Chebucto Head is a Canadian headland on Nova Scotia 's Chebucto Peninsula located within the community of Duncan's Cove .
54-463: Chebucto Head forms the most easterly point on the peninsula and is used to define the southwestern limit of Halifax Harbour ; historically known to the Mi'kmaq Nation as "Jipugtug", (anglicised as "Chebucto") meaning "the biggest harbour", or simply, "the big harbour". A line drawn northeast from Chebucto Head to Pennant Point defines the southern geographic limit of the harbour. The actual legal limit of
108-469: A CA$ 400 million project which attempted to remediate the area, with limited success. The Mi'kmaq First Nation, long the occupants of this territory, called the harbour Kjipuktuk in their language. It was transliterated in English as "Chebucto". It runs in a northwest–southeast direction. Based on average vessel speeds, the harbour is strategically located approximately one hour's sailing time north of
162-426: A large base housing Maritime Forces Atlantic along the western side of The Narrows, as well as an ammunition depot on the northeastern shore of Bedford Basin, CFAD Bedford. There are strict security regulations relating to vessels navigating near Navy facilities and anchorages. There are two large suspension bridges crossing The Narrows: After Confederation in 1867, boosters of Halifax expected federal help to make
216-456: A preliminary hearing heard by Stipendiary Magistrate Richard A. McLeod , and bound over for trial. Mackey's lawyer Walter Joseph O'Hearn asked a Nova Scotia Supreme Court justice, Benjamin Russell to issue a writ of habeas corpus . Russell agreed there was no justification for the charges and released the prisoner on 15 March 1918. As the captain had been arrested on the same warrant, he too
270-450: Is noted for many shipwrecks both in the inner and outer harbour. A few ships were sunk at the edge of the harbour approaches during World War II by German U-boats but the vast majority were claimed by harbour accidents. Mapping of the harbour revealed about 45 shipwrecks in the harbour. Near the mouth of the harbour, over 50 magnetic anomalies have been discovered, most of which also represent shipwrecks with many others buried underneath
324-485: The Armdale Yacht Club . An adjacent residential community named itself after the cove. Although outside the defined harbour limits, Lawlor Island and Devils Island are also frequently included in descriptions of Halifax Harbour and the surrounding area. Halifax's official harbour limit for navigational purposes is delineated by a line running from Herring Cove on the west side of the main channel, to
378-528: The Bedford Basin near Bedford and Burnside . In the Northwest Arm is a small peninsula known as Deadman's Island , named for being the burial location of War of 1812 prisoners of war. Just 200 m west of Deadman's Island is the equally small Melville Island , which is connected to the mainland by road. Melville Island forms the eastern boundary of Melville Cove and is also the location of
432-547: The Canadian Hydrographic Service throughout the length of the harbour and beyond. The harbour includes the following geographic areas: The harbour is home to several small islands. The harbour limit is formed by the northern end of its largest island - McNabs Island . The largest island entirely within the harbour limits is Georges Island , a glacial drumlin similar to its dryland counterpart at Citadel Hill . Several small islands are located in
486-591: The Great Circle Route between the Eastern Seaboard and Europe . As such, it is the first inbound and last outbound port of call in eastern North America with transcontinental rail connections. The harbour is largely formed by a drowned glacial valley which succumbed to sea level rise since glaciation . The Sackville River now empties into the upper end of the harbour in Bedford Basin ; however, its original river bed has been charted by
540-602: The Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act , a campaign that was launched at the Chebucto Head lighthouse on March 11, 1999. The house was destroyed by a suspicious fire on March 25, 2004. The Chebucto Head Lighthouse Society, a group formed to try to save the lighthouse continues to work to keep the site preserved and open to the public. Chebucto Head was used by the CCG as the control centre for
594-524: The pilot station off Chebucto Head. Vessels wishing to transit The Narrows between the outer harbour and Bedford Basin must travel one at a time; this rule was established after the disastrous Halifax Explosion of December 6, 1917 when a collision between the French munitions ship Mont-Blanc and the Norwegian ship Imo destroyed part of Halifax and Dartmouth . The Royal Canadian Navy maintains
