Island Caper - News & Info

Missing Cessna, human remains found 11 kilometres off Glace Bay coast.

2010-08-18T01:37:00.001-03:00

SYDNEY — The RCMP confirm they have located what is believed to be the crash site of the missing Cessna 414 Alpha aircraft off Cape Breton.

Topics :
Cessna , RCMP , J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport , Glace Bay , Gabarus Harbour , Sydney

In a statement Tuesday, the Nova Scotia RCMP said that they found the wreckage and human remains of the two occupants of the airplane using side-scan sonar. It was lying in about 50 metres of water, 11 kilometres off Glace Bay.

The human remains were retrieved and will be transported to the medical examiners office for identification.

The search is suspended today due to unfavorable weather conditions and given the changing conditions of the water, the police say it’s unknown when this phase of the recovery will resume.

Pieces of the fuselage began turning up along the coast of Main-a-dieu and Scatarie Island on Saturday.

Some debris from the crash has shown up as far south as Gabarus Harbour, including seats, hangars, and various metal parts.

The debris was found approximately 20 kilometres south of the original search area.

The Cessna carrying Sydney native Dennis Michael Forgeron, 43, and pilot Ronald David Johnston, 57, of Calgary, vanished off radar late on Aug. 5 as it attempted to land in heavy rains and thick fog at J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport in Sydney.

Forgeron, the chief executive officer of Calgary-based oil and natural gas company Forent Energy Ltd., had flown the plane three times before picking up the eight-seater in Buttonville, Ont., and embarking on a flight with Johnston to the McCurdy airport.

It's believed Forgeron wanted to log a certain number of hours behind the controls in order to become more familiar with the aircraft.

The RCMP continues to request anyone that believes they have found debris that is related to the wreckage to call 1 800-272-9569.

RCMP to take over search for missing plane

2010-08-08T12:11:00.003-03:00

Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre ended efforts at 4 p.m.

SYDNEY — The Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre handed over the search of a missing twin-engine plane to the RCMP, late Saturday afternoon.

Lt. Edward Stansfield of the Halifax centre said as of 4 p.m., the RCMP will take over the search for the Cessna 414 Alpha aircraft and its two passengers: Dennis Michael Forgeron, 43, and pilot Ronald David Johnston, both residents of Calgary. Forgeron is the CEO of Calgary-based Forent Energy Ltd. and is originally from the Sydney area.

The plane vanished during its descent into J.A. Douglas MacCurdy Airport, Thursday night. The plane disappeared off the radar over Lingan Bay at about 11:30 p.m. There’s been no sign of the aircraft or its passengers since.

“As of 4 p.m., the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre has stood down their aspect of the rescue,” said Stansfield. “The hopes of finding the two passengers and rescuing them with the Cormorant helicopter is, sadly, untenable at this point.”

Stansfield said the weather was favourable during the search both Friday and Saturday. In the end, a grid of about 730 square nautical miles was searched.

“The good thing about using the aircraft is when you’re right up on top of things, you have a great view, whereas when you’re down on the water, it’s difficult with the waves,” he said. “(Friday) was a bit choppy, a similar sort of day, but between the vessels in the water and the aircraft in the air, we certainly would have seen anything that was there without question.”

There may have been some unofficial land searching by locals, said Stanfield, but it is believed that the vessel would be at sea if it did go down.

“When we last had a radar picture on them, they were descending quite rapidly and it was about 7.5 nautical miles offshore,” he said. “They were most certainly over water and a fair ways out.”

A statement was released by the Forgeron family through the RCMP, Saturday afternoon.

“We continue to channel our thoughts and prayers in the ongoing search and rescue operation for Dennis and the pilot, Ron Johnston. We wish to thank the dedicated professionals and volunteers who are working to find our missing son, husband, father, brother and friend. Thank you to our wide circle of close friends and family who join us in hope and prayer for their safe return. Thank you all.”

