Lighthouses of Southeastern Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has an extraordinary length of coastline compared to its area, so it's not surprising that it has a large number of lighthouses, more than 150 of them. This page covers lighthouses of the southeastern coast of the province, facing the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Canso southwestward to Cape Sable, as well as Sable Island far to the southeast.

Some of the more remote lighthouses are poorly known and no photos are available. Additional information and photos would be welcome.

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.

Notmar 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.

What's Hot:

Sambro Island foghorn deactivated

1930 (left) and 1963 Port Bickerton Lights
photo by Dan Conlin courtesy of the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Interpretive Centre

General Sources
Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society: This outstanding web site has a wealth of photos, information, and news.
Lighthouses in Nova Scotia, Canada: Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Nova Scotia Lighthouses: Lorne Hull has posted excellent photos and accounts for about 20 of the lighthouses.
Nova Scotia Lighthouses: Images of 15 of the light stations posted by Pete Amass.

Cape Canso Area Lighthouses
Queensport (2): 1937 (station established 1882). Active; focal plane 16.5 m (54 ft); white flash every 4 s. 12.5 m (41 ft): lantern and gallery mounted on the center of the roof of 2-story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern and roof are red. Another photo is available. Apparently a sibling of Isaac's Harbour Light. In 1991, the Dept. of Transportation announced its intention to dismantle the lighthouse, triggering local efforts to save and restore it. The Municipality of Guysborough painted and restored the exterior of the building. The site is now managed by a local foundation, Keepers of the Beacon. However, the lighthouse remains on the Canadian Doomsday List. Located on Rook Island, a small island in Chedabucto Bay between Guysborough and Canso. Accessible only by boat, but visible from a popular picnic area on NS 16. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Keepers of the Beacon. ARLHS CAN-425; Notmar 683; Admiralty H3456; NGA 9492.
* Canso Range Front: 1905. Active; focal plane 10 m (34 ft); continuous yellow light. 8.5 m (28 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with gallery, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line. Lantern removed. Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located near the end of Union Street in Canso. Site and tower closed (private property), accessible by permission and easily visible. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-634; Notmar 672; Admiralty H3460; NGA 9528.
* Canso Range Rear: 1905. Active; focal plane 28.5 m (94 ft); continuous yellow light. 17 m (56 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line; the lantern roof is also red. A closeup photo is available, and Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos. Located near the end of Union Street in Canso. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-077; Notmar 673; Admiralty H3460.1; NGA 9532.
Cranberry Island South (3): 1978 (station established 1929). Active; focal plane 17 m (55 ft); white flash every 15 s. 14.5 m (48 ft) square concrete tower attached to a fog signal building. Two fog horns (2 blasts every 60 s, sounding in unison). Marinas.com has aerial photos identified as "Canso Harbour Light." A light station, the first in the Canso area, was established at the north end of the island in 1818, and there were several towers at that location before the light was brought to the south end in 1929. The 1929 lighthouse, a 2-story keeper's house with lantern centered on the roof, was replaced in 1971 with a skeletal tower with square central cylinder. In 1977, that tower was relocated to Jeddore Rock (see below). The station was inactive for a short time in 1977-78 while the present lighthouse was built. Located at the south end of Cranberry Island about 3 km (2 mi) east of Cape Canso, marking the southern entrance to Chedabucto Bay. Accessible only by boat; visible from the foot of Union Street in Canso. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-153; Notmar 668; Admiralty H3458; NGA 9540.
White Head Island (4): 1978 (station established 1854). Active; focal plane 18 m (60 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story fog-signal building. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). The 1-story keeper's house appears to be intact. Marinas.com has aerial photos, and NSLPS also has a distant photo. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1934, by a fiberglass tower in 1970, and then by the present tower in 1978. Located on the southwest side of the island off Whitehead Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-532; Notmar 659; Admiralty H3474; NGA 9584.
[Hog Island (Port Felix) (2)]: 1988 (station established 1902). Active; focal plane 10.5 m (35 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9 m (30 ft) cylindrical tower, painted white with two narrow horizontal red bands. Fog horn (2 s blast every 20 s). The historic lighthouse, a 2-story keeper's house with lantern on the roof, was destroyed about 1980. A helipad occupies its former foundation. No photo of the current light is available. Located on the east end of the island in Tor Bay. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-228; Notmar 654; Admiralty H3478; NGA 9596.
* Charlos Harbour Range Rear: 1901. Inactive since 1988. Approx. 7.5 m (25 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white with red trim. The former front range light has been destroyed. Located on the waterfront in Charlos Cove, off NS 316 on Tor Bay. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-637.
Berry Head (3): 1985 (station established 1876). Active; focal plane 12.5 m (41 ft); continuous white light. 5.5 m (19 ft) square tower with lantern rising from a small wood fog signal building, painted white. Fog horn (3 blasts every 60 s). Foundation ruins of the original lighthouse, replaced in 1951, are next to the modern light. Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on a headland at the western entrance to Tor Bay; accessible from the town by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-033; Notmar 646; Admiralty H3484; NGA 9628.
Country Island (3): 1965 (station established 1873). Active; focal plane 16.5 m (54 ft); white light, one long (2 s) flash every 20 s. 13.5 m (45 ft) octagonal concrete tower, painted white; lantern is red. The keeper's house, now in dilapidated condition, is on the Canadian Doomsday List. Marinas.com has aerial photos. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1927 by a 2-story keeper's house with lantern centered on the roof. The island, an important bird nesting area, is managed by the Canadian Wildlife Service. Located on the south side of the island off Tor Bay, east of Port Bickerton. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-752; Notmar 639; Admiralty H3504; NGA 9648.
Port Bickerton Area Lighthouses
**** Port Bickerton (2): 1930 (station established 1901). Inactive since 1963. 13 m (42 ft): lantern and gallery centered on the roof of 2-story wood keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; roofs are red. A good closeup is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. The building, which remained in use as the keeper's house until 1988, has been fully restored by the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society and is open as a lighthouse museum. Located off NS 211 in Port Bickerton. Site open; museum and tower open daily from mid June through September (admission fee). Site manager: Nova Scotia Lighthouse Interpretive Centre. ARLHS CAN-1286.
* Port Bickerton (3): 1963 (station established 1901). Active; focal plane 20.5 m (67 ft); white light, 4 s on, 4 s off. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story wood fog signal building. Lighthouse covered with white siding; lantern painted red. Fog horn (2 blasts every 60 s). Pete Amass has a nice photo, another photo is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located adjacent to the 1930 lighthouse, off NS 211 in Port Bickerton. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-404; Notmar 629; Admiralty H3514; NGA 9684.
Liscomb Island (2): 1921 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 21.5 m (72 ft); white flash every 10 s. 14 m (45 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). Marinas.com has aerial photos, a distant photo is available, and the Degree Confluence Project has a nice photo taken from the water. Located on Cranberry Point, on the southwest side of the island, marking the entrance to Liscomb Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-277; Notmar 615; Admiralty H3526; NGA 9736.

