Lighthouses of Canada: Western Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

The nation of Canada was created by the British North America Act in 1867 with Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia as the four original provinces. Nova Scotia is the province at the extreme southeastern corner of Canada. The southern and eastern parts of the province lie on a peninsula facing the Atlantic to the east and the Bay of Fundy to the west. To the north the peninsula is joined to the rest of Canada by an isthmus that separates the Bay of Fundy on the south from Northumberland Strait and the Gulf of St. Lawrence on the north. Cape Breton Island lies to the northeast, separated from the main part of the province by the narrow Strait of Canso. The island faces Northumberland Strait on the southwest, the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the northwest, Cabot Strait to the north, the open Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Strait of Canso and Chedabucto Bay to the south.

In the 17th century Nova Scotia was called Acadia as a part of New France, the French empire in North America. Britain conquered Acadia in 1710 during Queen Anne's War and established the Nova Scotia colony in the peninsula. Cape Breton Island continued as a French colony until it was also conquered by Britain in 1758 during the Seven Years War (1756-63).

Cape Breton Island is nearly divided north to south by the intricate waterways of the Bras d'Or Lake, actually a small, brackish inland sea. At the south the St. Peters Canal joins Bras d'Or Lake to the Atlantic, completing the separation of the island. This page includes the lighthouses of the eastern half of Cape Breton Island including Inverness and Victoria Counties. This also includes the lighthouses of Bras d'Or Lake.

Aids to navigation in Canada are maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard. In 2008, Parliament passed the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act to designate and protect historic lighthouses.

CCG numbers are from the Atlantic Coast volume of the List of Lights, Buoys, and Fog Signals of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from Volume H of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 110.

General Sources
Nova Scotia Lighthouse Preservation Society
This outstanding web site has a wealth of photos, information, and news.
Nova Scotia Canada Lighthouses
Excellent photos plus historical and visitor information from Kraig Anderson's LighthouseFriends.com web site.
Nova Scotia
Lighthouse photos from visits by C.W. Bash in 2008.
Lighthouses in Nova Scotia
Photos available from Wikimedia; included is a large collection of photos by Dennis Jarvis (several appear on this page).
Leuchttürme an der kanadischen Ostküste
Photos of Nova Scotia lighthouses taken in 2004 by Bernd Claußen.
World of Lighthouses - Canada Atlantic Coast
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Online List of Lights - Cape Breton Island - Gulf of St. Lawrence, North Coast, and East Coast
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. The East Coast page includes the lights of Bras d'Or Lake.
Lighthouses in Nova Scotia, Canada
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Leuchttürme Kanadas auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.
List of Lights, Buoys, and Fog Signals
Official light lists from the Canadian Coast Guard.
GPSNauticalCharts
Navigational chart information for Cape Breton Island.
Google Maps
Satellite view of Cape Breton Island.


Enragée Point Light, Chéticamp, May 2023
Google Maps photo by Cheryl Judkins


Caveau Point Range Rear
Light, Chéticamp, June 2022
Google Maps photo by Alain Quevillon

Inverness County Lighthouses

Great Bras d'Or Lake Lighthouse
Cameron Island
1903 (relocated here in 1977). Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); green flash every 4 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) square wood tower, painted white. Lantern removed in 1977. Trabas has a 2022 photo, Darin Guthro has a 2016 photo, Adam King has a 2025 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Originally the front light of the Clarke Cove Range, the lighthouse guides vessels through a narrow passage between Cameron Island and George Island to the village of Marble Mountain. Cameron is a small island in West Bay, the southwestern corner of Bras d'Or Lake. Located at the northeast end of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-069; CCG A-838; Admiralty H0832; NGA 9057.

