Merigomish Harbor’s rich mapping history reflects its importance as both a fishing hub and a sheltered harbour. Comparing this historical chart with current digital nautical charts can reveal how coastal processes and human structures have reshaped the harbor over the past century. The 1842 Merigomish Harbor Map drawn by Jos. S. Latimer depicts both coastal outlines and underwater topography, designed to assist mariners entering and navigating Merigomish Harbor.
Middle Ground is a shallow shoal area located in Merigomish Harbour south of Smashem Head on Big Merigomish Island . Boaters need to navigate through this area cautiously, especially at low tides.
Big Island, a small rural community in Pictou County, it is considered to be a barrier island system, formed of sand and gravel, with a mix of dunes, salt marshes, fertile farm land, and a long north-facing beach. Its natural causeway connects it to the mainland, though historically this was a tidal crossing before several man-made road improvements. This Big Island map was created by combining modified topographic data, community details, and a shaded relief model to depict terrain features.
Click here to Download the Big Island Map, or browse the map online.
Coal Point is located on the North shore of Big Merigomish Island . The name is reference to some small seams of coal that were found here.
Merigomish Point is located on Big Merigomish Island at the the mouth of Merigomish Harbour, adjacent Kings Head.
Savage Cove is a small, sheltered inlet along the south side of Big Merigomish Island, opening into the protected waters of Merigomish Harbour. Marked on modern topographic maps and noted in local geographic references, the cove lies close to Savage Point, another feature on the island’s southern shoreline.
Historical mapping, including the 1842 Merigomish Harbour map depicts this stretch of coast, showing how coves like Savage provided natural landing places for small vessels and sheltered access to the island’s interior.
Robinson Point is a low, sandy headland on the southern shore of Big Merigomish Island, that projects out into the sheltered waters of Merigomish Harbour. Identified on both modern topographic sheets (NTS 011E09) and historical charts such as the 1842 Merigomish Harbour map , the point has long served as a recognizable landmark for navigation within the harbour.
The point also helps form the western boundary of French Channel, the narrow passage separating Big Island from the Pig Islands, and thus occupies a strategic position in the harbour’s intricate system of coves and channels.
Robinson Cove is a small, sheltered inlet on the southern shore of Big Merigomish Island (often called Big Island, although that is actually the community name) in Pictou County.
Tucked into the complex shoreline of Merigomish Harbour, the cove lies near Robinson Point, a name that appears on 19th‑century maps and reflects the early presence of the Robinson family in the area. Historical charts, such as the 1842 Merigomish Harbour map, depict the cove as part of the navigational landscape of the harbour, offering a calm anchorage away from the open waters of the Northumberland Strait.