McMaster Island

McMaster Island (also called Macs Island) is located in the Bay of Fundy between Pendleton Island and L'etete. The northern side of the island is silurian rock.[4] It is the largest of the 40 isles in the eastern archipelago off Deer Island, New Brunswick, Canada.[2]

The island has been identified as one of those written about in the 1604 writings of Samuel Champlain and Sieur de Monts.[5]

It is frequented by dolphins and seals.[2]

The island has been identified as one of those written about in the 1604 writings of Samuel Champlain and Sieur de Monts.[5]

There has been interest in conservation efforts to secure the Ship's Cove inlet on the eastern shore of the island which is used as safe anchorage, and for picnickers and sightseers.[6][2] Proposals for a tidal power station have proposed a dam between the mainland and McMaster Island, 500 metres long[7] and further from Macs Island to Jameson Island onward to New Ireland, Pendleton Island, English Island and Deer Island.[7]

With one of the few saltwater ponds in the archipelago, it houses stickleback and mummichog fish, as well as birds such as kingfishers and herons.[2] Shell middens on the island suggest familiarity to indigenous tribes.[8]

It was originally owned by the family of Daniel McMaster and his three brothers.[9] In 1829, James S. MacMaster transferred ownership of McMaster Island and Hardwood Island to Charlotte MacMaster, through his partner Mr. Allanshaw. [10] The island, as well as Cochrane's Island, was listed for public auction in 1916.[11]

In 1938, Raymond Greenlaw was hired to work on the power lines from McMaster Island to Pendleton Island to Deer Island, and he spent the next four decades largely operating as Deer Island's only representative of NB Power.[12] He recounted the time a power line had gone down on Pendleton Island falling on three grazing cows "cooking them on the spot".[12]

In December 1985, a study by Parks Canada assessed the island's value as $241,500.[5]

  • 1914 chart of McMaster Island
    1914 chart of McMaster Island
  • 1916 auction notice
    1916 auction notice

References

  1. ^ United States Coast Pilot: Atlantic Coast. Eastport to Cape Cod, Volume 1, 1960, pg50 and elsewhere
  2. ^ a b c d e Buzeta, M-I.; Singh, R.; Young-Lai, S. (2003). "Identification of Significant Marine and Coastal Areas in the Bay of Fundy" (PDF). Canadian Manuscript Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2635.
  3. ^ "Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy Sailing Directions" (PDF). publications.gc.ca.
  4. ^ Bailey, LW. "The Geological Features of the St Croix River and Pasasmaquoddy Bay", 1915, https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/f14-026
  5. ^ a b c Parks Canada, "West Isles Feasibility Study....a National Marine Park in the West Isles", December 1985
  6. ^ "Saving Special Places: Protected Areas and the Bay of Fundy". www.bofep.org. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  7. ^ a b "INVESTIGATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PASSAMAQUODDY TIDAL POWER PROJECT REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL JOINT COMMISSION DOCKET 72 INVESTIGATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL PASSAMAQUODDY ENGINEERING AND FISHERIES BOARDS" (PDF). www.ijc.org.
  8. ^ Buzeta, M-I.; Singh, R. (December 2008). "Identification of Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas in the Bay of Fundy, Gulf of Maine Areas identified for review, and assessment of the Quoddy Region" (PDF). Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2788. 1.
  9. ^ Craven, Paul. "Petty Justice", pg 77 and elsewhere
  10. ^ "Early History of St. Andrews Extract from Paper by M. N. Cockburn, KC Part Four Feb 28, 1907". www.davidsullivan.ca. Retrieved 2025-04-29.
  11. ^ The Beacon : Vol. XXVII, No. 47 (May 20, 1916)
  12. ^ a b The Quoddy Tides 11 Dec 1970, :Dateline: Deer Island", Stirling Lambert