The Islands
The islands and islets that make up the archipelago are only the visible summits of a submarine ridge emerging from the sea.
Sand dunes link these summits, and this extended line of
dunes and summits creates the Magdalen Archipelago. Each individual island is a rocky, mountainous outcrop characterized by the presence of high, rounded, bare-looking hills that are known locally as “buttes” (mounds). These mounds, separated by a network low valleys, rise from a platform which inclines gradually towards the sea. The Madelinots built their houses and farms on these gently sloping areas.
The area of the Îles de la Madeleine is 202 km2..
The Cliffs
There are two types of rock in the cliffs on the Magdalens, gray sandstone and red sandstone. The gray sandstone is more resistant to erosion and is found in some of the highest landforms on the southern islands,
Entry Island,
Havre-Aubert,
Cap-aux-Meules and
Havre-aux-Maisons. These are often volcanic mounds containing argillaceous sedimentary rocks, limestone and gypsum.
The
red sandstone cliffs take spectacular shapes: columns, swags, towers, corbels, funnels, sawteeth, sinkholes, potholes offer a constant vision of wonder to the eye. This is sedimentary rock, 99% quartz covered with a thin layer of iron oxide, and it is this latter which gives the stone its reddish colour. The rock is highly friable, and suffers greatly from erosion by wind and waves, particularly in the fall when strong winds combine with high tides. Spring thaw also breaks down the stone of these cliffs. Created by the incessant battle between the sea and the land,
visual wonders await the eye of the visitor all along the cliffs, in
Belle-Anse,
Fatima, la Dune-du-Sud in
Havre-aux-Maisons and Old-Harry in
Grosse-Île and all the way out to
Grande-Entrée.
Beware :
Never walk close to the edge of the cliffs, because the eroded areas are not always visible and they can be extremely dangerous. Stay at least 3 metres away from the edge, especially when you see this sign.
Beaches
Most of the sand on
the beaches starts off as
sandstone eroded from red cliffs. Once in the salt water, material from the cliffs loses its thin film of iron oxide and is carried around the islands by longshore currents before being deposited in spits whose general orientation is determined by the direction of the prevailing winds and currents. Once dry, the sand appears white. It accumulates on
beaches and helps create
the dunes. Grains of sand on
the beaches are in constant movement, and the width of any beach is directly related to the volume of material available and the strength of the waves and currents, which carry it.
The beaches are easy to reach, and what a pleasure it is to swim, relax and get a good tan from the wind and the sun or take long, invigorating walks. You can also build
sand castles, collect shells or just sit and meditate by the sea.
The temperature of the seawater around the Islands usually stands at around 18 degrees Celsius (64F) in mid-August. Water in
lagoons and bays can reach temperatures higher than 20 degrees Celsius (68ºF). Wind is a major factor when choosing a place to swim : it is always a good idea to look for a beach protected from the wind.
Beware of treacherous currents:
It can be very dangerous to go swimming on windy days even if you are a good swimmer. Waves are often the sign of strong currents along the coast. On windy days, swim only on beaches with a lifeguard or stay out of the water entirely. For more information, contact the
Tourist Information Office.
Dunes
Storm waves and currents are constantly carrying new material onto
the beaches: sand, rocks, seaweed,
marine animals, etc. These materials enrich the soil and make it possible for
some pioneer plants (sea rocket, sea chickweed) to establish themselves on the backshore ; once established, these plants help block the wind and promote formation of what are called "buttereaux" in
the Islands,
coastal dunes, mobile dunes. Decomposition of pioneer plants helps other plants such as
beach grass to survive.
Beach grass is critical to the ecological balance of the archipelago. Its rhizomes (underground stems) hold down the
sand on the dunes. However, this plant is extremely sensitive to treading. Once the sand is firmly settled among the roots of the
beach grass, the dune will be colonized by a wider range of plant life (beach pea, balsam fir, black crowberry, bayberry) and will support a greater density of population. These plants complete the stabilization of the dune and turn it from a
mobile dune into a fixed dune.
Sandspits represent over 60% of the Islands' coastline, a total area of more than 17200 acres. This is how dunes and furrows (silllons) are formed, and you can see a perfect example of these formations at Dune du Sud. Here you see the true individuality of the Madelinot landscape: golden dunes whose maritime flora differ in many ways from those on the mainland and are not found in such concentrations any where else in Quebec.
Dunes also offer an important protective barrier against infiltration of salt water into the water table, preventing salt from contaminating the fresh water available on the Islands. Dunes also offer protection from winds which transport sand, preventing it from filling habitats located behind the dunes such as lagoons and ponds. They also protect the roads and offer an essential living environment for plants and animals in need of food and shelter.
Take good care of the fragile dunes:
Because the dunes on the Îles de la Madeleine are a fragile living environment essential to the ecological balance as well as the beauty of the archipelago, vehicles are forbidden on beaches and dunes. In addition, you are asked to avoid walking on dunes and "buttereaux". Please try to use marked paths and access routes as much as possible, and park only in designated parking areas.
The Lagoons
When two parallel dunes connect (double tombolos), they trap water between them and create a lagoon linked to the sea by narrow, rather shallow channels. These natural basins have some very important ecological functions. Their location, the water exchange, and the shallow depths make the lagoons an excellent habitat for the growth and reproduction of lobster,
herring, smelt, and other marine species. In addition, the banks of the lagoons are bordered by salt marshes and meadows which shelter large populations of sea birds, waterfowl and shore birds. The calm, warm waters of the lagoons are also safe areas to enjoy windsurfing.
