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CTV News
3 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Free life jackets available at four Nova Scotia beaches
Free life jackets, which are part of a pilot program through the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service, are pictured at Dominion Beach in Dominion, N.S., on Saturday, July 26, 2025. (Ryan MacDonald/CTV Atlantic) It's a first at a beach that has been one of the most popular in Cape Breton for decades. This summer, free life jackets are being offered at Dominion Beach – and three others in Nova Scotia – as part of a new pilot program funded by the Nova Scotia government. 'Oh man, it's really neat,' said one man spending the day at the beach with his small children, who took advantage of the free life jackets. 'We don't have this kind of thing in Toronto. We don't have to worry about them.' One of the lifeguards at Dominion Beach on Saturday said the free life jackets make her job just a bit easier. 'There's a lot of people who may need them,' said Bailey McKay. 'Some people may not have the money to get them. There are some weaker swimmers who may need that support, and it just gives them some comfort in the water that may be helpful.' The director of the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service, Paul D'Eon, said some days they are seeing as many as 35 to 40 people using the free life jackets at any given beach. He added their availability should only improve safety. 'Small children or people with limited mobility, they can fall face down and can't right themselves so we would have to intervene with that so that may be helpful to us,' D'Eon said. 'Or if they accidentally step into deep water off a sandbar, it's going to be helpful to them and certainly could prevent a tragedy.' The free life jackets are also available this summer at Melmerby Beach in Pictou County, Rainbow Haven Beach in the Halifax area, and Queensland Beach on Nova Scotia's South Shore. D'Eon added there is a chance the program might be expanded to other Nova Scotia beaches in future years. While the addition of the life jackets is a good step toward increased safety, the lifeguards CTV News spoke with said having a life jacket on in the water doesn't mean people should let their guards down. 'Life jackets don't prevent good parental supervision,' D'Eon said. 'While your kid is at the beach, you should stay within arm's reach and those red and yellow flags you see at the beach – that's where the lifeguards are, they want you to swim between the flags. So, common sense out there.' D'Eon added if the free life jackets remain well-used, his organization will go back to the province at the end of the summer and request more funding for next year. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
03-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Massive fin sighting sparks shark fears at Nova Scotia beach
Shark sightings are rare, but beachgoers are still encouraged to be shark smart. Queensland, N.S. — Wednesday morning was sunny and hot at Queensland Beach, which made for perfect Nova Scotia summer weather, when beachgoer Grant Wilkinson looked up and spotted a huge fin in the water. 'It came up, out of the water approximately two feet,' said Wilkinson, who is vacationing from Ontario. 'The lifeguards came and asked everyone to get out of the water and stay out of the water for a while.' Closing the beach was standard procedure, considering sharks are known to enter the North Atlantic waters. There were concerns the fin represented the latest chapter in shark sightings along the Nova Scotia coast. 'We usually close the beach for a couple of hours to keep an eye on it,' said N.S. Lifeguard Service Director Paul D'Eon. 'If we see nothing else, we open the beach.' Possible shark sightings and run-ins with oversized fish are nothing new in the ocean waters off Nova Scotia. On Canada Day, Nichole Elizabeth was fishing near Queensland Beach when she spotted a huge fish off the port side of her boat. 'We motored over to take a closer look,' said Elizabeth, who thought it was a shark at first glance. 'But sure enough, it was a large sunfish having a leisurely swim, as I understand they do near the surface.' Determining the species the massive fin belongs to is a tough task, especially for non-marine experts. However, shark researcher Neil Hammerschlag believes shark fears are slightly overstated. 'Sharks help control and keep balance in the ocean and keep it healthy, so that's a good thing,' said Hammerschlag. 'But sharks generally don't want to have anything to do with people.' In the off chance anyone encounters a real shark at the beach, D'Eon says there are three basic tips to keep in mind. 'Always swim in supervised areas, stay safe and listen to the lifeguards.' According to the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service, last year there were as many as four reported fin sightings that could have been sharks. This was the first reported sighting of 2025.
