Hillsborough Bay
Encyclopedia
Hillsborough Bay is a 244 km² (94.2 sq mi) bay
on the south shore of Prince Edward Island
, Canada
and is a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait
.
. Its southerly limits are Rice Point in the west and Point Prim in the east. It opens directly south and west onto the Northumberland Strait while its northern and eastern shores are formed by Prince Edward Island; the Point Prim peninsula also extends along its southeastern boundary. The bay is notable for the entrance to Charlottetown Harbour along its northern shore, which is formed by the tidal estuaries of the Hillsborough (East) River
, North (Yorke) River, and the West (Elliott) River.
s and cormorant
s and is a nursery area for fin and shell fishes. A colony of Harbor Seal
s is located on Governors Island
.
and Tea Hill Park in the town of Stratford
. There are several beaches along the bay's shoreline that are suitable for swimming, notably Keppoch Beach and Kinlock Beach in Stratford.
is the largest population centre directly fronting the bay. The following communities are located along the bay's shoreline from west to east:
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
on the south shore of Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and is a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait
Northumberland Strait
The Northumberland Strait is a strait in the southern part of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in eastern Canada...
.
Description
Hillsborough Bay is the largest bay in terms of surface area in Prince Edward Island, followed by Malpeque BayMalpeque Bay
Malpeque Bay is a bay on the north shore of Prince Edward Island, Canada.-Description:Malpeque Bay is the second largest bay in terms of surface area in Prince Edward Island, following Hillsborough Bay. It is also notable for almost dividing the province; an isthmus occupied by the city of...
. Its southerly limits are Rice Point in the west and Point Prim in the east. It opens directly south and west onto the Northumberland Strait while its northern and eastern shores are formed by Prince Edward Island; the Point Prim peninsula also extends along its southeastern boundary. The bay is notable for the entrance to Charlottetown Harbour along its northern shore, which is formed by the tidal estuaries of the Hillsborough (East) River
Hillsborough River (Prince Edward Island)
The Hillsborough River, also known as the East River, is a Canadian river in northeastern Queens County, Prince Edward Island.-Battle at Port-la-Joye :...
, North (Yorke) River, and the West (Elliott) River.
Islands
Hillsborough Bay has several islands located within the bay:- Governors IslandGovernors Island (Prince Edward Island)Governors Island is a Canadian island located in Hillsborough Bay, a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait along the south shore of Prince Edward Island.The island is located at 46'08"N, 63'04"W, approximately south from Keppoch and north from Point Prim....
- St. Peters Island
- Cameron's Island
- Judson Island
- Christie Island
Sub-basins
Hillsborough Bay has several sub-basins:- Charlottetown Harbour, formed by the tidal estuaries of the Hillsborough (East) RiverHillsborough River (Prince Edward Island)The Hillsborough River, also known as the East River, is a Canadian river in northeastern Queens County, Prince Edward Island.-Battle at Port-la-Joye :...
, North (Yorke) River, and the West (Elliott) River
- Pownal Bay
- Orwell Bay, fed by the tidal estuary of the Vernon River and Orwell River
Marine and wildlife
Hillsborough Bay is home to large nesting colonies of heronHeron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s and cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
s and is a nursery area for fin and shell fishes. A colony of Harbor Seal
Harbor Seal
The harbor seal , also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere...
s is located on Governors Island
Governors Island (Prince Edward Island)
Governors Island is a Canadian island located in Hillsborough Bay, a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait along the south shore of Prince Edward Island.The island is located at 46'08"N, 63'04"W, approximately south from Keppoch and north from Point Prim....
.
Recreation
The bay supports several recreational areas, primarily at Port-la-Joye–Fort Amherst National Historic SitePort-la-Joye–Fort Amherst
Port-la-Joye—Fort Amherst is a National Historic Site of Canada in Prince Edward Island, Canada, commemorating the location's double distinction in hosting both the oldest permanent European settlement on Ile Saint-Jean and the first military fortification on the island to be built by the British...
and Tea Hill Park in the town of Stratford
Stratford, Prince Edward Island
Stratford is a Canadian suburban town located in central Prince Edward Island.It is situated on a peninsula formed by the Hillsborough River estuary, Charlottetown Harbour, and Hillsborough Bay - a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait....
. There are several beaches along the bay's shoreline that are suitable for swimming, notably Keppoch Beach and Kinlock Beach in Stratford.
Communities
The town of StratfordStratford, Prince Edward Island
Stratford is a Canadian suburban town located in central Prince Edward Island.It is situated on a peninsula formed by the Hillsborough River estuary, Charlottetown Harbour, and Hillsborough Bay - a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait....
is the largest population centre directly fronting the bay. The following communities are located along the bay's shoreline from west to east:
- Rice Point
- Nine Mile Creek
- Cumberland
- Rocky PointRocky Point, Prince Edward IslandRocky Point is a settlement in Prince Edward Island. It is part of Lot 65 in Hillsboro Parish....
- StratfordStratford, Prince Edward IslandStratford is a Canadian suburban town located in central Prince Edward Island.It is situated on a peninsula formed by the Hillsborough River estuary, Charlottetown Harbour, and Hillsborough Bay - a sub-basin of the Northumberland Strait....
- AlexandraAlexandra, Prince Edward IslandAlexandra is a settlement in Prince Edward Island....
- Pownal
- Waterside
- Mount Mellick
- Cherry Valley
- Earnscliffe
- Vernon BridgeVernon Bridge, Prince Edward IslandVernon Bridge is a settlement in Prince Edward Island....
- OrwellOrwell, Prince Edward IslandOrwell is a settlement in Queens County, Prince Edward Island.Canadian professor, physician, and intellectual Sir Andrew Macphail was born in Orwell on November 24, 1864. The Sir Andrew Macphail Foundation preserves his family home and its 140-acre property in Orwell as a museum, the Sir Andrew...
- Orwell Cove
- Lower Newtown
- EldonEldon, Prince Edward IslandEldon is a Canadian community in Queens County, Prince Edward Island southeast of Charlottetownin the township of Lot 57.- History :The Acadians arrived in Pointe Prime, Ile St. Jean in 1750...
- Mount Buchanan
- Point Prim