Sheet Harbour Area Lighthouses
Beaver Island (3): 1985 (station established 1847). Active; focal plane 20 m (65 ft); white flash every 7 s. 11.5 m (38 ft) round fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is white; lantern painted red. 1-story fog signal building. Fog horn (6 s blast every 60 s). The original lighthouse was replaced in 1954. Located 10 km (6 mi) offshore between Sheet Harbour and Port Dufferin. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-028; Notmar 602; Admiralty H3534; NGA 9772.
[Sheet Rock (3)]: 1988 (station established 1879). Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); white flash every 4 s. 9 m (30 ft) round fiberglass tower, painted white with two horizontal red bands. Marinas.com has aerial photos. The original lighthouse was replaced in 1936 by a 2-story keeper's house with lantern centered on the roof; foundation ruins of that lighthouse are visible in the aerial photos. Located on a small island in the entrance to Sheet Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-457; Notmar 594; Admiralty H3541; NGA 9778.
* Sheet Harbour Passage Range Front: 1915. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); continuous white light. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line; lantern also painted red. Located off Davidson Road in Sheet Harbour. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-456; Notmar 598; Admiralty H3542; NGA 9784.
* Sheet Harbour Passage Range Rear: 1915. Active; focal plane 20 m (65 ft); continuous white light. 9 m (29 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line; lantern also painted red. Located off Davidson Road in Sheet Harbour. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-612; Notmar 599; Admiralty H3542.1; NGA 9788.
Spry Bay Sector (Range Front): 1916. Active; focal plane 23 m (76 ft); continuous lights, white for the channel, red to the east and green to the west. 7.5 m (25 ft) tower, painted white. Marinas.com has aerial photos. This light was originally the front light of the Spry Bay Range. The rear light was replaced by a skeletal tower in 1970 and then discontinued in 1987, when the front light was converted to a sector light. Located near the eastern entrance to Spry Harbour. Accessible by hiking a power line easement from the end of a gravel road off NS 7 about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) east of Spry Bay. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-474; Notmar 591; Admiralty H3557; NGA 9814.
[Ship Harbour (Wolfes Island)]: Date unknown (station established 1895). Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); green light, 2 s on, 10 s off. 6 m (20 ft) triangular skeletal tower. No photo available, but Linda Fahie has contributed photos of two former lighthouses at this station. Located on Wolfes Point at the northeastern corner of Wolfes Island, marking the entrance to Ship Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1288; Notmar 585; Admiralty H3564; NGA 9820.
Owl's Head: 1912. Inactive since the late 1960s. More information needed; the building is reported in use as a private summer residence. Located at the entrance to Ship Harbour. Site and tower closed. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-1282.
Egg Island (2): 1962 (station established 1865). Active; focal plane 25.5 m (84 ft); white flash every 15 s. 14.5 m (48 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with enclosed square central cylinder, all painted white. The lantern was removed in 1970; the solar-powered light is displayed from a short skeletal mast at one corner of the gallery. No photo available. Located atop a rocky island about 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Owl's Head. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-168; Notmar 580: Admiralty H3568; NGA 9836.