West Coast (Gulf of St. Lawrence) Lighthouses
Henry Island
1902 (Joseph MacDonald). Active; focal plane 61 m (200 ft); white flash every 4 s. 16 m (53 ft) octagonal pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. The eight vertical faces are painted alternately red and white; the lantern is painted red. The original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house, recently restored, is used as a private summer residence. Darin Guthro's photo is at right, William Baker has a 2025 closeup, the NSLPS page has a photo, Trabas has a distant view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. In 2015 the preservation society won $20,000 in the National Trust Lighthouse Matters competition. Located on the west side of the island facing St. George's Bay. Site and tower generally closed (the island is privately owned), but tours to the island and lighthouse are available during the summer. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-227; CCG A-881; Admiralty H1222; NGA 8720.
*** Mabou Harbour (2)
1908 (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); continuous green light. 14 m (47 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Jarvis has a photo, Bash has a photo, Trabas has a 2006 photo, Glen Smith has a 2021 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Originally built as the rear light of a range; the front light was discontinued in 1987. Since 1998 the lighthouse serves as the Mabou Harbour Museum and Tourist Centre. The Coast Guard proposed to extinguish the light in 2001 but they were dissuaded by local protests. Located on the waterfront at Mabou Harbour. Site and tower open. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Mabou Harbour Authority. . ARLHS CAN-291; CCG A-876; Admiralty H1216.1; NGA 8748.
Margaree Island (Sea Wolf Island) (2)
1958 (station established 1854). Active; focal plane 91 m (298 ft); white flash every 4 s. 8 m (27 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. The NSLPS page has a photo, Patrick Michael has a 2024 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. The island, 4 km (2.5 mi) offshore in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is mostly ringed by sheer cliffs. Located at the highest point of the island. Accessible only by helicopter; there are no safe areas for landing a boat. Site and tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Environment and Climate Change Canada (Sea Wolf Island National Wildlife Area). ARLHS CAN-305; CCG A-874; Admiralty H1208; NGA 8760.

Henry Island Light, Henry Island, August 2017
Google Maps photo by Darin Guthro
* Margaree Harbour Range Front
1900. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous yellow light. 4.5 m (15 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line. A 2020 photo is at right, Jarvis' has a 2011 photo of both range lights, Bash has a 2008 photo, Trabas has a 2006 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view of both range lights. The Margaree Harbour Heritage Lighthouses Group works for the preservation of the two range lighthouses. In October 2017 DFO removed lead-contaminated soil from around the lighthouses, a necessary step before the lights can be transferred to the Lighthouses Group. In 2018 the Coast Guard worked to restore and repaint both lighthouses. The rotten shingles were removed and towers clad in plywood; the Lighthouses Group plans to install historically accurate shingles over the plywood after ownership is transferred. The two lighthouses received designation as Heritage Lighthouses in May 2019. Located off Margaree Harbour Shore Road. Site status uncertain, but the lighthouses can be seen from nearby. Tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-607; CCG A-872; Admiralty H1202; NGA 8764.
* Margaree Harbour Range Rear
1900. Active; focal plane 21 m (68 ft); continuous yellow light. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line. Jarvis has a photo of both range lights Bash has a 2008 photo, Trabas also has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant satellite view of both range lights. The Margaree Harbour Heritage Lighthouses Group works for the preservation of the two range lighthouses. Located off Margaree Harbour Shore Road. Site status uncertain, but the lighthouses can be seen from nearby. Tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-304; CCG A-873; Admiralty H1202.1; NGA 8768.

Range Front Light, Margaree Harbour, September 2020
Save the Margaree Harbour Lighthouses photo
* Enragée Point (Cape Enragée, Chéticamp) (2)
1957 (station established 1937). Active; focal plane 22.5 m (74 ft); three white flashes, separated by 4 s, every 24 s. 13 m (42 ft) octagonal concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). 1-1/2 story keeper's house and several utility buildings. A 2023 photo by Cheryl Judkins is at the top of this page, Jarvis has a photo, Trabas has Klaus Potschien's 2006 photo, Bash has a photo, Kevin Pollock has a good photo, Jean Boileau has a 2021 closeup, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Rene Babin has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in October 1956. The lighthouse received designation as a Heritage Lighthouse in August 2019. Note: There is also a Cape Enragé lighthouse in southern New Brunswick. Located on the northwest point of Chéticamp Island, which is connected to the mainland south of Chéticamp by a narrow bar. Accessible by a short hike across the island. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. . ARLHS CAN-170; CCG A-867; Admiralty H1188; NGA 8800.
* Chéticamp Harbour Range Front (2)
1894 (station established 1890). Inactive since 1986. 7 m (23 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern. The lighthouse was originally painted white with red trim, and the lantern was painted red. Chris Webb's 2024 photo is at right, P. Kramer has a 2003 photo showing this pattern. In 2005 the lighthouse was repainted in with red, white, and blue horizontal bands, as seen in a 2005 photo by Mark Luukkonen. Bash's 2008 photo shows another repainting, white with a blue lantern and a red lantern roof. Webb's photo at right, Nathalie D'Auteuil's 2018 photo, and Google's November 2022 street view show the red, white and blue pattern again. Google also has a satellite view. The lighthouse was relocated in 1914 and again in 1950 due to changes in the channel alignment. It was replaced until 2014 by a sector light (next entry). Located just off the waterfront in the center of Chéticamp. Site and tower open. Owner/site manager: Village of Chéticamp. . ARLHS CAN-135.
* [Chéticamp Harbour Sector]
1986. Inactive since 2014. 7.5 m (25 ft) round fiberglass tower colored white with a red band at the top. Anderson has a 2012 photo; Google has a 2022 street view and the light is centered in in Google's satellite view. Located at the Quai Matthieu parking area on the waterfront street about 335 m (0.21 mi) southwest of the historic lighthouse. Site and tower open. Owner/site manager: Village of Chéticamp. ex-Admiralty H1189; NGA 8798.

