Oak Island Tours
11:06 am | 5 Comments » |Friends of Oak Island preparing the island for this weekends tours
PRESS RELEASE
Friends of Oak Island Society
6 Oak Island Drive, Box 136, Oak Island
Western Shore, NS, B0J 3M0
July 27, 2010
OAK ISLAND OPENS TO THE PUBLIC
On July 31 and August 1, 2010, Oak Island in Western Shore, Nova Scotia will be open to the public.
The Friends of Oak Island Society have been working towards allowing public access to the island on specific dates for guided tours of Oak Island to help raise awareness of it’s history and to encourage tourism to the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Support from the owners/partners of Oak Island and securing the necessary insurance has lead to the following available dates for tours..
July 31- 2:30 pm & 6:00 pm
August 1- 10 am, 2pm & 6 pm.
Admission is just $5.00 and children under 5 free. Walking shoes, bottled water and fly repellant are recommended.
The guided walking tours will enable visitors to view the island and find out more about it’s history. From the Money Pit to Borehole 10x to the beauty of the island itself, it is a great opportunity for those who have read about the island to finally set foot on it..
If this weekend is successful the Friends of Oak Island Society will work towards further Oak Island Tours later in the year.
“It is a thrilling time for the society. We feel this is a very positive step which we achieved so quickly. We hope to continue to work with the islands owners/partners, local business and tourism associations to enable Oak Island Tours to take place regularly in the future….”
Carolyn Ekins, Chairperson
Friends of Oak Island Society
http://www.friendsofoakisland.com
carolyn.ekins@friendsofoakisland.com
CLICK ABOVE FOR FULL SIZE PRINTABLE POSTER
QUESTIONS- How do we pay and get to the island? Do we buy tickets in advance or is there a restriction on how many on each tour?
We have insurance for up to 500 on each tour so you will be safe as houses getting on which ever tour you like..
Oak Island is accessible by road and you should turn up 15 minutes before the tour is due to start. You pay the $5 per person at the causeway over to the island (where one of the Friends of Oak Island volunteers will be there to collect money and guide you)
There is a parking space for visitors.
The tour is a walking one around the island.
Best way to get to the island is to take the coast road from Chester or Mahone Bay…
5 Comments »
June 21, 2010
Friends of Oak Island Society- 1st Public Meeting
6:19 pm | No Comments » |Hi all
The Friends of Oak Island Society had an encouraging and successful first meeting at Western Shore on Sunday June 13.
It was a time for the founding directors of the society to introduce themselves to those in attendance and for the society to discuss topics such as our mission, memberships, plans and goals..
Having only just recently started to offer memberships to FOIS (Friends of Oak Island Society) it was felt that the interest by the community and local business was good and now was time to build on the foundations that had been laid..
FOIS will be involved in the Mahone Bay Regatta this year. Charles Barkhouse (spokesman for FOIS) and Paul Wroclawski will be talking about the History of Oak Island at the Mahone Bay Centre during the regatta. Using power point and images Charles will give a short talk on the traditional History of Oak Island and Paul will share his alternative findings. In addition those who attend will be able to watch a video interview with Dan Blankenship- Madison’s school project!
The Mahone Bay Regatta featuring PIRATE DAYS is sure to be a great fit with the new society. The Regatta weekend is Pirate themed and will see extensive pirate activity, skits, re-enactments, pirate camps in town, pirate costume event, pirates ball, pirate workshops and more… ARRRRR
The MOST EXCITING NEWS OF ALL is that discussions are underway to offer island tours that weekend. FOIS have had encouragement from Destination Bluenose Coast and many supporters to make this a reality and we are all working hard to secure insurance and make this happen…. keep checking back for news!
Carolyn Ekins
Chairperson- Friends of Oak Island Society
carolyn.ekins@friendsofoakisland.com
http://www.friendsofoakisland.com
PS Please e-mail me if you have any thoughts or suggestions- we’d love to hear them!
No Comments »
June 11, 2010
C’mon out to Turtle Day on June 12 – hikes, free BBQ, in celebration of Blanding’s turtles!
10:10 am | No Comments » |
Photo by Jeffie McNeil
PRESS RELEASE – Embargoed until June 12, 2010
Saving Turtles One Property at a Time
Today the Nova Scotia Nature Trust is celebrating the acquisition and protection of two ecologically important properties that are home to the endangered Blanding’s turtle.
The properties acquired by Nature Trust are both in the Pleasant River area, near Kejimkujik National Park and Historic Site, and contain crucial Blanding’s habitat, giving the species a place to live and thrive. The Pleasant River area has the highest concentration of the Blanding’s turtles in Nova Scotia, which emphasizes the importance and excitement of attaining these particular properties.
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are two of the main threats to the fragile population of the Blanding’s turtle. Human activities such as development and vehicle use are major contributors to the turtle habitat loss. There are currently less than 350 Blanding’s turtles left in Nova Scotia, and only two other provinces contain this endangered species. The permanent protection of their fragile habitat is crucial to ensure the future existence of the species. Their habitat includes freshwater wetlands, and gravelly beaches or roads on which their nesting occurs –both are found on the newly protected properties.
Cory Miller, a Board Member of the Nova Scotia Nature Trust stated, “We are thrilled to have acquired two more properties containing critical turtle habitat which we hope will decrease habitat fragmentation and increase their chance of survival. Through our work here in Nova Scotia, the Nature Trust is making a significant difference to the survival of the endangered Blanding’s turtle for Canada.”
