For many sailors, this sandy island hidden by waves, storms and fog meant death and destruction. Since 1583 there have been over 350 recorded shipwrecks on Sable Island. The map shows locations of known wrecks. For a larger file please see http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/sableisland/english_en/history_hi/graveyard_gr/Shipwreck_Map.htm .
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Sable Island Preservation Trust
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
The Alfios shipwreck in the background.
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Sable Island Preservation Trust
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
Some dream of treasure from Sable's wrecks, but Sable is a destroyer of dreams. Little remains of the ships that wrecked there. These things once belonged to people like us. What do you have in your pockets today?
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Sable Island Preservation Trust
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
Greek freighter Alfios went aground on April 24, 1946.
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Sable Island Preservation Trust
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
New Brunswick barque Nicosia, on a voyage from Dublin, Ireland to Saint John, ran aground in thick fog on July 30, 1894. She was a total loss, but all of her crew were saved.
Canadian Heritage Information Network
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
British barque Crofton Hall, on a voyage from Dundee, Scotland to New York, stranded 3 miles from the east spit in thick fog on April 17, 1898. All aboard were saved, some with breeches buoy.
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Sable Island Preservation Trust
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
Part of the figurehead from the barque Lota, wrecked on Sable in 1915. All of the crew were saved.
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Sable Island Preservation Trust
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
Nameboard salvaged from an American schooner wrecked in 1864. All the crew were saved.
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Sable Island Preservation Trust
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
British steamer Skidby, bound for Baltimore with bunker coal, ran aground on January 31, 1905. Her 26 crewmen walked ashore at low tide.
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Sable Island Preservation Trust
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
American fishing schooner Esperanto foundered a mile southwest of Sable Island on May 30, 1921. All her crew were saved.
Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
Sable Island Preservation Trust
© Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History 2001. All Rights Reserved
Learning Objectives
The learner will:- Identify some of the shipwrecks that happened around Sable Island
- Recognize that Sable Island has been a site where many ships have been wrecked, and identify reasons for that