Halifax Harbour and Sambro Area Lighthouses
Jeddore Rock (3): 1971 (relocated from Cranberry Island in 1977; this station established 1881). Active; focal plane 29 m (96 ft); white light, 2 s on, 10 s off. 16 m (52 ft) square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with enclosed square central cylinder, all painted white. No photo available. Rip Irwin found the roof of the lantern of the original lighthouse lying on the ground where it had been discarded. Located atop a rocky islet about 6 km (4 mi) southeast of French Point; Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-254; Notmar 570; Admiralty H3570; NGA 9848.
* French Point (Pleasant Point, Musquodoboit Harbour Range Rear): 1904. Active; focal plane 14 m (47 ft); continuous red light. 9.5 m (31 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a square cylindrical base. Lighthouse painted white; lantern roof is red. Formerly the rear light of a range, the lighthouse is now located on the grounds of a bed and breakfast inn. Located on Kent Road in Musquodoboit Harbour, east of Halifax; Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Seaview Fisherman's Bed & Breakfast. ARLHS CAN-334; Notmar 569; Admiralty H3579; NGA 9852.
Devil's Island (Devil's Island East): 1877. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white flash every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal wood tower, painted white; the lantern was removed in 1978, and the light is now displayed from a short mast atop the tower. Marinas.com has aerial photos. The Devil's Island West Light, established in 1852 and deactivated in 1958, was only 160 m (175 yd) southwest. Located on the southeast side of the island marking the eastern approach to Halifax Harbour; Google has a satellite view. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-158; Notmar 545; Admiralty H3596; NGA 9892.

* #[Chebucto Head (2)]: 1940 (station established 1872). Inactive since 1967. 2-story square wood keeper's house, originally with lantern centered on the roof. The house remained in service as the keeper's residence until the 1960s. In 2004, the Chebucto Head Lighthouse Society leased the building from the Coast Guard for preservation and restoration. Tragically, it was destroyed by fire less than two weeks later, on May 24, 2004. Some ruins remain. The Society hopes to reconstruct the lighthouse. Site open. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Chebucto Head Lighthouse Society. ARLHS CAN-1383.
* Chebucto Head (3): 1967 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 49 m (162 ft); white flash every 20 s. 14 m (45 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; the lantern is painted red. Fog horn (2 blasts every 60 s). Peter Hsu has a portfolio of photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Chebucto Head is the west entrance to Halifax Harbour. Located at the end of Duncan's Cove Road off NS 349; Google has a satellite view. Parking provided. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-133; Notmar 513; Admiralty H3600; NGA 9904.
* Sambro: 1758. Active; focal plane 43 m (142 ft); white flash every 5 s. 25 m (82 ft) octagonal stone tower, faced with wood shingles, with lantern and gallery; DCB-36 aerobeacon. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands; lantern is red. The 1° Fresnel lens used from 1906 to 1968 is on display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax. Two 1-story wood keeper's house, in poor condition and placed on the Canadian Doomsday List; 1-story oil house. The Lighthouse Explorer Database has a wonderful photo by Chris Mills, and Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos. This is the oldest lighthouse in North America and one of the most famous and important light stations in Canada. The tower was extended 6.5 m (22 ft) in 1906. There was a major restoration in 1998; Lighthouse Digest also has an article on this work. In September 2003 Sambro took a direct hit from Hurricane Juan. The oil house was undermined and the storm surge came within a few feet of the tower and keeper's house. Preservation efforts are continuing, but in late 2005 the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society expressed serious concern about the condition of the station. In 2007 the Coast Guard announced it could no longer rely on the underwater power cable to the lighthouse; the light was converted to solar power and the foghorn was deactivated. Located on Sambro Island about 3 km (2 mi) off the mouth of Halifax Harbour. Accessible by boat tours from Ketch Harbour. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-442; Notmar 507; Admiralty H3632; NGA 9968.
* Sambro Harbour: 1899. Active; focal plane 10.5 m (34 ft); continuous green light. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with gallery, painted white. The lantern was removed in 1971. Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located at the end of Bull Point Road, off NS 349 in Sambro. Accessible by a short walk from parking provided at the end of the road. Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-441; Notmar 505; Admiralty H3644; NGA 9980.
* [Pennant Harbour (Pennant Point) (2)]: 1991 (station established 1903). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); continuous green light. 8 m (27 ft) fiberglass tower, painted white. No lantern. Located at the end of a dirt road off NS 349 in Pennant. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-373; Notmar 501; Admiralty H3646; NGA 9996.