Toxic hogweed creeps across Nova Scotia

2010-07-17T11:39:00.003-03:00

An invasive and toxic plant is creeping across Nova Scotia. Heracleum mantegazzianum, or giant hogweed, spreads easily and is poisonous.

The plant can be identified by its purple-speckled stem and by its sheer size, often growing more than four metres high.

Experts say the sap can cause blisters, burning and even blindness.

"It's dangerous enough that you don't want to handle any part of the plant with your bare hands, nor do you want to try removing this plant if it's on your property," said Marian Munro, curator of botany at the Nova Scotia Museum.

The plant is most easily identified by the purple colour on its stem.The plant is most easily identified by the purple colour on its stem.

Munro said the sap causes what is known as phyto-photosensitivity.

"Aside from the irritant qualities of the sap within the plant, apparently for up to six years after contact it can affect your skin every time you're in the sun."

The weed is originally from Asia and was first identified in Cape Breton in 1980. It has since been spotted in Truro, Bridgewater and Halifax.

Munro advises homeowners who see the plant in their yards to call a landscaper to have it removed.

More Pictures of Giant Hogweed :

For more information Click Here: http://www.weedinfo.ca/weed.php?w=HERMZ

Common Hogweed

2010-07-17T11:39:00.001-03:00

Common Hogweed, Heracleum sphondylium is a biennial herbaceous plant of in the Apiaceae (carrot) family. It grows to about 2m, supported by stout and succulent hollow stems. the leaves are long and divided into large dark green lobes. Between June and October it bears the classic white umbels common to the carrot family.

It is a common and invasive plant in the British Isles and is commonly found in woodland, by roadsides and at the base of hedges. It is smaller than it's close cousin the Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum which also has more crenellated leaves. However, the sap of giant hogweed can cause extreme photodermatitis when in contact with the skin. Unless you are completely certain of the identification of Common Hogweed, do not pick.

Cape Breton Soldier Arrives Home

2010-07-04T21:48:00.001-03:00

Canadian soldier Sgt. James (Jimmy) MacNeil, of Glace Bay, was killed
after an improvised explosive device detonated during a foot patrol in
the Panjwaíi District, about 20 kilometres southwest of Kandahar City,
at approximately 8:00 a.m. Kandahar time on June 21, 2010.
He was the 148th soldier to die since the mission began in 2002.

Cape Breton's Salute to it's Hero Soldier Sgt. James MacNeil.

Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race

2010-06-06T00:11:00.003-03:00

Ten months, 35,000 miles of ocean racing and around 400 people facing the challenge of a lifetime. When the starting gun goes off for the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race on 13 September 2009 the fleet of ten sleek, stripped down 68-foot yachts will embark on a full circumnavigation of the globe.

Cape Breton Island is one of ten yachts competing in the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race.

This will be the first time the island, part of the maritime province of Nova Scotia, has fielded an entry, although Sydney hosted part of the Nova Scotia stopover during Clipper 07-08.

Sponsored by Sydney Ports Corporation the yacht will form the centrepiece of a campaign designed to drive tourism and inward investment to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia’s masterpiece. Boasting Canada’s largest inland sea, the Bras d’Or Lakes, the island is a paradise for sailors.

Cape Breton Island is chasing Uniquely Singapore for the lead.

Sites To Follow Race

CLIPPER ROUND THE WORLD
THE TEAM SITE FOR CAPE BRETON ISLAND

The yachts are due to arrive in Sydney between June 11-13.

Cape Breton Slideshow

2010-06-05T23:41:00.002-03:00

A collection of Cape Breton Photos in a Flash Slideshow with the music of Natalie MacMaster playing & singing "Cape Breton and Me".

Cape Breton Slideshow

Coyotes Attacks Are Rare.

2009-10-29T23:11:00.002-03:00

Bob Bancroft, a retired biologist with the Department of Natural Resources, said this kind of attack is extremely rare and he's never heard of such a serious case in Nova Scotia.