SECTION 10
#1732797452691648-617: The vessel traffic service or VTS that controlled vessel movements in Halifax Harbour until the 1980s when a new control centre was opened at Shannon Hill, above the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth . It continues as a Remote Aids to Navigation Station. Chebucto Head inspired the name of the large harbour tug Point Chebucto , built at Halifax Shipyard in 1992. During World War II , Halifax Harbour
702-472: The Commander Wyatt's grand jury hearing (19–20 March 1918) and trial (17 April 1918). The trial proceedings took less than a day and ended with an acquittal on both charges. In his autobiography, Russell reflected upon these particular proceedings. He stated: " Civium ardor prava jubentium gave me all that I could do in disposing of the cases with which I was bound to deal. One of these concerned
756-426: The French vessel's No. 1 hold on her starboard side. The collision occurred at 8:45 am. While the damage to Mont-Blanc was not severe, it toppled barrels that broke open and flooded the deck with benzol that quickly flowed into the hold. As Imo ' s engines kicked in, she quickly disengaged, which created sparks inside Mont-Blanc ' s hull. These ignited the vapours from the benzol. A fire started at
810-598: The Halifax Intermodal Terminal (HIT) adjacent to the Richmond Terminals. In addition to HPA facilities, the following users have port facilities: Halifax Harbour has long been polluted as a result of two centuries of direct raw sewage discharge into its waters. The harbour's deep water, tidal dispersal of surface wastes and a relatively small population of the city of Halifax resulted in the harbour's presenting few health concerns until
864-612: The ICR's own attempts to promote traffic to Halifax, most Canadian exporters sent their wares by train though Boston or Portland. Harbour promoters fought an uphill battle to finance the large-scale port facilities Halifax lacked, succeeding just before the First World War with the start of construction of the large docking facilities at Ocean Terminals in Halifax's South End . The war at last boosted Halifax's harbour into prominence on
918-621: The North Atlantic. The Halifax Port Authority is a federally appointed agency which administers and operates various port properties on the harbour. Previously run by the National Harbours Board, the HPA is now a locally run organization. HPA facilities include: All HPA facilities are serviced by CN. It provides on-dock daily train service to Montreal , Toronto , Detroit and Chicago . The railway also operates
972-413: The Norwegian ship's bows in a last-second bid to avoid a collision. The two ships were almost parallel to each other, when Imo suddenly sent out three signal blasts, indicating the ship was reversing its engines. The combination of the cargoless ship's height in the water and the transverse thrust of her right-hand propeller caused the ship's head to swing into Mont-Blanc . Imo ' s prow pushed into
1026-574: The a new concrete tower which still stands today. The house remained the keeper's dwelling until the light was destaffed in the 1990s. The house fell prey to repeated vandalism after the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) cancelled the lease of the tenants who lived in and looked after the house. The plight of the lighthouse helped to inspire the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society to push for
1080-535: The city's natural harbour Canada's official winter port and a gateway for trade with Europe. Halifax's advantages included its location just off the Great Circle route made it the closest to Europe of any mainland North American port. But the new Intercolonial Railway (ICR) took an indirect, southerly route for military and political reasons, and the national government made little effort to promote Halifax as Canada's winter port. Ignoring appeals to nationalism and
1134-524: The collision. Mont-Blanc was completely blown to pieces, and the remains of her hull were launched nearly 300 metres (1,000 ft) into the air. Steel fragments from her hull and fittings landed all over Halifax and Dartmouth , some traveling over four kilometres. Today several large fragments, such as one of Mont-Blanc's guns, which landed 5.6 kilometres (3.5 miles) north of the blast site, and her anchor shank, which landed 3.2 kilometres (2 miles) south, are mounted where they landed as monuments to
SECTION 20