Chéticamp Harbour Light, Chéticamp, September 2024
Google Maps photo by Chris Webb
*[Caveau Point Range Front (3)]
1976(?) (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous red light. 6.5 m (21 ft) triangular skeletal mast carrying a long daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Trabas has a 2008 photo, Bash has a photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This is an approach range for Chéticamp, guiding vessels between the north end of Chéticamp Island and the Caveau Shoal. Located on a promontory about 800 m (1/2 mi) north of Chéticamp. Site and tower closed (private property). Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: private. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1314; CCG A-862; Admiralty H1182; NGA 8804.
* Caveau Point Range Rear (3)
Around 1990 (station established 1897). Active; focal plane 31 m (103 ft); continuous red light. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line; the lantern roof is also red. A photo by Alain Quevillon is at the top of this page, Bash has a 2008 photo, Trabas has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos misidentified as "Chéticamp Harbour Light," and Google has a 2022 street view and a satellite view. Jarvis's 2011 photo shows the lighthouse freshly repainted. In 1976 both the front range light and the rear light were moved to skeletal towers and the original lighthouses were demolished. Located on the north side of Chéticamp; visible from the Cabot Trail (highway 19). Site and tower closed (private property) but the lighthouse can be seen from the road. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-123; CCG A-863; Admiralty H1182.1; NGA 8808.
[Cape St. Lawrence (Phantom Point) (3)]
Date unknown (station established 1889). Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white light, 2 s on, 10 s off. 6.5 m (22 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower carrying a daymark colored red with a broad white horizontal band. Foundation ruins of the second (1952) lighthouse are behind the present tower. Trabas has a 2022 drone view, Hubert Trapp has a 2022 photo, Hermann Käser has a 2021 street view, and Bing has a satellite view. Located at the northwestern tip of Cape Breton Island, about 20 km (13 mi) west of Cape North. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CAN-1368; CCG A-860; Admiralty H0874; NGA 8832.

Victoria County Lighthouses

St. Paul Island Lighthouses
St. Paul Island is in Cabot Strait about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Cape North and about 70 km (45 mi) southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland. It is not inhabited and landing requires special permission from the Coast Guard.

#[St. Paul Island South Point (St. Paul Island Southwest (3) (?)]
1964 (station established 1831). Inactive since 2015 and since removed. 6 m (20 ft) cylindrical steel tower, painted white with a single red band at the top; no lantern. The 2-story wood hip-roofed keeper's house (1912) has collapsed. Wikimedia has a photo and Google has a satellite view of the station. The original wood lighthouse at this station burned in 1916. It was replaced by a cylindrical steel lighthouse, which was relocated first to the Coast Guard station in Dartmouth and more recently to Dingwall (see below). Lighthouse Digest has Duane Traver's excellent article on the history of the island and light station. Located at the southwestern tip of the island. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS STP-001; ex-CCG A-1477; ex-Admiralty H0876; ex-NGA 8852.
St. Paul Island North Point (2)
1962 (station established 1839). Inactive since 2015. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal concrete tower, with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Part of a distant 2024 photo is at right, the NSLPS page has a photo, Lighthouse Digest has Duane Traver's excellent article on the history of the island and light station, and Google has a satellite view. Clearly endangered; the May 2024 drone view at right shows the ruins of the station. This historic light station guarded the southern entrance to the Gulf of St. Lawrence from the Atlantic. Located on a rocky islet just off the northeastern end of the island. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS STP-002; ex-CCG A-1476; ex-Admiralty H0878; ex-NGA 8856.