St. Margaret's Bay Area Lighthouses
* Terence Bay (2): 1903 (station established 1885). Active; focal plane 14.5 m (48 ft); continuous red light. 8 m (26 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with gallery, painted white with red trim. The lantern was removed in 1980. A 1999 photo is available, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Area landowners who built houses in the area during the 1990s sought to block public access to the light station, so the Terence Bay Lighthouse Committee was formed to re-establish the historic right of access. The lighthouse took some damage during Hurricane Juan in September 2003, losing some of its shingles. Located on a dramatic rocky headland beyond the end of Sandy Cove Road in Terence Bay; Google has a satellite view. Accessible by walking a gravel path through a residential area; take care to avoid private property. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-495; Notmar 498; Admiralty H3650; NGA 10004.
Indian Harbour (Paddy's Head): 1901. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous white light. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located on St. Margaret's Bay beyond the end of Paddy's Head Road at Indian Harbour; Google has a satellite view. Visible from NS 333, but accessible only by a rather strenuous walk. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-247; Notmar 482; Admiralty H3663; NGA 10060.
* [Hubbard's Cove (2)]: Date uncertain (station established 1882). Active; focal plane 12 m (40 ft); continuous red light. 6 m (20 ft) mast with enclosed lower portion, also carrying a large red and white daymark. The historic lighthouse was a wood pyramidal tower attached to a 1-1/2 story keeper's house. Located on Green Point in Hubbards, on St. Margaret's Bay. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-863; Notmar 478; Admiralty H3665; NGA 10068.

Mahone Bay and Lunenburg Area 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. Marinas.com has aerial photos. 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. 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; Notmar 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. Marinas.com has aerial photos. 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; Notmar 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. 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; Notmar 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. 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; Notmar 454; Admiralty H3682.1; NGA 10132.

* [LaHave (4)]: ca. 1990 (facsimile lighthouse). Station established 1876, inactive since the 1980s. Approx. 5.5 m (18 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white; lantern is red. The 1-story wood keeper's house (1950s) is used as a historical museum. The historic lighthouse at this location was demolished in the 1950s and replaced by the first of two skeletal towers. The present lighthouse is a facsimile of a typical Nova Scotia pepperpot; it does not resemble the original. Located at Fort Point on the west side of LaHave River, on NS 331. Site open, museum open daily during the summer, tower closed. Site manager: Fort Point Museum. ARLHS CAN-603.
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. 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. NSLPS has a photo of the current lighthouse, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. 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; Notmar 423; Admiralty H3710; NGA 10192.

Port Medway and Liverpool Area 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. Marinas.com has aerial photos of the former lighthouse; no photos of the new light are available. 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; Notmar 407; NGA 10235.
**** 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. A good photo is available, and Marinas.com has excellent aerial photos. The town of Liverpool was active in preserving this lighthouse, starting at least in the 1970s, and assumed ownership after it was deactivated. Since 1997 the building has been a museum; the lighthouses's 6° Fresnel lens and hand-cranked foghorn are among the displays. Gift shop. 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). Lorne Hull has good photos, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Located at the end of Breakwater Road, off Western Head Road on the west side of Liverpool Harbour. Parking provided. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-529; Notmar 405; Admiralty H3740; NGA 10244.