#17327974526911188-507: The crew survived, except for one sailor who may have died of blood loss after being hit by debris from the blast, 20-year-old gunner Yves Quequiner . Casualties included about 2,000 known dead and some 9,000 injured. More than 1,600 houses were destroyed by the explosion, with another 12,000 damaged. The explosion blew the Mont-Blanc into shrapnel, which may have injured many people in the blast zone; about 250 people lost an eye to either
1242-524: The explosion. Others are on display at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax which has a large collection of Mont-Blanc fragments; many were recovered from the homes of survivors. The wrecked remnants of one of Mont-Blanc' s lifeboats were found washed ashore at the foot of Morris Street on 26 December 1917. Name boards from the boat were salvaged and collected by Harry Piers of
1296-408: The ferry traffic between Halifax and Dartmouth and other small boats in the area. He first spotted the outbound SS Imo when she was about 1.21 kilometres (0.75 mi) away and became concerned as her path appeared to be heading towards his ship's starboard side, as if to cut him off his own course. Mackey gave a short blast of his ship's signal whistle to indicate that he had the right of way, but
1350-410: The harbour is located further inland to the north of this line. The first lighthouse at Chebucto Head was built in 1872 with a steam foghorn just below it. It was replaced by a second tower in 1928. This tower was demolished in 1940 and a new lighthouse and combined keeper's dwelling was built several hundred metres to the north to make way for a gun battery. In 1967 the light was moved from the house to
1404-617: The harbour, being one of the largest and deepest ice-free natural harbours in the world. Before Confederation it was one of the most important commercial ports on the Atlantic seaboard. In 1917, it was the site of the world's largest man-made accidental explosion, when the SS ; Mont-Blanc blew up in the Halifax Explosion on December 6. The harbour was formed by a drowned glacial valley which succumbed to sea level rise after glaciation . The Sackville River now empties into
1458-576: The harbour, which runs on the west side of McNabs Island. The west entrance point marking the beginning of the inner approach using this channel is located near Chebucto Head, approximately 12 kilometres (7 mi) south of the limit. Shallow draught vessels (less than 2.5 metres, 8.2 ft) may use the Eastern Passage, which runs on the east side of McNabs Island; however, continuous silting makes charted depths unreliable. Large vessels have compulsory pilotage, with harbour pilots boarding at
1512-484: The lack of jurisdiction from the outset of the proceedings. Four of the five justices, including Chief Justice Edward Robert Harris agreed. Justice Arthur Drysdale was the lone dissenter. Ultimately, Justice Russell's decision was final. The case, In re Mackey , was added as a citation to the Criminal Code of Canada beginning in 1919 under Section 262 entitled, Manslaughter defined . Russell also presided over
1566-602: The last Royal Canadian Navy warship lost to enemy action in World War II. 44°30′03″N 63°31′14″W / 44.50083°N 63.52056°W / 44.50083; -63.52056 Halifax Harbour Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia , Canada , located in the Halifax Regional Municipality . Halifax largely owes its existence to
1620-427: The late 20th century when sewage build-up caused the shut-down of all harbour beaches. The Harbour Solutions project, initiated in the year 2000, was the culmination of three decades of discussion and planning regarding how the urban area would solve the expensive problem of sewage treatment and disposal. The CA$ 400 million project was expected to be completed in late 2008 when the final of three new treatment plants
1674-418: The muddy sediments. All historic shipwrecks in Halifax Harbour are protected by Nova Scotia's Special Places Act which makes it illegal to remove artifacts without a permit. Noteworthy wrecks are listed chronologically (with sinking dates): 44°37′N 63°33′W / 44.617°N 63.550°W / 44.617; -63.550 ( Halifax Harbour ) SS Mont-Blanc SS Mont-Blanc
Chebucto Head - Misplaced Pages Continue
1728-474: The northern end of McNabs Island, then from McNabs Island across the Eastern Passage to the actual community of Eastern Passage on the east side of the island. The harbour is marked by an extensive network of buoys and lighthouses , starting with Sambro Island Lighthouse at the harbour approaches, the oldest operating lighthouse in North America . Deep draught vessels must use the main channel into
1782-472: The official in charge of the wiring across the mouth of the harbour. To suppose he had anything in the world to do with the disaster was an utterly lunatic notion. Yet my impression is that the Grand Jury insisted on finding a true bill and placing him on trial. When the bill reached me I got rid of it in the shortest and easiest way possible. It was simply nonsensical, and the fact a grand jury could find it
