Saturday, July 19, 2025
Anchor dropped at 7:35am on the North shore. Total miles traveled 110. It was a half mile dingy ride to shore from TRANCE. By 8:30am we were on Sable Island. When we arrived, we were greeted by 2 parks employees. All the parks staff were super friendly.
Sable Island is a windswept crescent shaped sandbar, 26 miles long and 0.75 miles at the widest point. It is 160 nautical miles from mainland Nova Scotia in the North Atlantic Ocean. Graveyard of the Atlantic was a nickname for Sable Island. Since 1583 there have been more than 350 shipwrecks on the island.
When walking around the island we walked only on the paths through the marram grass created by the horses as to not disturb the vegetation. Marram grass covers 3/4 of the island.
There are numerous fresh water ponds formed by rain and snow. The precipitation seeps into the sandy soil, forming a freshwater reservoir. Saltwater is more dense than freshwater, allowing the freshwater to float above it.
Home to the Ipswich Sparrow, a subspecies of the Savannah Sparrow, nest nowhere else in the world.
The island is home to the largest breeding colony of Grey Seals. Tens of thousands arrive in the winter. Birds are also in abundance.
Wild horses roam freely, feeding primarily on the marram grass. Brought to the island in the 1700’s, they have developed into a distinct breed. They receive no veterinary services and live off the land.
Anchor up at 5:42pm quite an exhausting yet wonderful day!
Sailing Trance 
What a treat to be able to visit such a unique and unspoiled place that is being preserved!! Hope you will enjoy more of them. Love reading your blogs. Patty
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Dan I can believe you didn’t try to break and ride one of the wild horses.
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It truly was! It became protected in 2010 and a Reserve in 2013. Exxon had oil platforms near the island but they dismantled all of them and plugged the wells in 2017, everything was removed by 2020. Permission is required to go to the island, and there’s a fee of course.
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fascinating island! Who knew!?
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Indeed it was! I heard about the island on Good Morning America, they were talking about a book written about it.
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what a cool place to visit, the part of the Atlantic that the action in the book/movie ‘the perfect storm’ took place where the Tuna boat Andria Gail was lost.
the horses must be very hardy!
cheers warren
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Was a very cool place! Interesting about the Andrea Gail, we were also 500 miles from Titanic. The horses are eat a lot this time of year in preparation for winter.
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amazing trip…another adventure that I enjoy following!
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Thanks for following Beth!
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No People or Buildings?
How did the Park Employees find you?
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There were a few buildings where the parks people live while stationed there. We were told to anchor 43 56.510N, 60 00.560W radio them after 8am, they met us on the beach in their jeep. Only 6 parks employees were living there.
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