A storm toppled a sandstone arch on Prince Edward Island that had weakened during Fiona, the second famous landmark to be lost in the province in the past two months.
The often-photographed arch at MacKenzies Brook in PEI National Park near Cavendish fell on Sunday as the island dealt with rain and wind from the remnants of Hurricane Nicole.
Michelle Boyce, captain of Atlantic Sailing PEI in North Rustico, has been taking people on boats to see the coastal arch up close for more than a decade.  She said in an interview Monday that she was devastated to learn it had collapsed.
“We keep telling people the arch won’t be there forever because of erosion,” Boyce said, but she never thought its demise “would come so soon.”
Parks Canada warned people in early November to stay away from the arch because it was in danger of collapsing due to damage from post-tropical storm Fiona, which hit the island on September 24.  Parks Canada did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
While the arch receded, a pile of sandstone remains in the water that Boyce hopes will be a new landmark for people to enjoy.  He said it might become MacKenzies Brook teacup, a reference to another lost landmark about 30km to the west.
When Fiona hit, the surging seas toppled a sea stack rock formation known as Teacup Rock on PEI’s Thunder Cove Beach.  The storm also dumped sand dunes and washed out some roads within the PEI National Park.
“The harbor as a whole has changed dramatically,” Boyce said.  “The docks are in the water, the buildings are gone and damaged.  It was a very harsh spell.”
Islanders mourning the loss of the arch have taken to social media, sharing photos of the arch still intact and reminiscing about their visits to see it.
Boyce said coastal devastation and lost landmarks highlight the impact of erosion, which is being accelerated by climate change, something she discusses on her sailing tours.  “Educating people about the damage that climate change is causing is a huge part of what we do,” he said.
As the coastline erodes, the harbor where Boyce sails becomes shallower, affecting both marine life and boats.  “We’re running a sailboat, so we need deeper water, and now we’re hitting bottom all the time,” Boyce said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 14, 2022.
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This story was produced with financial assistance from Meta and the Canadian Press News Fellowship.