1836-403: The out-of-control fire aboard Mont-Blanc finally set off her highly explosive cargo, causing the Halifax Explosion . The ship was blown apart and a powerful blast wave radiated away from the explosion at more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) per second. A temperature of 5,000 °C (9,030 °F) and a pressure of thousands of atmospheres occurred at the centre of the explosion. All of
1890-412: The series of signals and, realizing that a collision was imminent, gathered to watch as Imo bore down on Mont-Blanc . Though both ships had cut their engines by this point, their momentum carried them right on top of each other at slow speed. Unable to ground his ship for fear of a shock that would set off his explosive cargo, Mackey ordered Mont-Blanc to steer hard to port (starboard helm) and crossed
1944-536: The ship ignited her cargo of wet and dry 2,300 tons of picric acid , 500 tons of TNT , and 10 tons of guncotton . The resultant Halifax Explosion killed approximately 2,000 people and injured about 9,000. Sir Raylton Dixon & Co built Mont-Blanc in Middlesbrough , England, for the Société Générale de Transport Maritime (SGTM). She was launched on 25 March 1899 and completed that June. She
1998-476: The ship's pilot Francis Mackey , and Commander F. Evan Wyatt , the Royal Canadian Navy's chief examining officer in charge of the harbour, gates and anti-submarine defences, for causing the collision. Drysdale agreed with Dominion Wreck Commissioner L.A. Demers ' opinion that "it was the Mont-Blanc' s responsibility alone to ensure that she avoided a collision at all costs" given her cargo; he
2052-698: The shrapnel or in-blown window glass shards, and 37 people were blinded. The blast was regarded as the largest man-made explosion disaster in history until Hiroshima . A judicial inquiry known as the Wreck Commissioner's Inquiry was formed to investigate the causes of the collision. Proceedings began at the Halifax Court House on 13 December 1917, presided over by Justice Arthur Drysdale . The inquiry's report of 4 February 1918 blamed Mont-Blanc ' s captain Aimé Le Médec ,
2106-472: The spectacular fire. The frantic crew of Mont-Blanc shouted from their two lifeboats to some of the other vessels that their ship was about to explode, but they could not be heard above the noise and confusion. As the lifeboats made their way across the harbour to the Dartmouth shore, the abandoned ship continued to drift and beached herself at Pier 6 near the foot of Richmond street. At 9:04:35 am,
2160-547: The submarine nets were raised. Ships carrying dangerous cargo were not allowed into the harbour before the war, but the risks posed by German submarines had resulted in a relaxation of regulations. Francis Mackey, an experienced harbour pilot, had boarded Mont-Blanc on the evening of 5 December; he had asked about "special protections" such as a guard ship given the steamer's cargo, but no protections were put in place. Mont-Blanc started moving at 7:30 am on 6 December, heading towards Bedford Basin. Mackey kept his eye on
2214-527: The upper end of the harbour in Bedford Basin . The harbour also includes the Northwest Arm and The Narrows, a constricted passage to Bedford Basin Halifax Harbour has been polluted as a result of two centuries of direct raw sewage discharge into its waters. Health concerns in the 1990s caused the shut-down of all harbour beaches. The Harbour Solutions project, initiated in the year 2000, was
Chebucto Head - Misplaced Pages Continue
2268-428: The water line and travelled quickly up the side of the ship as the benzol spewed out from crushed drums on Mont-Blanc ' s decks. The fire quickly became uncontrollable. Surrounded by thick black smoke, and fearing she would explode almost immediately, the captain ordered the crew to abandon ship. A growing number of Halifax citizens gathered on the street or stood at the windows of their homes or businesses to watch
2322-466: The water. Lifeguards are now providing supervision during regular hours through to Labour Day weekend. However repeated breakdowns in the new system have resulted in swimming bans being regularly re-imposed and periodic resumption of raw sewage discharge. From early 2009 on swimming was no longer allowed in the harbour because the plant flooded and stopped working. On the weekend of July 4, 2010 some beaches (like Black Rock Beach) reopened. Halifax Harbour
