Geology
Grand Manan Island has a “split personality”
We are borrowing this apt description from Greg McHone, PhD, CPG, a geologist who has mapped much of the island and contributed a treasure trove of information about its evolution from a geological perspective, including to the very informative exhibit at the Grand Manan Museum. If you are at all interested in the subject, we encourage you to read Mr. McHone’s terrific article, entitled Grand Manan Geology, a Summary.
In fact, Mr. McHone hosts a website about the island - with links to oodles of information about the island’s geology and history. Be warned - it’s like a rabbit hole - once you dive in, you may loose your sense of time!
In summary, Grand Manan owes its split personality description to a fault which runs north to south, closer to the eastern side of the island, the Red Point Fault. It divides the island into two but unequal parts - the westerns two-thirds were formed by lava flows, called “flood basalt”, dating back to about 201 million years ago, and the eastern, one-third part is composed of metamorphic rocks which are much older, dating back to somewhere between 613 and 535 years ago.
You can actually see the Fault on a beach at the bottom of the Red Point Trail. Jessica M. Winder has written about it in her blog and included great photos. We encourage you to read her post.
If you are interested in “rocks ‘n stuff”, even as a lay person and not a scientist, Grand Manan has a lot to offer. Take in some of the island’s incredible trails, roam some of its beaches and coves, including at low tide - as you do, you will definitely see the different geological faces of the island.
