pearl Island Wildlife Management Area. ARLHS CAN-367; CCC 471; Admiralty H3670; NGA 10088.
East Ironbound Island (2)
1871 (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 44.5 m (146 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 11 m (35 ft) square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery, rising from one end of a 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house. NSLPS has a good photo by Kathy Brown, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Lighthouse painted white, lantern and gallery red. Two fog horns (blast every 30 s, in unison). This lighthouse is a rare and valuable example of a mid-nineteenth century lighthouse design. Located at the highest point of the island, off the entrance to Mahone Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-164; CCC 469; Admiralty H3672; NGA 10092.
Kaulbach Island Range Front
1914. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous white light. 6.5 m (22 ft) square pyramidal wood tower covered by aluminum siding, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line; lantern roof is red. Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on the northeast side of Kaulbach Island in Mahone Bay. The island is the site of a Boy Scout camp. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-260; CCC 453; Admiralty H3682; NGA 10128.
Kaulbach Island Range Rear
1914. Active; focal plane 21 m (68 ft); continuous white light. 6.5 m (22 ft) square pyramidal wood tower covered by aluminum siding, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line; lantern roof is red. Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located on the northeast side of Kaulbach Island in Mahone Bay. The island is the site of a Boy Scout camp. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-861; CCC 454; Admiralty H3682.1; NGA 10132.

Lunenburg Area Lighthouses
Cross Island (3)
1985 (station established 1832). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 10 s. 11.5 m (38 ft) steel tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Two 1-story keeper's houses and fog signal building intact. Fog horn (two blasts every 60 s). A view from the sea is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. The original lighthouse burned in 1960, and a skeletal tower was used until the present lighthouse was built. Located at the highest point of the island, in the center of the entrance to Lunenburg Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-154; CCC 443; Admiralty H3698; NGA 10160.
Battery Point Breakwater (2)
1951 (station established 1937). Active; focal plane 7.5 m (25 ft); continuous red light. 8 m (26 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. A photo is at right, Barry Dackhombe has a closeup, a view has the Lunenburg waterfront in the background, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. A lighthouse was built on Battery Point in 1864; keepers for the breakwater light lived there until 1987. The 1948 keeper's house was sold and relocated in 1995; its location is not known. The present lighthouse was built when the breakwater was rebuilt in 1951. Located at the end of the breakwater, at the end of Battery Point Road, on the east side of Lunenburg. Inaccessible (the breakwater is closed and fenced). Visible distantly from downtown Lunenburg. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-024; CCC 438; Admiralty H3702; NGA 10172.
Battery Point Light
Battery Point Breakwater Light, Lunenburg, August 2005
Flickr Creative Commons photo by ms_guidedangel
Mosher Island (3)
1989 (station established 1859). Active; focal plane 23 m (76 ft); continuous white light. 11 m (37 ft) fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Fog horn (blast every 20 s). The keeper's houses and other light station buildings are on the Canadian Doomsday List; the Mosher Island Lighthouse Preservation Society is working to restore them but has been unable to get control of the site. NSLPS has a photo of the current lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. The second lighthouse, a 1953 square pyramidal wood tower, was tipped over and burned by the Coast Guard in 1989, an act that horrified preservation groups and stimulated lighthouse protection efforts throughout Canada. Located on west side of the entrance to the LaHave River. Accessible by boat tours from Riverport. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-325; CCC 423; Admiralty H3710; NGA 10192.

Queens County Lighthouses

Port Medway Lighthouses
* Port Medway
1899. Inactive since 1987. Approx. 8.5 m (28 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, covered with vinyl siding, with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. C. Hanchey's photo is at right, Bash has a 2008 photo, Jarvis has a 2011 photo, Illsley has a fine closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a very fuzzy satellite view. The Medway Area Community Association began restoration efforts in 1988, but by 1998 the tower was in poor condition. The Municipality of Queens bought the deteriorating lighthouse in 2000 and spent $602,000 to restore the tower and develop its surroundings as a park. The park opened in October 2002. Located at the end of Long Cove Road in Port Medway. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Port Medway Lighthouse Park. ARLHS CAN-409.
* [Medway Head (2)]
1927 (station established 1851). Inactive as a lighthouse since 1966. 2-story wood keeper's house. The lantern, formerly mounted on the roof, has been replaced by a square observation room. Bash has a good 2008 photo, Jarvis has a 2011 photo, and Claußen also has a photo. Relocated in 1980 across the road from the active light and in use as a private residence. Located on Long Cove Road on the west side of the entrance to Medway Harbour. Site and tower closed. Site manager: private.
* Medway Head (4)
1983 (station established 1851). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white light, 4 s on, 8 s off. 8.5 m (28 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; gallery and lantern roof are red. This lighthouse replaced a fiberglass tower (1966-1983). Geoff Hill has a fine closeup, Illsley has another excellent photo, Jarvis has a photo, Bash has a 2008 photo, Lorne Hull has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on Long Cove Road on the west side of the entrance to Medway Harbour. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-313; CCC 415; Admiralty H3722; NGA 10224.

