:''There is also a
Saint Paul Island in the Indian Ocean, and
one in Alaska.
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Saint Paul Island (Nova Scotia)
'St. Paul Island' (
AST) is a small uninhabited island located approximately 24 kilometres (15 miles) northeast of
Cape North on
Cape Breton Island and 71 kilometres (44 miles) southwest of
Cape Ray on
Newfoundland; it is along the boundary between the
Gulf of St. Lawrence and the
Cabot Strait.
An extension of the
Appalachian Mountains and the
Cape Breton Highlands, the highest point on St. Paul Island is 147 metres (485 feet) upon “Croggan Mountain.â€
St. Paul Island is formed of
granite and is extremely rugged with its shores being completely encircled by rockface cliffs. It is split by a narrow channel that fills with sea water. There are no land animals on the island, although it is inhabited by numerous
seabirds. Its ecosystem is considered fragile and due to the danger posed by visiting the island, visits must be cleared with the
Canadian Coast Guard (the island’s owner) beforehand.
The island is nicknamed the “Graveyard of the Gulf†(of St. Lawrence) as it is
fog-bound throughout much of the
navigation season and posed a significant hazard during the age of sail. Although it may have seen use by the
Mi’kmaq Nation, it is believed to have been discovered by
John Cabot.
With the
light station now automated using
solar power, the island sees few visitors, aside from
Canadian Coast Guard helicopters on maintenance trips. The island used to host a
Marconi wireless station and it still sees occasional
amateur radio operators who use the
callsign prefix CY9. Other visitors include
birdwatchers and
SCUBA divers.
External link
★
http://www.stpaulisland.net