He said coyotes, which are normally up to 50 pounds, are usually very shy, though they can be bold.

"In situations like a national park [where] usually there's no hunting and no trapping allowed, they can get used to a human presence and not have much fear of any retribution," Bancroft told CBC News.

It's unclear what happened in the woods on Tuesday.

When park staff arrived, Mitchell was already en route to Sacred Heart Hospital in Cheticamp, said Quann.

Bancroft said coyotes team up to take down deer, and it's possible the hiker didn't even realize what was happening.

"They may have snuck up on her and knocked her over before she even knew what happened," he said. "They may have been youngsters. They just may not have had a lot of experience, or they may have just capitalized on a situation where a young person was acting vulnerable and very frightened by their presence."

He said there's a slight possibility that the animals had rabies.

Quann said the coyotes might have been hungry or might have been protecting a kill. He said the animals that park staff saw Tuesday night were "quite agitated."

"Our experience in the past for any aggressive coyote which has been submitted for analysis, we haven't had one come back yet as having testing positive for something like rabies, although sometimes they will come back being emaciated animals, perhaps desperate and hungry," he said.

Bancroft had his own run-in with a coyote several years ago when he was alone in the woods.

"A coyote came straight at me. It happened very, very quickly. It stopped and I just stood my ground, I didn't act," he said. "It actually regrouped and charged again. And I think the fact that I didn't act like a prey item convinced it to leave me alone."

Bancroft advises hikers to be alert and leave their iPods at home. He also suggests carrying a knife.

The Skyline Trail, one of the most popular trails in the park, has been closed and barricaded.

Wildlife warnings

Coyotes can be found in rural and urban area
across Canada. They often shy away from humans, but if one does
approach, here's what to do:

* Be aggressive yourself: Wave your arms, stomp and yell loudly in a deep voice to deter it from coming closer.

* Stand your ground: Stay where you are and look it in the eye. Never
run away; it is more likely to consider you prey, give chase and
seriously harm you.

* Be prepared: The best defence is a good
offence; carry a whistle, flashlight and/or personal alarm. This is
especially important for small children who play outside or walk to
school in areas where coyotes have been spotted.

* Stay together: If you are walking in an area that has high coyote activity, never do so without a companion.

* Don't lure them with food: Coyotes are scavengers. If you have pets,
feed them inside the house rather than leaving food outside, don’t
leave meat scraps or products in compost buckets outside your house,
keep regular compost in an enclosed area and ensure garbage bins have
tight resealable lids to keep out animals.

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Coyote kills Canadian hiker in Cape Breton Highlands National Park

2009-10-29T23:01:00.002-03:00

Taylor Mitchell, 19, died yesterday as a result of injuries sustained in a Coyote attack on the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia, Canada. Taylor, a folk singer-songwriter from Toronto, was hiking alone when two coyotes attacked her. Her cries for help alerted other hikers who then called emergency services. Although police shot and wounded one of the Coyotes, both animals initially escaped and one remains at large. Taylor was in critical condition when she was airlifted by helicopter to Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax. Sadly, her injuries were so severe that she passed away on Wednesday morning.

Taylor Mitchell, a vibrant young artist with remarkable vocals, was recently nominated in the category of “2009 Young performer of the year” by the Canadian Folk Music Awards (CFMA). Taylor had just begun an East-Coast tour to promote her debut album, “For Your Consideration,” and her stunning vocals prompted Exclaim magazine to comment, “When George Bernard Shaw so famously noted that youth was wasted on the young, he hadn’t heard Taylor Mitchell sing.”