North Point Light, St. Paul Island,May 2024
Google Maps photo by Doug

Cape North Area Lighthouses
Cape North (4)
2010 (station established 1876). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); white light, 2 s on, 6 s off. 14.5 m (48 ft) square skeletal tower; the tower carries a slatted daymark colored with red and white horizontal bands. Fog horn (6 s blast every 60 s). A 2014 street view is available, Andrew Ferguson has a 2020 photo, and Google has a satellite view of the station. This light replaced the third (1980) lighthouse, a square pyramidal tower attached to a 1-story service building. Marinas.com has good aerial photos of the former light, and Anderson has a photo of the former lighthouse toppled during the replacement. The second lighthouse here (1907-1980) was the 1856 cast iron tower relocated from Cape Race, Newfoundland; this lighthouse was relocated a second time in 1980 and is now on display at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. This light marks the northern extremity of Cape Breton Island but it is actually located on Money Point, 1.6 km (1 mi) south southeast of the point of the cape. The light station is accessible by 4WD from the Cabot Trail spur at Bay St. Lawrence, but the last few miles require hiking down a steep and rough trail. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-103; CCG A-854; Admiralty H0872; NGA 8848.
* St. Paul Island South Point (St. Paul Island Southwest) (2) (relocated to Dingwall)
1916. Inactive since 1964. 9 m (30 ft) cylindrical steel tower, painted white, with a lantern painted red. The abandoned tower was relocated in 1981 to the dockside parking lot of the Coast Guard station in Dartmouth. The original lantern had deteriorated beyond the possibility of salvage, so a replica was built to house the original 4th order Fresnel lens. The St. Paul Island Historical Society asked to move this lighthouse to a museum at Dingwall, the Cape Breton Island town closest to St. Paul Island. In October 2010 officials announced agreement on making the move. The lighthouse was disassembled and transported by flatbed truck to Dingwall, where it was reassembled in the summer of 2011. Katie Fougere's 2023 photo is at right, a 2024 photo is available, Jarvis has a 2011 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located adjacent to the St. Paul Island Museum, on the south side of Dingwall Harbour in Dingwall, about 20 km (13 mi) south of Cape North. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: St. Paul Lighthouse Society .

St. Paul Island South Point Light, Dingwall, July 2023
ex-Instagram photo by Katie Fougere
*** Neil's Harbour
1899. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); continuous white light. 13 m (43 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white; lantern is red. Jane Scott's 2022 photo is at right, Angelo DeVita has a 2019 closeup photo, Bash has a 2008 photo, Trabas has a 2008 photo, Wikimedia has a 2010 photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located at the end of Lighthouse Road in Neil's Harbour. Since 1998 the local fire department has operated an ice cream shop in the lighthouse during the summer months. The Neil’s Harbour New Haven Development Association is working for the preservation of this lighthouse. In 2015 the association won $10,000 in the National Trust Lighthouse Matters competition. Site open, tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Neil's Harbour Fire Department. . ARLHS CAN-339; CCG A-851; Admiralty H0866; NGA 8880.
Ingonish Island (2)
1954 (station established 1871). Inactive since 1987. Square 1-story wood building; the lantern, formerly centered on the roof, has been removed. 1-1/2 story keeper's house in very poor condition. A view from the sea is available and Google has a satellite view showing the keeper's house; the lighthouse building is 20 m to the north. Gravely endangered. The original lighthouse, a 1-1/2 story keeper's house with a square light tower rising "church"-style at one end, was demolished in 1954. The light station property was transferred to Parks Canada in 1974 but nothing has been done to preserve the structures. Located on an island 800 m (1/2 mi) off Ingonish. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Parks Canada (Cape Breton Highlands National Park). ARLHS CAN-1221.
[Ingonish Harbour (South Ingonish Harbour) (2?)]
Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); whote light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 5 m (17 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower described as carrying a daymark colored red with a broad white horizontal band. Bash has a photo, Trabas has a 2008 photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original Ingonish Harbour light station was on the south side of the entrance, but the modern light is on the north side. It was replaced in 1956 with a skeletal tower having an enclosed lower section. In 1983 the historic lighthouse was overturned and destroyed by a storm surge. The original light on the north side of the entrance was described as a mast with a shed at the base. South Ingonish Harbour is entered through a narrow break in a barrier beach. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. CCG A-847; Admiralty H0858.; NGA 8900.