CTV News
03-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Back in the water: Beachgoers return to Nova Scotia beach one day after fin sighting
Shark sightings are rare, but beachgoers are still encouraged to be shark smart. The crowds were back at Queensland Beach Thursday, one day after a fin sighting closed the swimming area for two hours around noon. 'It would come out of the water approximately two feet,' says Grant Wilkinson, referring to the fin. The Ontario resident spends summers in Nova Scotia and frequents the beach. He says the creature swam the length of the beach and, as it did, lifeguards told people to come to shore. 'Everyone quickly got out of the water and then they all stood up and of course everyone wants to see the sighting. Very few people went in the water after that,' says Wilkinson. Paul d'Eon, the director of the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service, can't confirm the fin belonged to a shark, but provincial protocol is to close the beach for safety reasons. 'I was kind of half expecting this was going to happen fairly soon, this is the time of year,' says d'Eon. If it was a shark, d'Eon says attacks are extremely rare. 'In the 53 years we've been open, there has never been a shark attack in a supervised area,' he says. Queensland Beach A person is pictured in the water at Nova Scotia's Queensland Beach on July 3, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Jonathan MacInnis) Even though attacks are unusual, sightings are increasing according to shark expert Neil Hammerschlag. 'Sharks were heavily overfished in the 80s and 90s and since then there's been protection that seems to be working and we're seeing rebounding populations.' The most common species in our waters are Blues, Short Fin Makos, Basking Sharks, Threshers and Great Whites. Hammerschlag recommends people be safe in the water and avoid areas with seals, not wear reflective jewellery, or swim where someone is fishing. 'People should go and enjoy the beach and go swimming but if they see a shark, I think it's prudent to get out of the water for a while and definitely not go swimming where are sharks are being repeatedly seen,' says Hammerschlag. 'You should be proud that sharks are here and happy because it's a sign of a healthy ecosystem and sharks help control and keep balance in the ocean and keep it healthy.' That's the approach many were taking today as the sunshine drew people back to the beach and the surf. 'I'm going to try to stay closer to the sand and less out,' says Molly David. 'It's a little scary, but I'm still going to let them go in,' says beachgoer Sara Whitney referring to her children. 'Their dad was a little hesitant on them even going in the ocean at all because of sharks and he'll probably be upset.' d'Eon says the potential shark sighting was the first this season at any of the province's 21 ocean beaches. Last year there were three or four sightings of fins over the summer. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
02-07-2025
- General
- CTV News
Fin spotted close to Nova Scotia beach forces swimmers out of water
Queensland Beach in Hubbards, N.S., is seen on July 19, 2020. QUEENSLAND, N.S. — Swimmers at a busy Nova Scotia beach were forced out of the water for two hours after a fin was spotted offshore. The director of the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service says a fin — possibly of a shark — was spotted in the swimmer's area of Queensland beach, about 50 kilometres west of Halifax. Paul D'Eon says the lifeguard service has no way to confirm there was a shark, but says when a fin is spotted close to the beach the policy is to order swimmers out of the water. The veteran lifeguard manager says the potential shark sighting was the first this season at any of the province's 21 ocean beaches, where lifeguards have been on duty for the past five days. D'Eon says that last year there were three or four sightings of fins over the summer. The director says that in his 51-year career there's never been a shark attack at one of the beaches while lifeguards were on duty. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2025.
CBC
02-07-2025
- General
- CBC
Fin spotted close to Nova Scotia beach forces swimmers out of water
Swimmers at a busy Nova Scotia beach were forced out of the water for two hours Wednesday after a fin was spotted offshore. The director of the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service says a fin — possibly of a shark — was spotted in the swimmers' area of Queensland Beach, about 50 kilometres west of Halifax. Paul D'Eon said the lifeguard service has no way to confirm there was a shark, but said when a fin is spotted close to a beach, the policy is to order swimmers out of the water. The veteran lifeguard manager said the potential shark sighting was the first this season at any of the province's 21 ocean beaches, where lifeguards have been on duty for the past five days. D'Eon said that last year there were three or four sightings of fins over the summer. The director said that in his 51-year career, there's never been a shark attack at one of the beaches while lifeguards were on duty.
