Nova Scotia man finds possible historic Killick anchor on beach
John Benoit of West Jeddore, N.S., says he has been beachcombing for over 50 years, but his most recent discovery is by far his most memorable.
“It’s one of the coolest things I've had the pleasure of finding,” said Benoit. “It’s not anything that I would have expected to find.”
Benoit was out for a walk on Cape St. Mary’s beach in western Nova Scotia when he noticed something unusual buried beneath the rocks.
“I kept digging and eventually I pulled out an anchor,” Benoit explained.
Standing almost four feet high and two feet across is what Benoit believes is a historic Killick anchor. The anchor is made entirely of wood and doesn’t contain any metal parts.
“It wasn’t far from the old wharf at Cape St. Mary, so it could have been buried there for hundreds of years,” said Benoit. “The possibility is definitely there.”
Roger Marsters, curator of marine history at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, says Killick anchors were commonly used in our waters from the mid-18th century up until the Second World War.
“Killicks are a very old form of anchor,” said Marsters. “They are the characteristic of inshore fishing communities, certainly in North America, but also around the world. They are basically an elaboration of the simplest anchor which is essentially a rock on a string.”
While reports of Killicks being found are rare, Marsters says it is possible for them to be preserved under the right conditions.
“If they’re on a beach and get covered up by sand and mud and are protected from the air, then the wood parts can be preserved for a very long time,” said Marsters.
Marsters encourages anyone who makes a discovery on the shore or in the intertidal zone to contact the museum to help with verification.
Whether ancient or not, Benoit hopes to share it with others and believes it may be of interest to a local museum in the region.
“I really think that it has some importance to Nova Scotia, to Clare, Cape St. Mary and Acadian history,” said Benoit.
A find that’s making waves in the community while anchoring the past.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.