2376-514: Was a cargo steamship that was built in Middlesbrough , England in 1899 for a French shipping company. On Thursday morning, December 6, 1917, she entered Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada laden with a full cargo of highly volatile explosives. As she made her way through the Narrows towards Bedford Basin, she was involved in a collision with Imo , a Norwegian ship. A fire aboard
2430-646: Was a typical three-island style general cargo ship. SGTM registered her at Marseille . Her code letters were KHTN. Mont-Blanc was a tramp steamer . In 1906, a ship-owner called E Anquetil acquired her and registered her in Rouen . In 1915, she passed to another Rouen ship-owner called Gaston Petit. On 28 December 1915, the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT) acquired her, and registered her in Saint-Nazaire . She
2484-425: Was armed with three Elswick 6 in (150 mm) naval guns with associated searchlight, director tower , generators, a long-range optical rangefinder and by 1943 a radar artillery control unit. The battery was decommissioned in the early 1950s but many bunkers remain, now privately owned. On 16 April 1945, HMCS Esquimalt , a minesweeper , was torpedoed and sunk off Chebucto Head by U-190 , becoming
2538-538: Was chartered to carry a complete cargo of miscellaneous types of military explosives from New York to France in November 1917. Mont-Blanc was not an especially old vessel but was a relatively slow, common tramp steamer, typical of many wartime freighters. She left New York December 1 to join a convoy in Halifax, Nova Scotia . She arrived from New York late on 5 December, under the command of Aimé Le Medec. The vessel
2592-463: Was fully loaded with the explosives TNT , picric acid , and guncotton in the hold, with barrels on deck containing the high-octane fuel benzole , which itself consisted mainly of the highly volatile and easily ignited hydrocarbons benzene and toluene . She intended to join a slow convoy gathering in Bedford Basin readying to depart for Europe, but was too late to enter the harbour before
2646-576: Was given a written discharge though he had not spent any time in jail. There were many people who were most displeased with Russell's decision, including Attorney General Orlando Tiles Daniels . On 2 April, an attempt by prosecutor, Andrew Cluney , on behalf of the attorney general's office to overturn the decision in the Nova Scotia Supreme Court (in banco) failed for lack of jurisdiction (as did two subsequent bids to indict Mackey on 9 April and 2 October 1918). Mr. O'Hearn pointed out
2700-461: Was likely influenced by local opinion, which was strongly anti-French, as well as by the "street fighter" style of argumentation used by Imo lawyer Charles Burchell. According to Crown counsel W.A. Henry, this was "a great surprise to most people", who had expected the Imo to be blamed for being on the wrong side of the channel. All three men were charged with manslaughter and criminal negligence at
2754-434: Was met with two short blasts from Imo , indicating that the approaching vessel would not yield her position. The captain ordered Mont-Blanc to halt her engines and angle slightly to starboard, closer to the Dartmouth side of the Narrows. He let out another single blast of his whistle, hoping the other vessel would likewise move to starboard, but was again met with a double-blast in negation. Sailors on nearby ships heard
SECTION 50
#17327974526912808-666: Was opened. Testing of harbour waters in July 2008, with two of the three sewage treatment plants on-line, indicated that they are safe for swimming. Municipal public beaches at Black Rock Beach in Point Pleasant Park and at the Dingle Beach in Sir Sandford Fleming Park were officially re-opened on Saturday, August 2, 2008 (Natal Day weekend) after a 30-year closure due to sewage contamination in
2862-734: Was symptomatic of the condition of the common feeling." Drysdale also oversaw the first civil litigation trial, in which the owners of the two ships sought damages from each other. His decision (27 April 1918) found Mont-Blanc entirely at fault. Subsequent appeals to the Supreme Court of Canada (19 May 1919), and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London (22 March 1920), determined Mont-Blanc and Imo were equally to blame for navigational errors that led to
2916-450: Was the primary fast convoy departure and arrival point in eastern North America. The Royal Canadian Artillery operated a searchlight and coastal gun battery at Chebucto Head as part of "Fortress Halifax" as a means of providing an integrated defence for the port. The Chebucto Head battery was the key outer battery of the western side of harbour defending it from possible attacks by German U-boats or surface raiders. The fortified battery
#690309