Around 200 years ago ships traveling into the Bay of Fundy around Cape Sable were under constant danger from changing tides and weather. Many merchants, military men and politicians marveled at how the natives went from Halifax harbour to the Bay of Funday by canoe and began studying the cource.
For centuries, the Shubenacadie water path, a system of 115 rivers and lakes, had been like a highway for Mi’kmaq natives for travelng between the Bay of Fundy and Halifax harbour with few portages - having to pack the boat because of rapids or other obstructions. In fact the First Nations people had been doing this for almost 11,000 years.
It was not until 1824, when the Shubenacadie Canal Company had the motivation and money to build a canal was the opening up the inland areas for the merchants of Halifax. The locks were the built by masons were brought in from Scotland and laborers from Ireland and was designed with a draft of 8 feet for steam and sailing vessels. When it was finally finished over 30 years later it carried smaller boats and only ran for 20 years until the railroad put it out of business.
You can still canoe the Shubenacadie Canal and many do each year. The Shubenacadie Canal and waterway is being brought back to life by a volunteer commission. It is now a provincial treasure and is surrounded by a greenbelt, spanning the Province from Halifax Harbour to the Cobequid Bay and linking the communities enroute. In the northern part of the canal the tidal bore rapids offer a challenging environment for both canoing and rafting.
The Fairbanks Centre of the Shubenacadie Canal Commission offers a great tour of the history with maps and guides. they can also show you the best way to prepare for a canoe trip.
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