Coyote attacks are extremely rare. Indeed, in the USA there has only been one documented death attributed to a Coyote in the last three centuries. In 1981, a young toddler in Glendale, California was killed by a coyote as a consequence of her parents feeding the animal on a regular basis. The Coyote (Canis Latrans) with its distinctive brown coat and white belly is found in all forty-nine continental states - there are large Coyote populations in both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Although the Coyote usually hunts at night, it can become habituated to humans and can be extremely aggressive, especially if it is fed by humans either deliberately or accidentally, notably via trash cans and scraps left behind on picnic tables.

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Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

2009-10-09T16:49:00.003-03:00

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles season is underway and 9 games into this years season they sport a record of 5 Wins, 3 Losses, and 1 Overtime Loss. If your are interest in listening to their Games Live , (Schedule Link Below) or would like to visit the Screaming Eagles Website, then just choose a link below.

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Offical Website

Regular Season Schedule

Listen To All Games Live !

Cape Breton Island - A Brief History

2009-08-12T23:23:00.001-03:00

Cape Breton Island's first residents were likely Maritime Archaic Indians, ancestors of the Mi'kmaq Nation, the latter of whom inhabited the island at the time of European discovery. Giovanni Caboto (John Cabot) reportedly visited the island in 1497 to become the first[citation needed] Renaissance European explorer to visit present-day Canada. However, historians are unclear as to whether Cabot first visited Newfoundland or Cape Breton Island. This discovery is commemorated by Cape Breton's Cabot Trail, and by Cabot's Landing Historic Site & Provincial Park, located near the village of Dingwall.

A fishing colony was established on the island about 1521–22 by the Portuguese under João Alvares Fagundes. As many as 200 settlers lived in the nameless village in what is now present day Ingonish (location according to some historians) on the island's northwestern peninsula. The fate of the colony is unknown, but it is mentioned as late as 1570.[1]

On February 8, 1631, Charles I granted Cape Breton Island to Robert Gordon of Lochinvar and his son Robert.

Known as "Île Royale" to the French, the island also saw active settlement by France as part of the colony of Acadia. After the French ceded its colonies on Newfoundland and the Acadian mainland to the British by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the French relocated the population of Plaisance, Newfoundland to Île Royale and the French garrison was established in the central eastern part at Ste. Anne. As the harbour at Ste. Anne experienced icing problems, it was decided to construct a much larger fortification at Louisbourg to improve defences at the entrance to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and defend France's fishing fleet on the Grand Banks[2]. The French also built the Louisbourg Lighthouse in 1734, the first lighthouse in Canada and one of the first in North America. In addition to Cape Breton Island, the French colony of Île Royale also included Île St.-Jean (today called Prince Edward Island). Louisbourg itself was one of the most important commercial and military centres in New France. Although Louisbourg was captured by New Englanders with British naval assistance in 1745 [3] and by the British again in 1758, Île Royale remained formally part of colonial France until it was ceded to Britain under the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Britain merged the island with its adjacent colony of Nova Scotia (present day peninsular Nova Scotia and New Brunswick).

Some of the first British-sanctioned settlers to the island following the Seven Years' War were Irish, although upon settlement, they merged with local French communities to form a culture rich in both music and tradition. From 1763 to 1784 the island was administratively part of the colony of Nova Scotia and governed from Halifax

The first permanently settled Scottish community on Cape Breton Island was Judique, settled in 1775 by Michael Mor MacDonald. He spent his first winter using his upside-down boat for shelter, which is reflected in the architecture of the village's Community Centre. He composed a song about the area called "O's alainn an t-aite", or "Fair is the Place."

In 1784, Britain split the colony of Nova Scotia into three separate colonies: New Brunswick, Cape Breton Island, and present-day peninsular Nova Scotia, in addition to the adjacent colonies of St. John's Island (renamed Prince Edward Island in 1798) and Newfoundland. The colony of Cape Breton Island had its capital at Sydney on its namesake harbour fronting on Spanish Bay and the Cabot Strait. Its first Lieutenant-Governor was Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres (1784–1787) and his successor was William Macarmick (1787). From 1799 to 1807 the military commandant was John Despard, brother of Edward.[4]

An order forbidding the granting of land in Cape Breton, issued in 1763, was removed in 1784. The mineral rights to the island were given over to the Crown by an order-in-council. The British government had intended that the Crown take over the operation of the mines when Cape Breton was made a colony, but this was never done, probably because of the rehabilitation cost of the mines. The mines were in a neglected state, caused by careless operations dating back at least to the time of the final fall of Louisbourg.

