Miscou Island
Encyclopedia
Miscou Island is a Canadian
island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the northeastern tip of Gloucester County
, New Brunswick
.
It is separated from neighbouring Lamèque Island
to the southwest by the Miscou Channel with both islands forming Miscou Harbour.
Lamèque Island and Miscou Island separate Chaleur Bay
from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
.
The Miscou Channel is bridged between the community of Little Shippegan on Lamèque Island
to the community of Miscou Harbour on Miscou Island by the 2000 metre Miscou Island Bridge which opened in 1996, replacing a cable ferry
.
Natives were allegedly frightened to go to the island due to their legendary GouGou monster which inhabited Miscou and which they feared greatly. The natives annually overcame their fear of the monster to set up seasonal hunting camps on the island.
The first permanent settler was John Campbell who emigrated from Wales around 1815. Soon after came Robert Harper, John Marks, Thomas Cowan and Andrew Wilson, the first 3 of which married Campbell's daughters. They were followed by fishermen from the Isle of Jersey and then Acadians who settled on arable lands.
The major industry is fishing
with the mainstay being lobster and herring. Unlike neighbouring areas the peat moss on the island has not been harvested and is left in its natural state. There are several boardwalks and information areas located on the peat moss and other interesting natural habitats on the island. They are informative and well worth visiting.
The island is also known for the Miscou Island Lighthouse, which was built in 1856 and is located at the northeastern tip of the island. In the summer it is open to the public for tours.
Miscou Island won a 2010 Phoenix award honouring conservation efforts in the North American tourism industry. It was described as "one of the single most beautiful spots in the world."
The island's sand dunes and lagoons host a variety of migratory birds, making the island a favourite location for birding and naturalists.
Miscou has recently become a favourite spot for kite-surfing.
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...
island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the northeastern tip of Gloucester County
Gloucester County, New Brunswick
Gloucester County is located in the northeastern corner of New Brunswick, Canada. Fishing, mining and forestry are the major industries in the county...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
.
It is separated from neighbouring Lamèque Island
Lamèque Island
Lamèque Island is a Canadian island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the northeastern tip of Gloucester County, New Brunswick.The island has an area measuring approximately 150 km². It is separated from mainland North America on the south by the Shippagan Gut with the island forming Lameque Bay,...
to the southwest by the Miscou Channel with both islands forming Miscou Harbour.
Lamèque Island and Miscou Island separate Chaleur Bay
Chaleur Bay
frame| Satellite image of Chaleur Bay . Chaleur Bay is the large bay opening to the east;the [[Gaspé Peninsula]] appears to the north and the [[Gulf of St...
from 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...
.
The Miscou Channel is bridged between the community of Little Shippegan on Lamèque Island
Lamèque Island
Lamèque Island is a Canadian island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the northeastern tip of Gloucester County, New Brunswick.The island has an area measuring approximately 150 km². It is separated from mainland North America on the south by the Shippagan Gut with the island forming Lameque Bay,...
to the community of Miscou Harbour on Miscou Island by the 2000 metre Miscou Island Bridge which opened in 1996, replacing a cable ferry
Cable ferry
A cable ferry is guided and in many cases propelled across a river or other larger body of water by cables connected to both shores. They are also called chain ferries, floating bridges, or punts....
.
History
The Miscou Island area was one of the first areas explored by Jaques Cartier in 1534 and was a fishing base for Basque fishermen in the same period. A Jesuit mission was established at Miscou Harbour in 1634. It was an important, although seasonal, port of commerce in its early years of European exploration of Canada.Natives were allegedly frightened to go to the island due to their legendary GouGou monster which inhabited Miscou and which they feared greatly. The natives annually overcame their fear of the monster to set up seasonal hunting camps on the island.
The first permanent settler was John Campbell who emigrated from Wales around 1815. Soon after came Robert Harper, John Marks, Thomas Cowan and Andrew Wilson, the first 3 of which married Campbell's daughters. They were followed by fishermen from the Isle of Jersey and then Acadians who settled on arable lands.
Community
Miscou has a population of approximately 650 full time residents. Most are french speaking but many are bilingual. A community center is located at Miscou Harbour.The major industry is fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
with the mainstay being lobster and herring. Unlike neighbouring areas the peat moss on the island has not been harvested and is left in its natural state. There are several boardwalks and information areas located on the peat moss and other interesting natural habitats on the island. They are informative and well worth visiting.
The island is also known for the Miscou Island Lighthouse, which was built in 1856 and is located at the northeastern tip of the island. In the summer it is open to the public for tours.
Miscou Island won a 2010 Phoenix award honouring conservation efforts in the North American tourism industry. It was described as "one of the single most beautiful spots in the world."
The island's sand dunes and lagoons host a variety of migratory birds, making the island a favourite location for birding and naturalists.
Miscou has recently become a favourite spot for kite-surfing.
See also
- Acadian PeninsulaAcadian PeninsulaThe Acadian Peninsula is situated in the northeastern corner of New Brunswick, Canada, encompassing portions of Gloucester and Northumberland Counties. It derives its name from the large Acadian population located there...
- Lamèque IslandLamèque IslandLamèque Island is a Canadian island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the northeastern tip of Gloucester County, New Brunswick.The island has an area measuring approximately 150 km². It is separated from mainland North America on the south by the Shippagan Gut with the island forming Lameque Bay,...
- Miscou Harbour, New Brunswick
- Shippagan, New BrunswickShippagan, New BrunswickShippagan is a Canadian town in Gloucester County, New Brunswick.Located in the northeastern part of the Acadian Peninsula, a combination bridge-causeway connects the town with Lamèque Island to the northeast. Approximately 99% of the town's residents are Francophone.The town was founded by the...