Cape Bonavista
Encyclopedia
Cape Bonavista is a headland
located on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
.
It is located at the northeastern tip of the Bonavista Peninsula
, which separates Trinity Bay
to the south from Bonavista Bay
to the north.
The nearby town of Bonavista
takes its name from this historic landmark.
The lighthouse
on Cape Bonavista was built in 1843
John Cabot
may have landed there on June 24, 1497 (or at another time in the 15th century), although other locations make the same claim.
Headlands and bays
Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...
located on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
.
It is located at the northeastern tip of the Bonavista Peninsula
Bonavista Peninsula
The Bonavista Peninsula is a large peninsula on the east coast of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
, which separates Trinity Bay
Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador
Trinity Bay is a large bay on the northeastern coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.Major fishing communities include Trinity and Heart's Content.-Industry:...
to the south from Bonavista Bay
Bonavista Bay
Bonavista Bay is a large bay located on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It opens directly onto the Atlantic Ocean....
to the north.
The nearby town of Bonavista
Bonavista, Newfoundland and Labrador
Bonavista is a town on the Bonavista Peninsula, Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Unlike many Newfoundland coastal settlements, Bonavista was built on an open plain, not in a steep cove, and thus had room to expand to its current area of 31.5 square...
takes its name from this historic landmark.
The lighthouse
Cape Bonavista Light
Cape Bonavista Light is a lighthouse located on Cape Bonavista, Newfoundland. It was built between 1841 and 1843 to mark the entrances to Bonavista and Trinity Bays and to aid mariners headed for Labrador. It is the fourth oldest lighthouse in Newfoundland. The two-story wooden building is built...
on Cape Bonavista was built in 1843
John Cabot
John Cabot
John Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer whose 1497 discovery of parts of North America is commonly held to have been the first European encounter with the continent of North America since the Norse Vikings in the eleventh century...
may have landed there on June 24, 1497 (or at another time in the 15th century), although other locations make the same claim.