Liverpool Lighthouses
Coffin Island (Liverpool) (3)
2006 (station established 1815). Active; focal plane 18.5 m (61 ft); white flash every 4 s. 16 m (52 ft) round fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Endangered by beach erosion, the 1914 lighthouse was scheduled for demolition in 1998. The quickly-formed Coffin Island Lighthouse Heritage Society was able to get the demolition postponed long enough for a $70,000 project to protect the shore with large boulders. Unfortunately, these efforts did not succeed, and in 2006 the Coast Guard demolished the lighthouse and replaced it by a fiberglass tower 100 m (330 ft) from the shore. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos of the 1914 lighthouse, Lighthouse Explorer has a photo of the new light, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the southeast point of the island, in the mouth of Liverpool Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Visible from a wayside park on NS 331 east of Liverpool. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-142; CCC 407; NGA 10235.
Port Medway Light
Port Medway Light, August 2007
Flickr Creative Commons photo by C. Hanchey
**** Fort Point
1855. Inactive since 1989. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with square lantern room embedded in the front of a 2-story wood keeper's house, giving the building a unique "hunchbacked" appearance. The keeper's house was wrapped around the tower in 1878. C. Hanchey's photo is at the top of this page, Scott Baltjes has an excellent photo, Anderson has several photos, Illsley has a closeup, Jarvis has a 2011 closeup, Bash has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos, and Google has a very distant satellite view. The town of Liverpool was active in preserving this lighthouse, starting at least in the 1970s, and the town assumed ownership after it was deactivated. Since 1997 the building has been a museum; the lighthouses's 6th order Fresnel lens and hand-cranked foghorn are among the displays. Located at the end of Main Street in Liverpool. Site open, tower open daily mid-May to mid-October (free; donations accepted). Site manager: Town of Liverpool (Fort Point Lighthouse Museum and Park). ARLHS CAN-184.
* Western Head
1962 (fog signal station established 1924). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 15 s. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Fog horn (blast every 60 s). Paul Hamilton's photo is at right, Illsley has a closeup, Chris Mills has a good 2007 photo, Anderson has photos, Claußen has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a very distant satellite view of the station. Located on a prominent headland at the end of Breakwater Road, off Western Head Road about 15 km (9 mi) southeast of Liverpool. Parking provided. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-529; CCC 405; Admiralty H3740; NGA 10244.

Port Mouton Area Lighthouses
Port Mouton (Spectacle Island) (2)
1937 (station established 1873). Active; focal plane 17 m (55 ft); white flash, 2 s on, 10 s off. 5.5 m (18 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. In 2004, the Coast Guard proposed to deactivate and demolish the lighthouse; as a result, the Spectacle Lighthouse Society was formed to work for its preservation. In 2010 the society cleared a hiking trail from a dock area across the island to the lighthouse, and in late 2011 the Coast Guard removed lead paint contamination from the area around the lighthouse. Located on the northeast point of Spectacle Island in Port Mouton Bay. Accessible only by boat. Visible from Summerville on the mainland. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-410; CCC 396;Admiralty H3742; NGA 10268.
Western Head Light
Western Head Light, Liverpool, April 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Paul Hamilton
#Little Hope Island (2)
1906 (station established 1865). Destroyed in 2003. The lighthouse was a 23.5 m (77 ft) cylindrical concrete tower with six buttresses, painted white. Lantern removed. Badly damaged by Hurricane Juan in September 2003, the lighthouse was toppled by a fierce nor'easter on December 7. The light was replaced by a buoy. Lighthouse Digest has a feature on life at the former station, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the highest point of the island in Cadden Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-279; CCC 393; Admiralty H3744; NGA 10300.