Neil's Harbour Light, Neil's Harbour, December 2022
Instagram photo by Jane Scott


St. Ann's Bay Lighthouses
St. Ann's Bay is a narrow inlet, about 20 km (13 mi) long, at the eastern base of Cape Breton Island's northern peninsula.

Munroe Point
1906. Inactive since the early 1960s. 9.5 m (32 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white with red trim. The lantern has been replaced with a square wood room having ordinary windows. Anderson has a page for the lighthouse, Wikimedia has the closeup 2020 photo by Dennis Jarvis seen at the bottom of this page, a view from the sea is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse had been available for summer rental by the week but in 2008 its web page was withdrawn. After the lighthouse was sold in 2018 the new owners made it available for vacation rental through Airbnb. Located on a promontory on the west side of St. Ann's Bay. Site and tower oprn only to renters. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-1307.
#Ciboux Island (4)
1980 (station established 1863). Inactive since 2017 and later removed. This was a 9 m (30 ft) fiberglass tower, painted white with two horizontal red bands. NSLPS has a distant view by Kathy Brown and Google has a satellite view. Nova Scotia Archives has a 1937 photo of the original lighthouse, an octagonal wood tower with lantern and gallery. The second (1939) lighthouse was replaced by a skeletal tower in 1971. It appears that the 1980 light tower stood inside the foundation ruins of the 1939 lighthouse. Located at the northern end of the island off Cape Dauphin, whixh separates St. Ann's Bay from the Bras d'Or entrances. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-139; ex-CCG A-844; ex-Admiralty H0856; ex-NGA 8904.

Bras d'Or Lake West Side Lighthouses
* Kidston Island (Baddeck) (2)
1911 (station established 1875). Active (maintained by the village of Baddeck); focal plane 13.5 m (44 ft); green light, 2 s on, 10 s off. 14.5 m (47 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern is red. A 2022 photo is at right, Bash has a 2008 photo, Trabas has Klaus Potschien's 2006 photo, there's another good 2008 photo, Bill Orme has a 2019 closeup, Peter Graham has a view from the lake, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Ownership of the lighthouse was transferred to the village of Baddeck in 2005. The town carried out a restoration of the lighthouse in 2013-14. The original lighthouse, a similar but shorter tower, was not demolished until 1959. Located on the eastern end of the island at the entrance to Baddeck Harbour, St. Patrick's Channel. Accessible only by boat, but visible from the Baddeck waterfront. The local Lions Club operates a free ferry service to the island in July and August. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Village of Baddeck. . ARLHS CAN-261; CCG A-815; Admiralty H0800; NGA 8996.

Kidston Island Light, Baddeck, April 2022
Instagram photo by Baddeck Waterfront
Kidston Island West End
1976. Active (maintained by the village of Baddeck); focal plane 13.5 m (44 ft); red flash every 6 s. 10.5 m (35 ft) fiberglass tower, painted white with two horizontal red bands. Trabas has Klaus Potschien's 2006 photo and Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the west end of Kidston Island, marking the south entrance to Baddeck. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-862; CCG A-815.1; Admiralty H0801; NGA 9000.
*Gillis Point
1895. Inactive since 2011. 11 m (37 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. The tower is covered with white vinyl siding; the lantern is painted red. The 2-story wood keeper's house, formerly attached, was removed in 1978. The lighthouse is in poor condition in Anderson's photos but it looked better in Ken Ashland's 2011 photo. A 2025 photo by Claudia Ramirez is at right, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was granted National Heritage status in December 2017. Located at the entrance to Maskell's Harbour from Great Bras d'Or Lake. Accessible by a short walk from Washabuck Road, 8 km (5 mi) off NS 223. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Society for the Preservation of the Gillis Point Lighthouse. ARLHS CAN-201; ex-CCG A-832; ex-Admiralty H0812; ex-NGA 9044.
#Little Narrows (2)
1980 (station established 1881). Inactive since 2010 and removed in 2012. This was a 10 m (33 ft) fiberglass tower painted white with two horizontal red bands. Google has a satellite view of the location. In May 2013 Anderson found the tower lying on the ground and shortly thereafter it was removed. Little Narrows is a strait connecting the St. Patrick Channel to Whycocomagh Bay. Located on the east side of the strait about 800 m (1/2 mi) north of the Little Narrows ferry. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-280; ex-Admiralty H0804; ex-NGA 9036.

