Belliveau's Cove, Nova Scotia
Belliveau's Cove (French: Anse-des-Belliveau) is an Acadian community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the District of Clare in Digby County. A major centre of wooden shipbuilding in the 19th and early 20th century, Belliveaus Cove built the second largest wooden ship ever constructed in Canada, County of Yarmouth in 1884.
Belliveau's Cove was established in 1768 and is located on the west coast of the Nova Scotia peninsula on the St. Mary's Bay. Like many of the small Nova Scotia coastal port villages, Belliveau Cove was known for their wooden ship building, shipping industry and attendant services. All of the Belliveau family ships were built on the beaches just north of the north wharf along with ships for the Theriault family and other interests. The second largest wooden ship ever constructed in Canada, the County of Yarmouth, was built there in 1884.
The wooden pepper-shaker-style lighthouse on end of the north wharf was established in 1889 and existed until 1973; its foundation had much deterioration and a storm caused the lighthouse to fall in the ocean. A replica lighthouse was built at the same location in the 1980s by the community and is maintained as a private navigational aid. The harbor is still used today by a small number of pleasure craft and small fishing boats. Due to the high tides, the harbor can only be used for 4 to 6 hours at a time on the rising and falling tides.
Situated in the bay of St. Mary's, the village experiences the majestic Bay of Fundy tides that have an amazing 28 foot range. When the tide is out, Belliveau Cove is a popular clamming area.
The Joseph and Marie Dugas Municipal Park, named after the first Acadian couple to arrive in the area in 1768, has a wharf, lighthouse and 5 km nature trail bordering the shoreline and freshwater wetlands. At Major's Point, the first Acadian cemetery dating from 1755 and The Little Chapel or "La petite chapelle" can be visited.
The village also has a summer Farmers Market every Saturday between 10 am and 2 pm from May to September at the Joseph and Marie Dugas Municipal Park. On Friday nights at the municipal park is the Beaux Vendredis supper and music celebration featuring fresh lobster, clams and crab, as well as local Acadian music. The beach at the wharf has also become an attractive spot to fly kites.
South of Belliveau cove is Church Point with the largest wooden church in North America, and to the north is the village of St. Bernard, with the grandest stone church in Nova Scotia.