Shelburne County Lighthouses

Lockeport Lighthouses
[Carter Island (3)]
1982 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 16.5 m (54 ft); white flash every 6 s. 9 m (31 ft) round fiberglass tower, painted white with two narrow horizontal red bands. 1-story fog signal building not in use. Craig James White has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This light replaced the 1930 lighthouse, a 2-story keeper's house with lantern centered on the roof. Located on an island in Lockeport Harbour. Accessible only by boat, but clearly visible from the Lockeport.
Lockeport (Gull Rock) (2)
About 1955 (station established 1853). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white light, 4 s on, 11 s off. 13.5 m (44 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from what is left of a 2-story keeper's house. Building painted white; lantern and gallery painted red. Fog horn (blast every 30 s). Most of the keeper's house has been demolished. Anderson has a page with historical information, Linda Ross has a distant view from the mainland, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on a small rocky island at the entrance to Lockeport Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-121; CCC 370; Admiralty H3750; NGA 10344.

Shelburne Lighthouses
* Sandy Point (2)
1880 (station established 1873). Inactive since 1996. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a square concrete pier. Tower painted white; lantern painted red. Jarvis's photo is at right, Illsley has a good photo, Chris Elliott has a photo, Jon Goulden has a closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in 1878. The present tower was relocated to a new pier in 1903. When the lighthouse was deactivated, the Sandy Point Recreation Group organized to preserve it as part of a park and recreation center. The center opened in 1999. In 2004, the Coast Guard conveyed ownership to a consortium of preservation groups. The lighthouse was restored during the summer of 2008, as seen in Bash's photo. Located on the east side of Shelburne Harbour about 16 km (10 mi) south of Shelburne. Parking provided; the lighthouse is accessible over a sandbar at low tide. Site open, tower closed. Owner: National Lighthouse Trust. Site manager: Sandy Point Lighthouse Park and Community Centre. ARLHS CAN-447.
Cape Roseway (2)
1961 (station established 1788). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 10 s. 14.5 m (48 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Three 1-story keeper's houses and an inactive fog signal building (1917), all abandoned and in poor repair. Jon Goulden has a view of the station, Illsley has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is the second oldest light station built by the British in Canada. The original lighthouse was demolished after being heavily damaged by a lightning strike in 1959. Located at the southeast point of McNutt's Island in Shelburne Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-105; CCC 355; Admiralty H3762; NGA 10404.
Sandy Point Light
Sandy Point Light, Shelburne, July 2011
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Dennis Jarvis

Baccaro Area Lighthouses
Cape Negro Island (3)
1915 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 28 m (91 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 13 m (42 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. 1-story fog signal building. Fog horn (6 s blast every 60 s). G. Coltman has a closeup photo, another photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. The first two lighthouses (1872 and 1887) were located 1300 m (0.8 mi) north. Located near the south point of the island in the entrance to Negro Harbour. Accessible only by boat amd a one-mile hike. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-102; CCC 349; Admiralty H3774; NGA 10436.
The Salvages
1965 (fog signal station established 1915). Active; focal plane 16.5 m (55 ft); white light, 2.5 s on, 9.5 s off. 15 m (49 ft): lantern and gallery mounted on the roof of a 1-1/2 story keeper's house. Building painted white, lantern red. Fog horn (three 2 s blasts every 60 s). Shelburne County has a photo by Valerie Boyd (2/3 the way down the page), and Google has a very distant satellite view. Located on an island on the west side of the west entrance to Negro Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-440; CCC 348; Admiralty H3778; NGA 10452.
* Baccaro Point (2)
1934 (station established 1851). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white light, three 1 s occultations every 10 s. 13.5 m (44 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Fog horn (blast every 20 s). One of Jarvis's photos is at right, Wikimedia has several of his other photos, Bash has a photo, Illsley has a photo, Geoff Hill also has a fine 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. The original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in January 1934. According to Irwin, one of the two keeper's houses was relocated to Seal Point in 1984. Located at the end of a gravel road off NS 309 south of Clyde River, marking the east side of the entrance to Barrington Bay. Parking provided. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-015; CCC 336; Admiralty H3782; NGA 10484.
*** Seal Island (replica)
1985. Half-size replica of the Seal Island Light (see below) carrying the lantern and 2nd order Fresnel lens (1902) from the original lighthouse. Illsley has an excellent photo, Peter Graham has a closeup photo, Jarvis has a 2011 photo, Bash has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The building is the Seal Island Lighthouse Museum, a well-known stop on Nova Scotia's Lighthouse Trail. Also on display is the 4th order Fresnel lens used at Outer (Bon Portage) Island from 1946 to 1970. The lantern roof is in need of repairs: the lantern room was closed to the public in 2010 and in March 2011 the town council was seeking funds to restore the lantern. Located on NS 3 in the town of Barrington. Site open; museum and tower open daily June through September. Site manager: Cape Sable Historical Society.
Baccaro Point Light
Baccaro Point Light, Barrington, March 2008
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Dennis Jarvis