Large scale shipbuilding began in the 1790s, beginning with schooners for local trade moving in the 1820s to larger brigs and brigantines, mostly built for British shipowners. Shipbuilding peaked in the 1850s, marked in 1851 by the full rigged ship Lord Clarendon, the largest wooden ship ever built in Cape Breton.

In 1820, the colony of Cape Breton Island was merged for the second time with Nova Scotia. This development is one of the factors which led to large-scale industrial development in the Sydney Coal Field of eastern Cape Breton County (see Industrial Cape Breton). By the late 19th century, as a result of the faster shipping, expanding fishery and industrialization of the island, exchanges of people between the island of Newfoundland and Cape Breton increased beginning a cultural exchange that continues to this day.

During the first half of the 19th century, Cape Breton Island experienced an influx of Highland Scots numbering approximately 50,000 as a result of the Highland Clearances. Today, the descendants of the Highland Scots dominate Cape Breton Island's culture, particularly in rural communities. To this day Gaelic is still the first language of a number of elderly Cape Bretoners. A campaign of violence and intimidation by the provincial school board led to the near extermination of Gaelic culture. The growing influence of English-dominated media from outside the Scottish communities saw the use of this language erode quickly during the 20th century. Many of the Scots who immigrated there were either Roman Catholics or Presbyterians, which can be seen in a number of island landmarks and place names.

The 1920s were some of the most violent times in Cape Breton. They were marked by several severe labour disputes. The famous murder of William Davis by strike breakers, and the seizing of the New Waterford power plant by striking miners led to a major union sentiment that persists to this day in some circles. Davis Day is celebrated in coal mining towns to commemorate the deaths of miners at the hands of the coal companies.

Promotions for tourism beginning in the 1950s recognized the importance of the Scottish culture to the province, and the provincial government started encouraging the use of Gaelic once again. The establishment of funding for the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts and formal Gaelic language instruction in public schools are intended to address the near-loss of this culture to English assimilation.

The turn of the 20th century saw Cape Breton Island at the forefront of scientific achievement with the now-famous activities launched by inventors Alexander Graham Bell and Guglielmo Marconi.

Following his successful invention of the telephone and being relatively wealthy, Bell acquired land near Baddeck in 1885, largely due to surroundings reminiscent of his early years in Scotland. He established a summer estate complete with research laboratories, working with deaf people—including Helen Keller—and continued to invent. Baddeck would be the site of his experiments with hydrofoil technologies as well as the Aerial Experiment Association, financed by his wife, which saw the first powered flight in the British Empire when the AEA Silver Dart took off from the ice-covered waters of Bras d'Or Lake. Bell also built the forerunner to the iron lung and he experimented with breeding sheep.

Marconi's contributions to Cape Breton Island were somewhat less than Bell's as he merely used the island's geography to his advantage in transmitting the first North American trans-Atlantic radio message from a station constructed at Table Head in Glace Bay to a receiving station at Poldhu in Cornwall, England.

Fortress Louisbourg, Cape Breton

2009-08-05T15:21:00.001-03:00

The sky is the daily bread of the eyes.

Well, Emerson believed that, but most Nova Scotians would disagree. Here, all life begins and ends with the sea. Yet our relationship is uneasy. The North Atlantic gives and takes. The rough seas that delight sailors and windsurfers in summer — raised a notch in winter — send fishermen scrambling for prayer books. When life's pressures converge, the Atlantic's infinite majesty is my soothing balm. But watching those same waves pounding the shore, I also feel uncomfortably humble.