Port Mouton and Lockeport 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. 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; Notmar 396;Admiralty H3742; NGA 10268.
#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. Lighthouse Digest has a feature on life at the former station. 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; Notmar 393; Admiralty H3744; NGA 10300.
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). Marinas.com has aerial photos, which reveal that most of the keeper's house has been demolished. 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; Notmar 370; Admiralty H3750; NGA 10344.
[Carter Island (3)]: 1982 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 16.5 m (54 ft); white flash every 6 s. 9 m (31 ft) fiberglass tower, painted white with two narrow horizontal red bands. 1-story fog signal building not in use. Pete Amass also has a photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. This light replaced a 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. Visible from the Lockeport waterfront. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-121; Notmar 374; Admiralty H3753; NGA 10348.
* 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. Chris Elliott has a photo, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. 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. 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, are on the Canadian Doomsday List. Marinas.com has aerial photos. 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 south point of McNutt's Island in Shelburne Harbour. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-105; Notmar 355; Admiralty H3762; NGA 10404.
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. Fog horn (6 s blast every 60 s). No closeup photo available; the municipality of Barrington has an aerial photo of the island in which one can just glimpse the light station. 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; Notmar 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). 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; Notmar 348; Admiralty H3778; NGA 10452.

Cape Sable Area 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). Marinas.com has an aerial photo. Nova Scotia's tallest lighthouse marks the southern tip of the province and guards the entrance to the Bay of Fundy. 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; Notmar 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 5° Fresnel lens from the original lighthouse is on display at the Archelaus Smith Museum in Centreville. 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; Notmar 320; Admiralty H3786; NGA 10532.
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. Marinas.com has aerial photos. 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; Notmar 308; Admiralty H3792; NGA 10556.
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 4° Fresnel lens from the riginal 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. 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; Notmar 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). Marinas.com has aerial photos. 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; Notmar 312; Admiralty H3794; NGA 10588.

Sable Island Lighthouses
Note: Sable Island is a long, slender, sandy island located in the open Atlantic about 300 km (185 mi) southeast of Halifax. Access is restricted; visitors require written permission from the Coast Guard. The Sable Island Station, administered by the Meteorological Service of Canada, provides the only accommodations.
Sable Island West End (8): 1980s (station established 1872). Inactive since 2004. 26 m (85 ft) skeletal tower; the lower 2/3 is pyramidal and the upper 1/3 is cylindrical and carries large rectangular red and white daymarks. No lantern. The tower displays flashing red lights at each corner of the square gallery at the top. The west end of the island retreats rapidly eastward, causing the light station to be relocated in 1882, 1888, 1916, 1940, 1951, 1971, and 1980. The 1916 tower was a pyramidal skeletal with central cylinder, a design common in the U.S. but quite rare in Canada. The present tower is almost identical to the 1940-1971 tower. The light was deactivated in July 2004; given the rapid erosion in the area, it must be considered endangered. Watch List. Accessible only by boat or airplane. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS SAB-002; Notmar 665; Admiralty H3586; NGA 9568.
Sable Island East End (3): 1975 (station established 1873). Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white flash every 10 s. 18 m (59 ft) square cylindrical steel-wood tower with aluminum siding. Tower painted white with a red vertical stripe on each face; lantern painted red. From 1935 to 1975 this station also had a pyramidal skeletal tower with central cylinder. Accessible only by boat or airplane. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS SAB-001; Notmar 666; Admiralty H3584; NGA 9572.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Battery Point (1864-?), Lunenburg Harbour. ARLHS CAN-1381.
Budget (1905-), Indian Harbour. ARLHS CAN-1382.
Croucher Island (1882-?), St. Margaret's Bay. ARLHS CAN-898.
Devils' Island West (1852-1950), Halifax Harbour. ARLHS CAN-1197.
Dover (1892-?), near Peggy's Cove. ARLHS CAN-1384.
Gunning Point Island (1913-?), Lunenburg Harbour. ARLHS CAN-218.
Hobson Island (1872-?), Mahone Bay. ARLHS CAN-1219.
Jeddore Harbour Range Front and Rear (1901-?), Jeddore Harbour. ARLHS CAN-1223-24.
Ketch Harbour (1905-1962), Atlantic coast. ARLHS CAN-1332.
McNab's Island (1903-1976), Halifax Harbour. ARLHS CAN-1280.
Northeast Harbour Range Front and Rear (1899-?) Northeast Harbour. ARLHS CAN-1231-32.
Redman Head (1909-1988), Little Liscomb Harbour. ARLHS CAN-1236.
St. Esprit Island (?-?), Atlantic coast. ARLHS CAN-754.

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