Cape Sable Lighthouses
Cape Sable (2)
1924 (station established 1861). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white flash every 5 s. 31 m (101 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Fog horn (4 s blast every 60 s). Mark and Rhonda Henneberry's photo is at right, Shelburne County has a closeup photo by Brandon Blades, Jonathan Riley has a photo, Marinas.com has an aerial photo, and Google has a distant satellite view. Nova Scotia's tallest lighthouse marks the southern tip of the province and guards the entrance to the Bay of Fundy. A support group, the Friends of Cape Sable Lighthouse, has been formed to work for maintenance and restoration of this important lighthouse, and fundraising is underway. The original lighthouse, an octagonal wood tower, was cut down to two stories and used for storage. It was relocated to Yarmouth in 1991, but its fate there is unknown. Located on a small island just off Cape Sable Island. Visible from the beach at the end of Hawk Road on Cape Sable Island, off NS 330. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-106; CCC 327; Admiralty H3784; NGA 10508.
* [West Head (2)]
1972 (station established 1888). Active; focal plane 15.5 m (51 ft); continuous red light. 6 m (20 ft) cylindrical fiberglass tower without lantern, painted white with two horizontal red bands. Fog horn (two 2.5 s blasts every 60 s) in 1-story fog signal shed. The 5th order Fresnel lens from the original lighthouse is on display at the Archelaus Smith Museum in Centreville. Claußen has a closeup photo, but the small tower is not seen in Google's fuzzy satellite view. Located on the waterfront in Clark's Harbour on the west side of Cape Sable Island, off NS 330. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-522; CCC 320; Admiralty H3786; NGA 10532.

Shag Harbour Area Lighthouses
Stoddart Island (2)
1886 (station established 1877). Active; focal plane 8 m (27 ft); red flash every 4 s. 6 m (21 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern roof is black. Shelburne County has a closeup by Carlene Adams (1/3 the way down the page), Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located about 2/3 mile offshore in Shag Harbour. The island is privately owned. Accessible only by boat; visible distantly from Prospect Point. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-482; CCC 308; Admiralty H3792; NGA 10556.
Cape Sable Light
Cape Sable Light, Clark's Harbour, July 2012
photo copyright Mark and Rhonda Henneberry; permission requested
Outer Island (Bon Portage Island) (2)
1964 (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white flash every 10 s. 12 m (40 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from one corner of a 1-story fog signal building. Lighthouse painted white. A 4th order Fresnel lens from the original lighthouse is on display at the Seal Island Lighthouse Museum in Barrington. Fog horn (2 s blast every 20 s). The light station buildings are now part of Acadia University’s Evelyn and Morrill Richardson Field Station in Biology, named for the station's longtime keepers. Howard Dickson has a photo, Shelburne County has a photo by Carlene Adams (third photo on the page), and Google has a distant satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse. Located on the southwest point of the island about 3 km (2 mi) southwesy of Shag Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Acadia University. ARLHS CAN-360; CCC 307; Admiralty H3790; NGA 10560.
Woods Harbour (2)
1963 (station established 1900). Active; focal plane 6.5 m (21 ft); white flash every 6 s. 6.5 m (21 ft) square cylindrical tower with octagonal lantern. Tower painted white; lantern is red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). Claußen has a distant photo (misidentified as Stoddart Island Light), Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a small island in the middle of the harbor. Accessible only by boat; easily visible from the Woods Harbour waterfront. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-538; CCC 312; Admiralty H3794; NGA 10588.