One of the properties announced as protected today, the Pleasant River Woodland, is a 17 acre property that lines a portion of Pleasant River. It is the third Blanding’s turtle property protected by the Nature Trust. Near this property community volunteers have set up turtle nest cages over turtle nests to protect them from predation.
The other newly protected property, the Keddy Brook Conservation Lands, also contain important habitat for Blanding’s turtles. Its forest, streams, and rocky outcrops provide the different kinds of habitat that turtles need throughout the year. Conservation of these properties will protect some of the very best habitat for the few remaining Blanding’s turtles in the province.
By working in partnership with private land owners, many important habitats of species at risk can be preserved and precious lands can be protected forever with land trusts such as the Nova Scotia Nature Trust.
The Nature Trust is celebrating the new land acquisition during a Turtle Day Event, taking place today in Pleasant River. The event will include guided nature walks, a barbeque, and the opportunity to join guardians in their search for turtle nests later on in the evening. Participants will learn the importance of land stewardship but will also spend a fun-filled afternoon outside immersed in nature. This exciting event is a great way people to come out and enjoy a day of fun and learning.
The land acquisition and protection was made possible with major financial support by Government of Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program for Species-at-Risk, the Nova Scotia Crown Share Land Legacy Trust and the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
For Broadcast Use:
Saving Turtles One Property at a Time
Today, the Nova Scotia Nature Trust is celebrating the acquisition and protection of two ecologically important properties that are home to the endangered species of Blanding’s Turtle.
The two properties contain critical habitat for the turtle, including forests, streams, and rocky outcrops. They are located in the community of Pleasant River, in southwestern Nova Scotia. Their protection was made possible due in part to the support of local volunteers and partners.
There are currently less than 350 Blanding’s turtles in Nova Scotia. The permanent protection of these lands will ensure preservation of their fragile habitat, which is crucial for their future existence.
The Nature Trust is celebrating the permanent protection of these two important properties during their Turtle Day event, taking place today in Pleasant River.
Media Contact:
Karen McKendry
Conservation Coordinator (Species at Risk)
Nova Scotia Nature Trust
Ph:(902) 406-3320
Cell: (902) 478-0837
karen@nsnt.ca
www.nsnt.ca
No Comments »
June 8, 2010
Reuse the News Event
1:27 pm | No Comments » |Lighthouse Media Group’s ‘Reuse the News’ event took place during ‘Relay for Life’ on Friday June 4, 2010.
The winner, Christmas Miracles made a purse and won $100 towards their team total for the relay.
Tina Hennigar
Lighthouse Media Group

No Comments »
May 17, 2010
Mahone Bay Civic Marina – Crane In
10:31 am | No Comments » |The boats went back in the water on Saturday, May 15 at the Mahone Bay Civic Marina
Here are some snap shots of the day…
Carolyn Ekins
Mahone Bay Wooden Boat Society
No Comments »
May 7, 2010
Mahone Bay Regatta meeting, May 6, 2010
12:34 pm | No Comments » |The Mahone Bay Regatta Committee meeting was held last night and the turnout was fantastic. Some of those attending had been with the committee at the inaugural meeting but the there were many new faces in the crowd. And in every case the enthusiasm for the regatta was amazing. If we maintain that level of commitment, the overwhelming success of the regatta is assured.
The reports from the various Coordinators were encouraging. There is much work being done and key details are being identified and actioned. The races, the workshops and of course the Pirate Days theme are all well underway. And other events are pending the commitment of more committee members…maybe you?? And we can always use the help of others.
If you are interested to work with one of the groups, please contact us at info@mahonebayregatta.ca
ARRRRR!!!!
Dave Devenne
Chairman
No Comments »
April 28, 2010
Down Town Halifax Photos
10:20 am | No Comments » |I took this picture on Saturday the 13th March 2010
It was a wonderful day of taking pictures of Down Town Halifax
From Christian Herridge
Mahone Bay
Nova Scotia
No Comments »
April 6, 2010
Mahone Bay Regatta (& pirate day) meeting
8:53 am | 1 Comment » |The 1st meeting of the Mahone Bay Regatta (& pirate day) took place on April 5, 2010 at the Mahone Bay Centre. A power point display was given by the Regatta Chairman- David Devenne and a discussion followed with ideas and support submitted by members of the community..
Website and full schedule coming soon however you can connect on Facebook to keep up to date http://www.mahonebayregatta.ca
Carolyn Ekins
Sponsorship Director
Mahone Bay Wooden Boat Society
1 Comment »
March 11, 2010
Fallen boats craned at Mahone Bay
12:30 pm | 1 Comment » |Following the recent stormed which caused three boats on the Government Wharf in Mahone Bay to topple, a crane came to help right the boats again.
Photos taken on Government Wharf by Christian Herridge, Mahone Bay, NS
1 Comment »
February 18, 2010
Lunenburg Academy raises money for Haiti
12:18 pm | No Comments » |
Photo: L to R in the picture are Agatha Quarrie, Sophia Keith, and Sebastian Haumering.
During the week of February 8-12, 2010, the students of Lunenburg Academy accepted the Newcombville Elementary School challenge to raise $1.00 from each student for the relief effort in Haiti. The Academy surpassed the population of our school, but it was the grade 1 class which collected the greatest amount. Congratulations.
No Comments »


















