Seal Island (Nova Scotia)

Seal Island is an island on the outermost extreme of Southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada, in the Municipality of the District of Argyle in Yarmouth County. It is approximately 4.3km long and 0.8km wide and is surrounded on its east, south and west sides by dangerous shoals. It is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and is the biggest of a group of five islands which extend north for 12km. It is the second southernmost point of land of Nova Scotia. The southern tip of nearby Cape Sable Island is 250m farther south than the southern tip of land on Seal Island.HistoryDuring the American Revolution, Noah Stoddard's vessel the Scammell was commissioned in April 1782. Soon after, he rescued the 60 American prisoners on board H.M.S. Blonde, who were stranded on Seal Island after hitting Blonde Rock, Nova Scotia. Stoddard allowed the British crew to return to Halifax.The island was settled in 1823 by two families from the Barrington area, the Hitchens and the Crowells. They used the island as a fishing base and provided shelter to survivors of the many ships wrecked at the island and on nearby reefs. A campaign led by Mary Hitchens resulted in the construction of a lighthouse in 1831 which still stands, one of the oldest wooden lighthouses in Canada. Seal Island lightkeepers continued to rescue many shipwreck victims, most notably in 1843 when they saved all the crew and passengers of RMS Columbia, one of Samuel Cunard's first ocean liners.