Chedabucto Bay facts for kids
Chedabucto Bay is a large bay located on the eastern coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. It sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the Strait of Canso. The bay is near Guysborough County. You can find the community of Canso at its entrance. The community of Guysborough is at the head of the bay. The town of Mulgrave is at the other end.
Contents
Geography
Chedabucto Bay was formed a very long time ago. It was once part of an old river system that became flooded. The bay's shape and where it is located are due to the Chedabucto Fault. This is a large crack in the Earth's crust. It runs across central Nova Scotia. It stretches from the Bay of Fundy to the Canso peninsula.
History
Early History
In the past, French merchants from La Rochelle, France had special rights to fish in Acadia. They created a group called the Company of Acadia. This company built a small fort on Chedabucto Bay. It was called Fort St. Louis.
Chedabucto was an important fishing area. About fifty fishers worked there in 1686. In 1690, Captain Cyprian Southack came to Chedabucto. He wanted to take over Fort St. Louis. This fort was located near what is now Guysborough. Unlike other places, Fort St. Louis fought back before giving up. The Company of Acadia faced many challenges. It eventually closed down in 1702.
Modern Times
On February 4, 1970, a large ship called the Arrow had an accident. This tanker ship was from Liberia. It hit Cerberus Rock and broke into two pieces. The ship was carrying 108,000 barrels of Bunker C fuel.
A lot of oil spilled into the bay. It covered the water and about 190 miles (306 km) of the shoreline. This was a big problem for the environment. However, people worked hard to clean up the oil. Nature also helped to clean the bay over time.
Today, the sunken ship has become a good thing for local wildlife. It provides a safe place for many sea creatures. It also offers a home for different kinds of aquatic plants.
