Cascumpec Bay
Encyclopedia
Cascumpec Bay is within Prince Edward Island
in Canada
and is adjacent to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
.
along its eastern side but is protected from gulf by a series of sandy barrier islands. Most of the protection is provided by the Cascumpec Sand Hills, a single long barrier island given its name because of its extensive sand dunes. Several estuaries are located along the landward sides of the bay, including the Kildare River, Mill River, Foxely River and Trout River. The lands at the south end of the bay east of the Foxely River are almost entirely composed of peat
and are known locally as the Black Banks. Apart from the Black Banks, the Sand Hills, and most other islands, the rest of the land surrounding the bay is largely devoted to intensive agriculture.
Alberton Harbour is a northern lobe of Cascumpec Bay, separated from the main body of the bay by Oultons Island. Alberton Harbour has its own passage into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence between the north end of the Sand Hills and the south extreme of Kildare Point, a sand spit that directs the Kildare River into the harbour instead of into the gulf. The passage made Alberton Harbour an attractive shelter during the age of sailing and encouraged local seafaring settlements. On the west side of Alberton Harbour opposite the passage is the town of Alberton
with about 1100 residents. Also on the harbour is Northport, a fishing village to the south of Alberton with about 250 residents. These are the only two incorporated settlements near Cascumpec Bay.
name "Kaskamkek", which means "bold sandy shore". In the 18th century, the name mutated slightly to the French name "Cachecampec", and then to the English adaptation "Kascumpeck". Since then, the pronunciation has changed very little, but the current spelling was settled only in 1966.
. Of particular interest are its use for migration staging by large numbers of migrating Canada Geese, and as nesting habitat for Great Blue Heron
and Osprey
. Also, the Cascumpec Sand Hills sometimes host nests of Piping Plover
and colonies of Common Tern
.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
in Canada
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...
and is adjacent to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world's largest estuary, is the outlet of North America's Great Lakes via the Saint Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean...
.
Description
Cascumpec Bay is located where Prince Edward Island's north shore at its northwestern extreme turns northeasterly to become the east shore of the island's Northeast Peninsula. The bay covers an area of approximately 40 square kilometres (15.4 sq mi) and is relatively shallow. Cascumpec Bay fronts the Gulf of Saint LawrenceGulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world's largest estuary, is the outlet of North America's Great Lakes via the Saint Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean...
along its eastern side but is protected from gulf by a series of sandy barrier islands. Most of the protection is provided by the Cascumpec Sand Hills, a single long barrier island given its name because of its extensive sand dunes. Several estuaries are located along the landward sides of the bay, including the Kildare River, Mill River, Foxely River and Trout River. The lands at the south end of the bay east of the Foxely River are almost entirely composed of peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
and are known locally as the Black Banks. Apart from the Black Banks, the Sand Hills, and most other islands, the rest of the land surrounding the bay is largely devoted to intensive agriculture.
Alberton Harbour is a northern lobe of Cascumpec Bay, separated from the main body of the bay by Oultons Island. Alberton Harbour has its own passage into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence between the north end of the Sand Hills and the south extreme of Kildare Point, a sand spit that directs the Kildare River into the harbour instead of into the gulf. The passage made Alberton Harbour an attractive shelter during the age of sailing and encouraged local seafaring settlements. On the west side of Alberton Harbour opposite the passage is the town of Alberton
Alberton, Prince Edward Island
Alberton is a Canadian town located in the western part of Prince County, Prince Edward Island. It is situated in the township of Lot 5....
with about 1100 residents. Also on the harbour is Northport, a fishing village to the south of Alberton with about 250 residents. These are the only two incorporated settlements near Cascumpec Bay.
Name origin
The name Cascumpec originated as the Mi'kmaqMi'kmaq language
The Mi'kmaq language is an Eastern Algonquian language spoken by nearly 9,100 Mi'kmaq in Canada and the United States out of a total ethnic Mi'kmaq population of roughly 20,000. The word Mi'kmaq is a plural word meaning 'my friends' ; the adjectival form is Míkmaw...
name "Kaskamkek", which means "bold sandy shore". In the 18th century, the name mutated slightly to the French name "Cachecampec", and then to the English adaptation "Kascumpeck". Since then, the pronunciation has changed very little, but the current spelling was settled only in 1966.
Bird habitat
Cascumpec Bay ecosystem is identified by Nature Canada as an Important Bird AreaImportant Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
. Of particular interest are its use for migration staging by large numbers of migrating Canada Geese, and as nesting habitat for Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
and Osprey
Osprey
The Osprey , sometimes known as the sea hawk or fish eagle, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than in length and across the wings...
. Also, the Cascumpec Sand Hills sometimes host nests of Piping Plover
Piping Plover
The Piping Plover is a small sand-colored, sparrow-sized shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange legs, a black band across the forehead from eye to eye, and a black ring around the neck...
and colonies of Common Tern
Common Tern
The Common Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, breeding in temperate and sub-Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and east and central North America. It is strongly migratory, wintering in coastal tropical and subtropical regions. It is sometimes...
.