Mackenzie Head
Mackenzie Head is a small head (north east of Powells Head) extending on the shores of the Northumberland Strait in the community of Chance Harbour.
Pictou County Atlas
Terrain Features: Point
A point in geographic terms is a relatively small extension of land into a body of water. Unlike capes or headlands, which are large and regionally significant, or heads, which are rugged promontories, points are often low lying or modest rocky outcrops. They are also more frequently named in local mapping traditions because they often serve as practical reference markers for fishermen, sailors, and coastal communities.
In Pictou County, places such as Black Point, Merigomish Point, and Roger Point on Pictou Island illustrate how these terrain features punctuate the shoreline, defining the entrances to coves and influencing tidal currents.
From a mapping perspective, points are carefully recorded on maps and nautical charts. These maps capture not only the outline of the coast but also associated terrain features such as tidal flats, reefs, and sandbars that often accompany points. For instance, a point may shelter a small beach or mark the edge of a reef system, making it important for navigation and resource use.
Points in Pictou County are modest but vital terrain features. They mark local navigation routes, shape the character of coves and harbours, and are preserved in detailed mapping systems that connect physical geography with cultural history. Together with capes and headlands, they form a layered coastal landscape that has guided settlement, fishing, and cartography for centuries
Note: Not all Terrain Features have official place names. Even there are many points located throughout Pictou County, very few have names included in the Canadian Geographic Names Database., if you know of some with local names that we have missed, then we encourage you to share that information with us so we can add the info to the atlas.
Terrain Features Sub Categories: Beach, Cape, Head, Hill, Island (Islet), Mount (Mountain), Patch, Point, Reef (Rocks / Shoal), Spit, Valley, Vegetation
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Some official place names in the Pictou County Atlas related to Points include:
Powells Head
Powells Head is a small head (south west of Mackenzie Head) extending on the shores of the Northumberland Strait in the community of Chance Harbour. It was formerly known as Powell Point until a name change in 1974.
Patterson Point
Patterson Point is located on the west bank of the West River in the community of Lyons Brook.
Roaring Bull Point
Roaring Bull Point is a small outcrop extending out into the Northumberland Strait off of just off the coast of Sinclairs Island.
Pine Point
Pine Point is a small piece of land that protrudes out into the East River of Pictou in the community of Pictou Landing.
Sams Point
Sams Point is located east of Roddys Point in the community of Caribou River. It is one of several small headlands and points forming part of the gently curving shoreline typical of the Northumberland Strait in Pictou County.
Knoydart Point
Knoydart Point is a small coastal headland found on the shores of the Northumberland Strait just off of the Sunrise Trail (NS‑245) in community of Knoydart .
Indian Cross Point
Indian Cross Point is an officially recognized small cape on the east bank of the inner estuary where the East River of Pictou widens before entering Pictou Harbour in the community of Pictou Landing. It lies just south of Grattos Cove and forms a small but distinct projection into the river’s inner estuary.