The ocean is the alpha and the omega. In spirit, if not fact, Nova Scotia is an island — attached to Canada by a slender isthmus. We share 5,000 miles of undulating coastline. No one lives more than 50 miles from the sea, and most can walk to it easily. Shaped by wind and saltwater, Bluenosers are hearty and friendly, with a profound respect for culture and tradition that inspires song and ceremony. Just don't be surprised if the music brings smiles and tears. Life in this, my promised land, will always be bittersweet.

At it's best, Nova Scotia is achingly beautiful. But it's a hard place, too, where many resource-based industries are dying slowly. Still, I can't imagine living elsewhere. I even welcome winter - a cold, crisp season offering time to reflect. Perhaps I just distrust the full days between May and November, when life here seems almost perfect.

It's deep autumn when I travel to Cape Breton, so I'm not expecting perfection. Fortress Louisbourg — North America's largest historical reconstruction — awaits. Alas, my French forefathers were lovers, not fighters. Nor were they particularly good engineers. While exploring Canada, if a site proved cold and damp, the French unpacked their tools and started building. And they shivered in the dark. So I'm prepared, longjohns at the ready.

My impressions of New France were formed during an April visit to Port Royal, another recreated French settlement, originally built when Shakespeare was writing Othello. Spring was late and, buffeted by the Bay of Fundy's stiff gales, I nearly froze. Huddled against the Atlantic, a limitless and unforgiving ocean to the east, how could Louisbourg be otherwise?

But the day surprises, with blissful sunshine, warm and golden. I feel lucky. Blessed to be living in an elemental place, where ghost stories mingle with historical fact. Where most roads reveal an easy grace that touches the heart. Where surprises are faithful and welcome.

Canada's east coast buffers Old World and New. Venerable by North American standards, with a rich history, Nova Scotia often feels wild and untamed. Louisbourg was built strong, to withstand both man and nature. By 1744, the year this painstakingly reconstructed fortress immortalizes, the city rivalled New York and Philadelphia. More than 4,000 French citizens lived here, their numbers swelling two-fold during fishing season.

Alas, Louisbourg was doomed, captured by New Englanders in 1745, and the British in 1758. Even inexperienced troops couldn't miss when firing cannons at this colossus. Destroyed and abandoned after the war, it rose again as a national historic site two centuries later.

Cape Breton illustrates this province at its best. The countryside is lovely, and the people affable. Best of all, the permutations and combinations are endless. Nova Scotia can be a rugged wilderness. An adventurer's proving ground. A quiet place for contemplation or pampering. A cultural feast.

For historians, Louisbourg is a playground, with costumed animators providing detail and perspective. It also works for families, with music, dance and craft programs to engage and entertain. The town's inns feature hearty period cuisine, and thick soldier's bread made in wood fired ovens is sold at the boulangerie.

Daredevils are just as welcome. The Atlantic is a boon for scuba divers. Wrecks range from historical ships sunk in Louisbourg Harbour to thwart the British navy, to recent tragedies in challenging waters. Everywhere in Nova Scotia, people who learn by doing are rewarded. It can be relaxing or invigorating, as your heart desires.

Story by Richard Levangie

Broadside Breakdown Record Their Winning Song.

2009-07-08T20:18:00.001-03:00

Broadside Breakdown were awarded First Place at this years Ultimate Band 2 Contest, which was held back in April & May of this year and consisted of young Cape Breton Talent joining together and competeing over a 6 week period.

The Band consisted of :
Vocals: Brandi White
Lead Guitar: Jeffrey Chipman
Rhythm Guitar: Kyle Marshall
Rhythm Guitar: Brendom Williamson
Bass: Nathan Macheachern
Drums: Allan Broad

In taking first, they were awarded a 10 hour Recording Session at SoundPark Studios to record thier winning song "Bring The World"

Below is a Montage with their New Single "Bring The World".