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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.