Geography
Grand Manan is specifically located at coordinates 44.42N and 66.48W or right beside White Head Island. The island rests in the midwestern end of the Bay of Fundy, a body of water between the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, and home to some of the strongest tides in the world. Located 32 kilometres south of Blacks Harbour, the point on mainland closest to the island is in Washington County, Maine, near the town of Lubec - the easternmost point of the continental United States, where the distance to the island measures 15 km (9.3 mi) across the Grand Manan Channel. Grand Manan is 34 km (21 mi) long and has a maximum width of 18 km (11 mi) with an area of 137 km² (53 miles²).
The vast majority of Grand Manan residents live on the eastern side of the island. Due to limited access, three-hundred-foot cliffs and high winds, the western side of the island is not residentially developed, although it does feature wind-power ventures and camps at Dark Harbour, a small dulsing community and get-away destination for islanders. Grand Manan has a network of trails for all-terrain vehicles, hiking, mountain biking, nature walks, and presents a challenging landscape for jogging. There are a number of fresh-water ponds, lakes and beaches that are prime locations for sun-bathing, beach combing, and picnics. Other interesting finds on Grand Manan are magnetic sand, and “The Hole-In-The Wall” located in Whale Cove in the village of North Head. Anchorage Provincial Park can be found on the island's southeastern coast between the communities of Grand Harbour and Seal Cove.
White Head Island, Gull Rock, Machias Seal Island and North Rock are part of the larger Grand Manan archipelago; the latter two are approximately 15 kilometres southwest of Grand Manan Island. Both Machias Seal Island and North Rock are claimed by both Canada and the United States. For administrative purposes, they form the most southerly part of New Brunswick. Machias Seal Island also houses the province's last remaining staffed lighthouse. The light has been in continuous operation since 1832; the post of lighthousekeeper was withdrawn for cost-saving reasons in the 1990s, but soon reinstated to provide a human demonstration of national sovereignty. Research is conducted on the island by the Atlantic Cooperative Wildlife Ecology Research Network at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton.
Read more about this topic: Grand Manan Island
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