Charlotte's Shore
Rocky Point is directly across from Charlottetown and forms
one of shores of the entrance to the harbour. Before the West
River causeway was built, there used to be a ferry here which
made the short crossing to Charlottetown.
Fort Amherst and Port La Joie are now protected as a National
Historic Site. Port La Joie was the site of the first French settlement
on the Island about 1720. The French called the Island,
Isle
St. Jean. The Island changed hands a number of times and in
1758 the British took control of the Island for good. The British
called the Island,
St. John's Island and built
Fort
Amherst on the point of land overlooking the entrance to the
harbour. In 1798 the Island legislature voted to change the name
to
Prince Edward Island and the change was made official
by the British government in 1799.
As you continue along, the road rounds the point and heads
west along the south shore of the Island. The top of the point
is quite high (by Island standards) and you can look
back across the point toward the West River. Or you can
pretend you're flying and see this aerial
view of the Cumberland shore, Fairview, the West River and
Meadowbank.
This area is called Cumberland, and was probably named for
Bentinck Harry Cumberland, proprietor of that part of Lot 65
who lived at Rocky Point from c1833-c1840. The Cumberland shore
offers a great view
of St. Peter's Island and you can see across the strait
to Nova Scotia.
At Nine Mile Creek you get a closer look at
St.
Peter's Island across ripening fields of grain and you can
look southward toward
Rice
Point. At low tide you can walk from Rice Point out to St.
Peter's Island on the mudflats. At high tide you would have to
swim so don't stay too long. Rice Point was named in 1765 for
George Rice, Lord Commissioner of Trade and Plantations. The MicMac
called it
Segunakadech, "little ground nut place".
At the Canoe Cove Junction turn left. If you drive along another
0.6 km (0.4 miles) you can turn left at the corner and go down
to
Canoe Cove Park.
At low tide the beach is about a kilometre long and several hundred
metres wide. It is a great place to play in the sand and take
your dog for a swim. There is a nice picnic shelter with an old-fashioned
pump for nice clean water.
At the junction, look for the old Canoe Cove school which
was established in 1820.
The Argyle shore is locally known as an area of secluded cottages
and great views of Nova Scotia. It is also known as the site where
the vessel
Argyle brought 150 Scots to settle in 1791.
The Scots cleared
farms
which stretch from the gentle shores up the slopes
almost
to the sky. Many of their descendants continue to live in
the area and
well
kept farmhouses attest to their hardworking nature.
Turn left here onto the main highway. The center of the county
is surprisingly hilly which may not be obvious in this
photo
of the hills near DeSable but you'll appreciate if you're riding
a bicycle loaded with touring gear.
Continue westward into
Hampton
where we'll turn left toward Victoria.
