7:30 pm
Known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, Sable Island is 42 km long and only 1.5 km wide. It consists largely of sand and Marram grass, and it is home to wild horses, sea birds, seals, and a few staff from Parks Canada and Environment Canada.
Visiting the Island requires special permission, but that’s hardly the tricky part. With no runway to speak of, visitors going to and from the Island are at Mother Nature’s mercy, needing ocean winds and weather to cooperate in order to use the Island’s south beach for landings and take offs. The Station Manager on the Island needs to locate a suitable landing area on a section of beach, taking the wind direction and condition of the sand into account even before the flight leaves Halifax. Flooding and storms can render the beach unusable for landing and lead to travelers being stranded on the Island.
Debbie Brekelmans from Maritime Air Charters has been flying to Sable Island since the summer of 2006. Last November, she completed her 500th trip to the Island. During this evening lecture, Debbie will talk about the special issues involved in travelling to Sable and will give an overview of the Island, based on her personal research and experience.
For additional information:
Richard MacMichael
902-424-8897
macmicrs@gov.ns.ca