YANKEE COVE TO LOUSE HARBOUR
by Glen Cairns
The first such anchorage is Yankee Cove (also called Yankee Harbour) found opposite
Whitehead between Harbour Island and the mainland. There is a dinghy passage usable on the
high tide into The Basin if exploring is your thing. At one time there was a small community here
and some ruins can still be found in the bushes at the north end of the harbour. These days there is
an aquaculture operation at the north end of the harbour that restricts the anchorage somewhat,
but there is still plenty of room and you will not often have to share the space. The harbour is easy
to enter although you need to pay close attention in thick weather. Refer to the charts and the
Cruising Guide to the Nova Scotia Coast (Pilot Press) for details. Continuing east past Port Howe, itself a fine anchorage in settled weather, you can take Dover Passage. This channel runs inside of Dover Island
between Port Howe and Dover Bay. Once in Dover Bay you will find Louse Harbour on the
western side. Although the entrance to Louse Harbour looks tortuous on the chart, it is not
difficult in good visibility. The water is clear and a crewman on the bow is a great help. Once
inside there are several good anchorages and despite its name, Louse Harbour is one of the
nicest and most isolated on the coast. A hike ashore affords some excellent views of the 8,000
hectare, Canso Coastal Barrens Wilderness Area. This stretch of shoreline rewards exploring
in clear weather. However, in thick fog or strong southerly wind and swell it is best to
stand well offshore. The area is clearly described in Cruising the
Eastern Shore by Mike Cox, (now unfortunately out of print) and the Cruising Guide to the Nova
Scotia Coast available from Pilot Press and from The Binnacle in Halifax.