Grand Narrows Area Lighthouses
* [Derby Point (2?)]
Date unknown (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); red flash every 4 s. 7 m (23 ft) triangular skeletal tower with enclosed lower portion, carrying a daymark colored red with a white horizontal band. Trabas has a 2022 photo and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was a 12 m (38 ft) square wood tower. Located beside Derby Point Road on the east side of the southern entrance to the Grand Narrows (Barra Strait), the strait connecting the northern southern basins of the Great Bras d'Or Lakes. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1196; CCG A-835; Admiralty H0822; NGA 9056.


Gillis Point Light, Bras d'Or Lake, April 2025
ex-Google Maps photo by Claudia Ramirez


Great Bras d'Or Entrance (Boularderie Island) Lighthouses
* Man of War Point (2) (relocated)
1925 (station established 1912). Inactive since 1997. Approx. 7.5 m (25 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern removed 1971. In 2001 the lighthouse was dismantled and in two pieces; it was relocated 400 m (1/4 mi) inland and reassembled. Bash's 2008 photo showed the lighthouse to be in good condition. Google has an indistinct satellite view of the tower. The original lantern was removed in 1971; Lighthouse Digest has Bob Crawford's photo of the truncated tower. The present owners have added a replica lantern. Located in a forest off Man of War Point Road 400 m (1/4 mi) south of the point; the lighthouse is on private property next to an art gallery. The 26 hectare (65 acre) property including the lighthouse and art gallery was for sale for $895,000 in 2012. Site and tower closed but the lighthouse can be seen from the road. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-301.
* Man of War Point Range Rear
1976. Active; focal plane 28.5 m (94 ft); continuous yellow light. 20 m (66 ft) triangular cylindrical skeletal tower carrying a slatted daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Trabas has a 2008 photo, Anderson has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The front light is on a similar tower about half as tall. Located on the point, about 400 m (1/4 mi) north of the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. CCG A-809.8; Admiralty H0792.1; NGA 8982.
* McNeil Beach (Boularderie Island) (2)
1909 (station established 1884). Inactive 1955-1962 and since 1965. 10 m (33 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim; lantern roof is red. A 2024 photo is at right, Bash has a 2008 photo, Jordan Crowe has a 2010 closeup, Jarvis has a 2011 photo, NSLPS has a photo, Huelse has a postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a distant street view and a satellite view. Endangered: with rising sea levels the beach has eroded away bringing the water close to the lighthouse, and winter nor'easters force water into the bay. The light became redundant after the Seal Island Bridge (NS 105) was built across Great Bras d'Or Lake. Keilor Bentley purchased the lighthouse for $250 in 1965. In 1998 he deeded the lighthouse to Acadia University. Michel Forand visited the lighthouse in September 2005 and found it to be in very poor condition, but shortly thereafter it was restored with funds from the J.M. Kaplan Fund. Lacking any long-term use for the lighthouse, the university returned the deed to Bentley. Restoration efforts began in 2004, led by Dr. Ron Stewart for the Boularderie Island Historical Society. Bentley died in 2015, leaving the lighthouse to his daughter Jean Laing, who offered to donate the lighthouse to the Society. Located a few hundred meters southwest of the east end of the bridge; accessible by a hiking path. Site open (but note that the trail descends through private property), tower closed. Owner: Boularderie Island Historical Society (Boularderie Island Lighthouse Preservation Project). ARLHS CAN-295.

