Sable Island Trivia Quiz

Answer: Mountains

There are beaches, fields, sand dunes and freshwater ponds to be found on Sable Island. Sable Island is a sand bar so there are no mountains on this island. Aside from the sand dunes, it is relatively flat. What is unique is that the waves, tides and the ocean currents actually change the width and the contour of the beaches all the time. You could say that Sable Island is ever changing.

The westerly winds influence the sand dunes also. Inland there are fields of heath and of grass.

Answer: Sable Island horses

The most popular creatures on Sable Island are the beautiful and wild Sable Island horses. Some people believe these horses came to dwell on the island, as shipwreck survivors. The horses of today are actually descendants of horses brought to the island in the later years of the 1700's.

There are between 200 and 350 horses roaming on Sable Island and they are all protected by the Sable Island Regulations. The waters of the Atlantic Ocean are far too chilly to accommodate any saltwater crocodiles which actually live in Southeast Asia and the Northern Territory of Australia.

There is no such thing as an Atlantic otter or a Sand penguin.

Answer: Atlantic

Sable Island lies in the Atlantic Ocean, somewhat southwest of the Laurentian Channel, and somewhat northeast of Georges Bank. The Grand Banks of Newfoundland lie to the east,covering a large area in the eastern part of the ocean, making Sable Island look like a very small speck. Sable Island was once much larger, but over the course of the past 15,000 years, erosion and storms, have reduced the size of the island through submersion.

The Atlantic winds constantly create new sand dunes on the island, which renews the life of this tiny piece of land.

Answer: Graveyard of the Atlantic

The "Graveyard of the Atlantic" is a grim title attached to Sable Island. The first documented shipwreck was that of Sir Humphrey Gilbert's flagship "Delight", in 1583. The number of shipwrecks off the shores of Sable Island is well over 350. There is much fog and poor weather surrounding the island which is the cause of so many shipwrecks. High winds, fog, and sandbars were the hazards that caused the demise of so many ships and the lost lives of so many people. With lighthouses, radars and much improved navigational techniques the occurrence of shipwrecks has been pretty well eliminated.

The last wreck was on July 27, 1999. The yacht 'Merrimac' was defeated by the island.

Answer: Thirteen

There are thirteen species of birds that make Sable Island their regular nesting area. These birds include Leach's Storm-petrel, mallard duck, black duck, northern pintail, red-breasted merganser, spotted sandpiper, least sandpiper, herring gull, great black-backed gull, common tern, Arctic tern, starling, and Ipswich sparrow. Once in a while the laughing gull, black-legged kittiwake and the catbird are seen there. Roseate terns and pemipalmated plovers have been seen nesting there, but it is not known if they still do, even though adults have been sighted as recently as 2006.

Answer: Scotian Shelf

The Scotian Shelf lies south of Nova Scotia. It is a 700 km area which is part of the Continental Shelf. To the northeast of the Scotian Shelf lies the Laurentian Channel. The Gulf of Maine lies to the southwest. The depth of the water here, averages 90 meters. In this area of the Atlantic Ocean, Sable Island is the only area above water that is not part of mainland Nova Scotia.

Answer: Tiny white violets

There are more than 175 different types of plants on Sable Island, with about 40 species that were introduced there. Few introduced species ever survive and if they do they are usually found where they are protected from the winds and the blowing sand.

The lovely tiny white violets are the first blooms of spring and the goldenrod is the last bloom to sleep when autumn comes. Some introduced species of flowers include daisies, thistles, clovers, dandelions and different grasses.

Answer: 50,000

Interestingly enough, pup counts are done by taking aerial photographs of the seals on shore after birthing takes place. In the 2003 to 2004 season, it was estimated that 50,000 pups were born. Photographs get taken and are viewed at 9x9 size. The areas of overlap are cleared and then the pups are marked and counted on a clear grid overlay.

This process takes several months. Counts done through the aerial pictures are compared with ground counts done by the DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) Science and Dalhousie field workers.

There is a lot more involved in the calculations of births and eventually the numbers are agreed upon and recorded.

Answer: A request for permission

To visit Sable Island you do have to request permission, in writing, from the Director of Marine Programs (Canadian Coast Guard). This request has to include the details concerning why you are visiting, how you will arrive (type of aircraft or sea vessel), how many people will be coming, including their full names and addresses, when you will arrive, when you will depart and any requirements you have for logistical support on the island.

Answer: All of these

The fog chemistry program examines the movement and what makes up the toxins that are carried through the atmosphere by the fog. Fog actually carries highly concentrated chemicals and air-borne toxins like mercury which can be carried for thousands of kilometers (miles). Other toxins include such things as heavy metals and organochlorines.