Five Islands, Nova Scotia

Five Islands is a rural community in Colchester County Nova Scotia with a population of 300 located on the north shore of the Minas Basin, home of the biggest tides in the world. The islands form an exposed part of the North Mountain Basalt.

It is named, logically, after five small islands - Moose, Diamond, Long, Egg, and Pinnacle - located just off the coast.

Native Mi'kmaq legend has it that the Five Islands were created when their god Glooscap threw the mud, sticks and stones at the giant beaver who dammed his medicene garden in Advocate. The mud, sticks and stones that formed the islands are said to have trapped the beaver and turned him into gold. Its said that he can still be found today.

Five Islands had a lighthouse in operation from 1914 to 1999. It was moved several times due to erosion. The lighthouse has been preserved by a community group and may be visited in the summer at a local campground. And home to three campgrounds "Bay Gardens", "Sandpoint" and "Five Islands Provincal Park".

Jobs

The main sources of income in Five Islands are blueberies, clams, the Clam Factory and fishing.

Long Island

In 2003 Long Island was purchased by Dick Lemon who wanted to build on its top, 200 feet above the sea bed, a retreat for artists, writers, musicians and academics. [Graham, Janna "The Truro Daily News", June 6, 2007 [http://www.trurodaily.com/index.cfm?sid=39888&sc=68 Not since Moses?] ] The cliffs prohibited access except by a rope assisted scramble up a muddy draw. The sea, being in the Bay of Fundy’s tide reach, is 30 to 50 feet deep at high tide and empty at low tide, so access to the island is limited each day to a four hour window, namely the high tide during daylight. When the tide is low, people on Long Island can walk or run on the sea bed for miles. Taking advantage of the extreme tides, Lemon in 2007 began a charity event called Not Since Moses, a 5K and 10K run from Long and Moose Islands through the sea bed to shore. [ [http://www.notsincemoses.com Race Website] ] . Meanwhile beginning in 2004, local workers began creating a retreat on Long Island.A helicopter carried heavy equipment including a tent for workers to live in during the construction (since they could not practically travel daily to and from the island). Then, to begin, locals hung from the cliffs and pounded in supports for 194 steps rising from the sea to the island’s top. A lift was designed by Dennis Ross, the project manager, who had retired as a corrections officer at the nearby prison in Springhill. The locally built lift ultimately hauled 25 tons of gravel, about 40,000 board feet of lumber, and another 20 tons of furniture and furnishings and all else needed for a three bedroom two bath main house plus four sleeping cabins. [ [http://milderweather.blogspot.com/2007/08/island-part-i.html Travel Blog] ] These include a miniature lighthouse, a cabin built in the shape of a river boat edged over a cliff, a perch cabin on a promontory and a caretakers cabin. Ross oversaw the construction, the drilling with a specialty rig of two wells and the installation of a solar and generator power system for the main house which enjoys all the comforts of a modern home including full kitchen. The retreat is used May through October by users such as the Nova Scotia College of Arts and Design, Ships Company Theatre, St. Mary’s University and various groups which have included private tourists.

Diamond Island

It is called Diamond Islands because sailers found the translucent (see through) rock, quartz on it which they thought were Diamonds.

Pinnacle Island

"Pinnacle" is a French term for arrow head.Its called Pinnacle Island because of its tall "arrow head" shapes on it.

External links

* [http://www.fiveislandsretreat.com Five Islands Retreat, on Long Island]
* [http://www.destination-ns.com/common/map/Map.asp?PlaceID=503&KmsWide=5&Layer=All Destination: Nova Scotia with a map of the Five Islands area]
* [http://www.lhdigest.com/database/uniquelighthouse.cfm?value=1008 Lighthouse Depot online with a photograph and information on Five Islands lighthouse]
* [http://earthnet-geonet.ca/vft/ns/fiveislands/intro_e.php Geology and Virtual Field Trip of Five Islands Provincial Park]

References