Sable Island

About Sable Island

Location:
Sable Island is located about 300 kilometres off the coast of Nova Scotia, at 44°N 60°W. The island is approximately 50 kilometres long and 3 kilometres wide. Because the island is largely a sand bar, its shape and size have shifted dramatically throughout its recorded history.

Historical Significance:
Since the time of the earliest European visitors to Nova Scotia, Sable Island has been the bane and saviour of sailors. The area around Sable Island is often referred to as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Many of the sailors wrecked on the island's shoals survived by swimming or floating to shore and awaiting rescue. The Sable Island Rescue Service existed for many years to aid those caught in Sable's treacherous waters.

The first recorded shipwreck off the Island occurred during a voyage in 1583. Sir Humphrey Gilbert led an expedition that lost a ship and many lives when poor planning and lack of patience brought a small fleet to Sable Island at night. This story was to be repeated time and time again throughout history as sailors and ships ended their days on the sands and rocks around Sable Island.