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Halifax Harbour is bordered by Dartmouth on the east and Halifax on the west. Notable islands in the harbour include McNab's Island, a five-kilometre long island on the eastern side of the harbour, with remnants of British forts and known for its folklore.
George's Island, a tiny island found closer to the heart of the Halifax, is also steeped in folklore, having served as a military base where prisoners were held and allegedly executed.
Two large bridges span the harbour, connecting Halifax and Dartmouth. The two cities are now amalgamated, along with rest Halifax County, to form Halifax Regional Municipality.
Halifax is an important commercial shipping and naval port, and boaters are advised to watch for shipping lanes as they enter the harbour. There are several options for docking both sides of the harbour. On the Dartmouth side, there are private marinas in Shearwater and Alderney Landing, along with the Dartmouth Yacht Club.
On the Halifax side, the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Club and the Armdale Yacht Club are located on the North West Arm. The Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Club serves as the finish line for the annual Marblehead Race, an ocean race which starts at Marblehead, Massachusetts every second year in July.
In downtown Halifax, there is docking for large vessels available at Queen's Wharf. At the end of Halifax Harbour is the Bedford Basin Yacht Club.
Metropolitan Halifax, with a population of about 350,000, has much to offer, from accommodations, restaurants, shopping and night-life to entertainment, recreation, cultural and heritage.
The Halifax waterfront is awash every summer with incoming boats and visitors. Those who do not have their own boat can tour the harbour by sail or motor boat.
Rob Gorham photo
Those interested in seafaring history, will want to take in the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, located on the Halifax waterfront.
The museum includes a special Titanic exhibit on the ill-fated vessel that sunk not far off this coast.
Halifax was a key port from where many of the victims were brought after the 1912 disaster.
Another major waterfront attraction is Pier 21, a point from where more than one million immigrants and war-torn arrivals came to Canada between 1928 and 1971.
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