Most people driving through Caribou on their way to catch the Northumberland Ferries for Prince Edward Island do not realize there is a smaller, slower ferry nearby that goes somewhere far less visited. The seasonal passenger ferry to Pictou Island departs from the small craft harbour adjacent to the main ferry terminal, and the island it reaches sits in the middle of the Northumberland Strait like a secret that Nova Scotia has been keeping.
Pictou Island is small — roughly 8 kilometres long and 3 kilometres across at its widest — and it has never been bridged, significantly developed, or placed on a major tourist circuit. The permanent year-round population is tiny. The island's roads are unpaved. There is no grocery store, no cell service to speak of, and no medical facility. These are, for visitors who seek them, the exact conditions that make a place worth finding.
The Beaches
The island's coastline includes stretches of sandy beach that would be crowded on the mainland. Here, even on a summer weekend, you may have a long stretch of warm Northumberland Strait sand largely to yourself. The water temperatures match those of the Nova Scotia shore — reaching 19 to 22 degrees Celsius by late July — making it genuinely pleasant for swimming rather than the bracing cold shock of the open Atlantic.
The Lighthouse
Pictou Island's lighthouse stands at the western tip of the island and is one of the more photogenic in a province with no shortage of lighthouse scenery. The approach walk along the shoreline passes through coastal vegetation and offers wide views across the strait toward Prince Edward Island and back toward the Nova Scotia mainland.
Staying Over
The Wooden Tents Campground offers yurts equipped with mattresses, bedding, and pillows — the kind of comfortable minimal infrastructure that allows genuine rest without requiring you to have hauled camping gear across the strait. A communal pavilion with an outdoor kitchen serves as a social gathering space for guests, and a bathhouse provides basic facilities. Beach House and Cape Cod Cottage offer more private accommodation for groups wanting their own space.
Getting There
The passenger ferry operates seasonally, roughly May through November, from Caribou Harbour — arriving at the Northumberland Ferries terminal, take the small road to the right toward the fishing harbour to find the correct departure point. Call ahead to confirm schedules and capacity. Bring everything you plan to need, including food for overnight stays. The isolation is intentional. It is also, for most visitors, the best part of the experience.