Yarmouth County Lighthouses

Seal Island Lighthouse
Seal Island
1831. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 10 s. 21 m (68 ft) octagonal pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands; lantern painted red. A DCB-36 aerobeacon was mounted in the lantern, but it appears that the light may have been moved to a small lens on top of the lantern. The original lantern and 2nd order Fresnel lens (1902) were removed in 1978 and now displayed atop a half-size replica of the tower at the Seal Island Lighthouse Museum in Barrington (see above). Fog horn (3 blasts every 60 s). Keeper's house demolished; a barn and the radio operator's house remain but in poor condition. A closeup photo , a second closeup, and a view of the station are available, and Google has a very distant satellite view. The lighthouse is endangered by it remote location and poor maintenance. This is the second oldest lighthouse in Nova Scotia, after Sambro. Located on the south point of the island 30 km (18 mi) west of Cape Sable, guarding dangerous reefs at the eastern entrance to the Bay of Fundy. Accessible only by boat. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-454; CCC 289; Admiralty H3812; NGA 10596.

Pubnico Area Lighthouses
* Pubnico Harbour (East Pubnico) (3)
1984 (station established 1854). Inactive since 1998. 9 m (29 ft) fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery, upper half and lantern painted red, lower half white. 1-story fog signal building (1967). Dennis Jarvis's photo is at right, Illsley has a photo, Lighthouse Explorer has a photo by Terry D'Entremont, a closeup is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The original lighthouse, seen in Huelse's postcard view, was replaced in 1967 by a skeletal tower mounted on the fog signal building. Located on Beach Point, a sandspit on the east side of Pubnico Harbour, at the end of Lighthouse Road off NS 3 just north of Charlesville. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: unknown. ARLHS CAN-417.
Pubnico Harbour Light
Pubnico Harbour Light, March 2010
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Dennis Jarvis
** Salmon River (relocated)
1924. Inactive since the 1980s. Approx. 8.5 m (28 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white with red trim. Jeremy D'Entremont's photo is at right, Jarvis has a 2011 closeup photo, Lighthouse Explorer has a historic photo contributed by Michel Forand, and Google has a distant satellite view. The lighthouse was originally located on a breakwater at Salmon River north of Yarmouth. After being deactivated, it was relocated to West Pubnico, where it is now attached to a craft shop. Located on NS 335 near NS 3 in West Pubnico. Site open, base of the tower open during business hours. Site manager: La Lighthouse de Pombcoup. ARLHS CAN-439.
* Abbott's Harbour (3)
1906(?) (relocated from Amherst in 1922). Station established 1884. Inactive since the early 1990s. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white with red trim. Presumably this tower is one of the original Amherst Basin Range Lights, built in 1906. The lighthouse was refurbished by volunteers from the West Pubnico Historical Society. For a number of years the lighthouse stood in a small park with picnic tables nearby. In June 2004, it was cut in three pieces and relocated to the Acadian Historic Village, where it was reassembled for display. Jeremy D'Entremont also has a 2003 article in Lighthouse Digest on the history of this station, Jarvis has a 2011 photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located in the historic village overlooking the harbor in West Pubnico. Site open early June to mid October (admission charged), tower closed. Owner/site manager: Le Village historique acadien de la Nouvelle-Écosse. ARLHS CAN-001.
Salmon River Light
Salmon River Light, West Pubnico
photo copyright Jeremy D'Entremont; used by permission
Whitehead Island (Argyle) (2)
1951 (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white flash every 15 s. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical tower rising from one corner of 1-story fog signal building. Lighthouse painted white. Fog horn (3 second blast every 30 s). Marinas.com has aerial photos, but Google's partial satellite view of the island does not include the light station. This is one of two Whitehead Island lighthouses in Nova Scotia; the other one is near Whitehead Harbour on the east coast (see the Eastern Nova Scotia page). The original lighthouse burned in 1951 after being struck by lightning. According to Irwin, one of the keeper's houses was relocated to Pubnico Harbour in 1986. Located at the highest point of the island, in the mouth of Argyle Bay. Accessible only by boat. Visible at a distance from the end of NS 334 at Wedge Point. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-533; CCC 295; Admiralty H3800; NGA 10632.

