Tourists visiting the Saint John area Wednesday were within a stone's throw of one of the most historic islands in Eastern Canada, but they aren't allowed to actually step foot on the island.

Partridge Island is off limits, but a new effort is underway to offer public access to the site that has been closed for decades.

The Kanehann family sailed into Saint John this morning on their cruise ship, just off the tip of Partridge Island.

The Kanehanns are Irish descendents from Boston. They spent their morning taking a walking tour of historic Saint John, which included a stop at the Three Sisters Irish Famine monument. However, their wish to visit the gravesites of hundreds of Irish immigrants on Partridge Island couldn't be granted.

"There is no real difference in my mind between Partridge Island and Ellis Island," says tourist Bill Kanehann, referring to the island off Manhattan which once served as the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. "It is something that people should have the ability to go and see."

This year, many Carnival Cruise vacations are originating in Boston and heading for the Maritimes. With a large Irish population situated in Beantown, tour operators say the island could be a huge draw.

"There would definitely be a demand for tours," says tour company owner Beth Kelly Hatt. "We've got a ship here from Boston, another one from New York. They have ancestors who have come through here. Yes, there would be interest and we'd love to see it developed."

The Saint John Waterfront Development says if there was public access to Partridge Island, over 100,000 people a year would visit, and not only cruise ship passengers. The island would also attract genealogical and history buffs from all over North America.

Supporters say the rugged breakwater to the island needs to be made pedestrian friendly.

"It's a $5-million project; $2-million to refurbish the breakwater up to the standard we would like, and $3-million to construct walkways and interpretive signs all around the island," says Kent MacIntyre of the Saint John Waterfront Development Corporation.

The Waterfront Development group believes that with so many Canadians having Irish roots, a corporate fundraising campaign will be successful.

Until then, the island will remain a national historic site that no one can visit.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Mike Cameron