McNeil Beach Light, Boularderie Island, August 2024
Google Maps photo by Champ1964
Great Bras d'Or (Noir Point) Range Front
1903. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); continuous green light. 9.5 m (32 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line. Jarvis has a good photo, Trabas has Klaus Potschien's 2006 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is an entrance range for the Bras d'Or Lakes. Located at Noire Point at the end of Browns Lane, off Old Route Five in Great Bras d'Or. Site and tower closed (private property). Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-209; CCG A-803; Admiralty H0782; NGA 8932.
* Great Bras d'Or (Noir Point) Range Rear
1903. Active; focal plane 19 m (63 ft); continuous green light. 16 m (54 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line. Bash has a 2008 photo, Trabas has Klaus Potschien's 2006 photo, Jarvis has a more distant photo, Leah Luker has a 2022 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Richards Lane off Great Bras d'Or Ferry Road in Great Bras d'Or. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-606; CCG A-804; Admiralty H0782.1; NGA 8936.
* Black Rock Point (2) (relocated)
1937 (station established 1868). Inactive since 1978. 10.5 m (34 ft) square lantern centered on the roof of a 2-story wood keeper's house. Building painted white with red vertical stripes and red trim; lantern roof is red. Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was sold in 1979 and relocated as a private residence. Located on the north side of Penny Road, off Black Rock Road about 1 km (0.6 mi) southwest of the present lighthouse. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from the road. Owner/site manager: private (Island Lights Inc.). ARLHS CAN-1289.
* Black Rock Point (3)
1978 (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 23.5 m (77 ft); white light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 10.5 m (35 ft) square cylindrical wood tower with lantern and gallery attached to a 1-story fog signal building. Lighthouse painted white; lantern and gallery are red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). 50 m (165 ft) west of the lighthouse, the Black Rock Point Sector Light (continuous light, white, red or green depending on direction; CCG A-800; Admiralty H0779; NGA 8920) is mounted on a small skeletal tower. Jenny Chaisson has the 2022 photo at right, James Hosking has a 2020 photo, Jarvis has a 2011 photo, Bash has a 2008 photo, Trabas has a 2006 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Originally this light carried a rotating aerobeacon without a lantern; the lantern was added in 1987. The lighthouse was granted National Heritage status in December 2017. The light marks the east side of the northern entrance to the Great Bras d'Or Channel from St. Ann's Bay. Located on Black Rock Light Road 800 m (1/2 mi) from Black Point Road, off NS 105 at exit 14; accessible by a dirt road. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-043; CCG A-799; Admiralty H0778; NGA 8916.

1978 Black Rock Point Light, Black Rock, August 2022
Google Maps photo by Jenny Chaisson


Information available on lost lighthouses:

  • Chéticamp Harbour Range Rear (1890-1950), Chéticamp Harbour, Inverness. The front lighthouse survives (see above) but the range has been discontinued and the rear lighthouse was demolished. ARLHS CAN-1369.
  • Clarke Cove Range Rear (1903-1977), Great Bras d'Or Lake. The range was discontinued in 1977. The lighthouse was to be moved to a museum but it was destroyed when a helicopter dropped it in transit. The front light was moved to Cameron Island, where it survives (see above). ARLHS CAN-1193.
  • Grand Étang (1901-1951), northwest coast, Inverness. The lighthouse has been demolished. Trabas has photos of the post lights on the east and west breakwaters. ARLHS CAN-1216.
  • Iona (1901-1929), west side of Grand Narrows, Great Bras d'Or Lake. There is no longer a light at this location. ARLHS CAN-1222.
  • Mabou Harbour Range Front (1884-1987), west coast, Inverness. The original lighthouse was replaced by a skeletal tower after being damaged by a winter storm in 1964. The skeletal tower was removed in 1987. ARLHS CAN-1374.
  • McKenzie Point (1874-?), Baddeck area, Great Bras d'Or Lake. There is no longer a light at this location. ARLHS CAN-1229
  • Port Hood (1854-1938), west coast, Inverness. The lighthouse was not replaced after being destroyed by fire in 1938. ARLHS CAN-1209.
  • Red Islands (1895-1964), Great Bras d'Or Lake. There is no longer a light at this location. ARLHS CAN-1235.
  • St. Ann Harbour (1871-?), St. Ann Harbour, Victoria. There is no longer a light at this location. ARLHS CAN-1241.
 


Monroe Point Light, Baddeck, October 2020
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Dennis Jarvis

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Eastern Cape Breton Island | West: Northwestern Nova Scotia

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Posted June 2003. Checked and revised May 2, 2026. Lighthouses: 29. Site copyright 2026 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.