Tusket Islands Lighthouses
Tusket River (Big Fish Island)
1962 (station established 1864). Active; focal plane 18.5 m (61 ft); white flash every 10 s. 11 m (37 ft) square wood tower, painted white; roof painted red. Marinas.com has aerial photos, but the station is barely visible in Google's fuzzy satellite view. The lighthouse was refurbished and repaired in 1995. Located on the southwest point of Big Fish Island in the mouth of the Tusket River. Accessible only by boat. Visible at a distance from the end of NS 334 at Wedge Point. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-510; CCC 294; Admiralty H3804; NGA 10636.
Pease Island (3)
1994 (station established 1879). Active; focal plane 16 m (53 ft); white flash every 6 s. 11.5 m (38 ft) fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Square 1-story fog signal building. Fog horn (two 3 s blasts every 60 s). The 2-story keeper's house (early 1960s) has fallen into ruin: Irwin found it occupied by sheep. Alain Moose has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a very distant satellite view. The lantern from the second (1962) lighthouse was transferred to Grindstone Island, New Brunswick, in 1992. Located on one of the Tusket Islands south of Yarmouth. Accessible only by boat. Visible at a distance from the end of NS 334 at Wedge Point. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-368; CCC 283; Admiralty H3806; NGA 10668.
Candlebox Island (2)
1963 (station established 1893). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous red light. 11.5 m (38 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from one corner of a 1-story fog signal building. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Fog horn (3 second blast every 30 s). A 2008 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on one of the Tusket Islands south of Yarmouth. Accessible only by boat. Visible at a distance from the end of NS 334 at Wedge Point. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-071; CCC 280; Admiralty H3814; NGA 10672.

Yarmouth Area Lighthouses
Green Island (Chebogue Point)
1964 (fog signal station established 1919). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 5 s. 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from one corner of a 1-story fog signal building. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Fog horn (2 second blast every 20 s). The keeper's house and other station buildings were demolished in 1981. Alix D'Entremont has a 2011 photo, and Google has a satellite view. There is another Green Island Light off the south coast of Cape Breton Island. Located at the highest point of a small island about 10 km (6 mi) south of Cape Forchu. Accessible only by boat. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-212; CCC 272; Admiralty H3818; NGA 10700.
*** Cape Forchu (Yarmouth) (2)
1962 (station established 1840). Active; focal plane 35 m (114 ft); white light, 2 s on, 12 s off. 23.5 m (77 ft) "apple core" hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with flared top, gallery, and lantern. Lighthouse painted with vertical red and white stripes; lantern and gallery are red. The 2nd order Fresnel lens used in the original lighthouse from 1908 to 1962 is on display at the Yarmouth County Museum. 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house (1912), assistant keeper's house, and 1-story fog signal building. Paul Hamilton's photo is at right, Wikimedia has a photo by James Somers, Anderson has a fine page for the lighthouse, Illsley has a photo, NSLPS has several pages, Federico Lucchini has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a postcard view of the original lighthouse. One of Nova Scotia's best known and most visited lighthouses. In recent years, the Friends of Yarmouth Light have restored the keeper's house and the grounds of the light station; Lighthouse Digest has a story on these efforts. The keeper's house is operated as a museum and gift shop and there is a tea room in the assistant keeper's house. In 2001 the Coast Guard transferred ownership of the station to the city. Located at the end of NS 304 about 11 km (7 mi) south of Yarmouth. Parking and picnic area provided. Site open, museum open daily late May through mid October (free, donations requested), tower closed. Owner: Town of Yarmouth. Site manager: Cape Forchu Lightstation. ARLHS CAN-097; CCC 260; Admiralty H3820; NGA list 10728.
* Bunker Island (3)
1960 (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 10 m (32 ft); continuous red light. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a small fog signal building, mounted on a concrete and steel caisson (1892). Lighthouse painted white with a vertical red stripe; lantern painted red. Jarvis's photo is below right, Lighthouse Explorer has a photo by Jeremy D'Entremont, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a postcard view of the original lighthouse, which was replaced in 1923. D'Entremont also has two historic photos of the original lighthouse. The lantern was added to the present tower in 1984. Located on the east side of Yarmouth Harbour at the end of Sand Beach Road less than a mile north of Cape Forchu. At low tide the lighthouse is accessible (or nearly so) by walking a stone breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-062; CCC 263; Admiralty H3826; NGA 10736.
Cape Forchu Light
Cape Forchu (Yarmouth) Light, April 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Paul Hamilton

Notable faux lighthouses:

  • LaHave (about 1990). The present lighthouse is a facsimile of a typical Nova Scotia pepperpot; it does not resemble the original and is not an aid to navigation.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

 
Bunker Island Light
Bunker Island Light, Yarmouth, July 2011
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Dennis Jarvis

Adjoining pages: North: Western Nova Scotia | East: Eastern Nova Scotia

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Posted 2002. Checked and revised June 29, 2012. Lighthouses: 36. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.