Beached on Sable Island, Artifacts with Missing Stories

Occasionally odd and interesting manmade items have washed ashore on Sable Island. The origin and/or purpose of most can be identified, but some are puzzling, such as miniature boats and wooden barrels.

Image above: A miniature wooden boat washed ashore on the south beach, one of the intriguing artifacts found on Sable Island’s shoreline during the past few decades.

The origin and intended use of most beached items can be identified, but some are puzzling. Five of these are described below and will likely be recognized by some persons visiting this page. We would appreciate any information regarding the origin and/or use of the items: miniature boats, backpacks and barrels. What are their stories?

Beached Item #1

This small wooden boat, about 20 cm long, was found on Sable Island in summer 2005. The brass plaque (secured with Robertson screws) on the stern deck indicates that the boat originated in Québec as part of a festival, Fêtes du Québec Maritime. Although the website noted on the plaque was accessed, no information regarding boat #7637 was available. Who launched wooden boat #7637? Where and when was it put into the water?

Beached Item #2

A couple of ‘homemade’ backpacks or duffel bags (?) washed ashore a few kilometres apart. Each was made of a woven polypropylene ‘feed’ bag (marked as having a 25 kg capacity), with red fabric shoulder straps and what appeared to be closure straps (blue) at the neck of the bag. However each bag had been tightly closed with a single black plastic cable tie. Stitching (a two thread wrapped edge overlock stitch) around the edges of the bags was used to fashion loops at each lower corner. The backpacks were about 70 cm long and 30 cm wide. Both bags were empty.

Beached Item #3

A well-crafted and detailed miniature rowboat, about 70 cm long, was found on the south beach. A plastic moose was secured with string to one of the thwarts. A fuzz of algae was attached to the inside and outside of the boat, and also on the moose, making it look shaggy and bedraggled. A piece of metal, perhaps a stabilizing weight, was screwed down just behind the last thwart and under the moose’s hind feet.

Beached Item #4

Found on the north beach in 2011, a barrel with some finely crafted wooden attachments, some of which were broken. A sheet of translucent white plastic was fixed (with Robertson screws) over a squarish hole in one side of the barrel. String and duct tape were wound and tacked around both ends. The barrel was punctured and empty.

Beached Item #5

Found on the north beach in 2002, another wooden barrel, but with six metal barrel hoops and a heavy steel keel-like attachment (more Robertson screws). The broken stump inserted in the side opposite the keel was likely the remains of a pole that might have supported a sail, flagging, or marker of some kind.

Zoe Lucas
Sable Island Institute, April 2019

3 Comments

Mic Tersmeden April 04, 2019

Thanks! Is quite wonderful – these washed ashore finds. I live right by a beach, in South Sweden, and I see things washed ashore – but not things as awesome as this.

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Pat Routhier April 05, 2019

These items are amazing.

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Robert Bériault December 15, 2019

It’s amazing, the variety of objects that get lost to the sea.

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The Beginning of a Memorable Partnership – Bob Dykes, 2017

In 1971, Bob Dykes flew to Sable Island to meet Henry James and his research team conducting behavioural studies of the island’s Harbour Seal population. Bob worked with the crew as they collected data on seals who were crossing the wide and featureless Sandy Plain, and spent lively evenings in the Aframe (a field camp constructed by the James Gang) discussing data and theories of animal navigation.

David Millar, 1967-1969

In May 1967, David Millar, fresh out of training in Toronto and Ottawa, arrived at his first posting, Sable Island. Outside of work at the weather station, David took an interest in the island’s environment and spent a lot of time walking and exploring, and developed two hobbies which he still enjoys – bird watching and photography. During his two summers, David occasionally assisted Dalhousie University’s Ian McLaren and his students in their studies of the Ipswich Sparrow.

Full Circle

In December 1963, Gordon LeBlanc began a one-year posting on Sable Island as a meteorological technician with MSC’s aerology program. The work was largely routine, with twice-daily launches of the upper air balloon and making detailed observations and measurements around the clock. On work days, there was little time to explore the island, so on a day off, station personnel might pack a sandwich and go for a long walk, or in the spring and summer ride their dependable horses, Rawin and Trigger.

Merlin MacAulay 1955-1956

In May 1955, after completing the 16-week course at the Upper Air Training School in Toronto, and then serving a few months in Sept-Îles, Quebec, Merlin MacAulay travelled to Sable Island on the government ship Lady Laurier to work as an upper air technician for the MSC. During Merlin’s stay, Fred Davis and a National Film Board of Canada crew visited to made a short documentary about Sable Island.

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A Sable Island Institute fundraising raffle for seats on a helicopter day-trip to Sable Island in early October 2023.

Now, it is about so much more – Lauren Hughes, February 2023

As we walked the network of horse trails… I was captivated by beetles, spiders, and the tiny sweat bee – newly recognizing the critical role that all of these creatures play in the island’s ecosystem.