{UAH} Bouctouche Dune | La dune de Bouctouche, Canada

unday, 8 February 2015

Bouctouche Dune | La dune de Bouctouche, Canada

Bouctouche, a Canadian town in Kent County, New Brunswick. The town is located at the mouth of the Bouctouche River on the coast of the Northumberland, Canada. Bouctouche Dune or Sandbar is connected to the mainland at a point roughly three-and-a-half miles north of Pointe à Jérôme and extends southeast for over seven miles, providing protection for the waters of Buctouche Bay. The southern tip of the sandbar lies about a mile off of Saint-Thomas-de-Kent, near where the Point Dixon Range Lights were established in 1881 to assist vessels in finding the entrance to the bay.

Image credit photo fiddler

La dune de Bouctouche was established by J. D. Irving, Limited to protect and restore the important sand dune that provides habitat for numerous shorebirds and other migratory birds. A two-kilometre-long boardwalk allows visitors to observe the flora and fauna found on the dune without impacting the sensitive ecosystem.  A footbridge built on the abutments of the old railroad bridge connects Le Pays de la Sagouine and Rotary Park from the opposite side of the Bouctouche River. Today, the dune can be shared by people who want to enjoy its special beauty. The boardwalk is wheelchair, accessible with ramps to the beach and inner bay, and as such, this earth-cache is wheelchair friendly. [source 1 2 3]

A lighthouse on the southern extremity of Buctouche sand bar was put in operation on October 10, 1902. The lighthouse is a square wooden building, surmounted by a square wooden lantern rising from the middle of the cottage roof. The building and lantern are painted white. The lighthouse is 35 feet high from its base to the ventilator on the lantern, and is located on land 4 feet above high water mark. The light is fixed white dioptric, elevated 38 feet above high water mark, and visible 11 miles from all points of approach by water. The work was done by Mr. G.W. Palmer, of Kars, whose contract price for the building was $1,289.In 1907, 375 feet of close pilework was put in place to protect the lighthouse from the encroaching sea, and the following year roughly 400 more feet of pilework were added and the boathouse was moved back to a safer position. [source]

Image credit kapercarl

Image credit Diane Bourque

Image credit Dean Mullin

Image credit DrWatts

Image credit smiller_rrc

Image credit Jean-Marie Muggianu

Image credit maikevdb

Image credit maikevdb

Image credit Peter Gadd

Aerial view of  Bouctouche Dune. Image credit Yvon Hache