St. Paul Island (Nova Scotia)

Saint Paul Iceland (French Île Saint -Paul, Saint -Paul- ger also island ) is a small, uninhabited Canadian island located about 24 kilometers northeast of Cape North ( on the Cape Breton Island ) and 71 kilometers southwest of Cape Ray is ( on the island of Newfoundland). This is roughly the area where the St. Lawrence Gulf adjacent to the Cabot Strait. Administratively, the St. Paul Island is part of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia and at the same time also forms the northernmost territory of this province.

Geology

The island lies on the continuation of the Appalachian Mountains and the Cape Breton Highlands. The highest point on the St. Paul Island is 147 meters, the summit of Croggan Mountain. The St. Paul Island consists of granite and its highly indented coastline is consistently lined with rocky cliffs. A narrow, filled with sea water channel separates from the northernmost part of the island from the main island.

Fauna

Larger land animals are not available on the island, but it is populated by numerous seabirds. Its ecosystem is considered highly sensitive and because of the hazards associated with an island visit, must each enter the island in advance with the Canadian Coast Guard - which owns the island is - are matched.

History

The island is also known as the Graveyard of the Gulf (meaning here the St. Lawrence Gulf), as it is generally in mist during the navigable season and therefore represented a significant danger during the sailing age. Most likely, the island was also visited by the Mi'kmaq Indians, but apart from oral traditions exist for any verifiable evidence. As far as known, the island was first discovered in 1497 by the standing in the English service Italians John Cabot.

Presence

Since then, the beacon of the island was now automated with the help of the use of solar energy, it is only relatively rarely visited. Only the Canadian Coast Guard helicopter to land still regularly for maintenance on it. On the island there used to be a Marconi radio station and occasionally report also still radio amateurs with the valid for the St. Paul Island callsign prefix CY9. More visitors to the island are bird watchers and scuba divers.