'Shocking' erosion of sand dunes in Prince Edward Island National Park due to Fiona
The scale of sand dune erosion in Prince Edward Island National Park due to post-tropical storm Fiona is "shocking" and has dramatically changed the landscape of some beaches, Parks Canada says.
Jennifer Stewart, external relations manager with Parks Canada in P.E.I., said the storm has caused the most severe coastal erosion she's seen since she began her career in 2000.
The erosion is particularly significant at Dalvay Beach, she said, where dune systems used to block the view of the water from the nearby roadway.
"There was a dune system. It's completely gone, and now the road is eroding away," Stewart said in an interview.
"It is shocking. It completely changed the look of the landscape in this area."
The post-tropical storm left a trail of destruction across Atlantic Canada, stretching from Nova Scotia's eastern mainland to Cape Breton, P.E.I. and southwestern Newfoundland.
Stewart said the loss of dunes is troubling because they act as a natural barrier in protecting shoreline from the impact of storms and ocean swells.
"Luckily, coastal ecosystems are very dynamic," Stewart said. As sediment is washed back on the beach, vegetation, such as marram grass, will catch the sand to develop new dunes.
"As this happens, marram grass will spread its roots under the surface of the sand, creating a living web to hold the sand in place," she said.
While sand dunes are likely to reform, this process takes years, Stewart said. In order to encourage growth, she said, people should avoid the area where the dunes were to avoid disturbing the vegetation.
Another victim of erosion caused by Fiona was the frequently photographed sea-stack rock formation known as the Teacup Rock at Thunder Cove Beach.
Bruce Stewart, who lives a short drive away from where the teacup once sat in New London Bay, has been an avid photographer of the distinctive rock structure.
"Unfortunately all that's left there now is a bit of the pedestal," Stewart said. "The saucer, if you like."
On his countless visits to Thunder Cove Beach, Stewart said he's met photographers and tourists from all over the world snapping shots of the teacup.
Stewart said the loss of the landmark doesn't compare to Fiona's destruction of homes in Atlantic Canada, but he said it's still "devastating."
"What was so special about the teacup is that it was a natural formation. It wasn't something that somebody went and crafted," he said.
The lamented teacup joins the former Elephant Rock, which drew thousands of tourists over the years to Norway, P.E.I., on the Island's northwestern tip until it also fell victim to the elements in the late 1990s.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2022 and was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's most wanted fugitive arrested in P.E.I. in connection with Toronto homicide
A suspect in a fatal shooting in Toronto’s east end last summer has been arrested in Charlottetown, just one week after he topped a list of Canada’s most wanted fugitives.
BREAKING Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
Concerns about plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall plexiglass barriers.
Plane overshoots runway at airport in St. John's, N.L., no injuries reported
Investigators from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada are headed to St. John's, N.L., after a plane overshot a runway at the city's airport this afternoon.
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne
A two-year-old child died after a strong gust of wind sent the bounce house he was in airborne and into a neighbouring lot in central Arizona, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh confirms his party will support the Liberals' federal budget
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party will support the federal budget, ending any speculation that the party could pull out of its deal with the minority Liberal government.
Dental care program accepting claims for 1 million seniors
Citizens' Services Minister Terry Beech says 1,200 seniors have already visited a dentist and had their claims processed by the federal government's new dental care plan.