Port Williams Lookoff

The Port Williams Lookoff offers a spectacular view on the tides of the Minas Basin and the Cornwallis River. Once named Saint-Antoine River or Grand-Habitant River by the Acadians, it crosses the town of Port Williams.

This river played a major role in the Acadians settlement, who preferred their establishment close to waterways.

Don’t miss : In approximately 6 hours, you will be able to experience the tidal range, which can reach 52 feet (16 meters). Just a thin sheet of water at low tide, the river is capable of transporting cargo at high tide.

The river was first named "Chijekwtook" or "Jijuktu'kwejk", which means narrow and deep river in the mi’kmaq language. When Champlain explored the Minas Basin, he renamed this waterway Saint-Antoine River.  Later on, the Acadians gave it the name of Grand-Habitant river. The river will be renamed Cornwallis River, after the Nova Scotia Governor of Nova Scotia and founder of Halifax.

The rivers played a role in the Acadian establishment, but also in the history of the land after the Deportation. If the establishment of men has often been related to waterways, the uniqueness of the area must be noted, whereas the important tides can dry out their entrance.

The landscapes and the dykes have undoubtedly changed since the colonization of the site.  However, the Acadians contributed in a lasting manner to shape today’s landscapes. “Historians estimate that before the Deportation, the Acadians had diked 2,100 acres (840 ha) of Grand-Pré’s marshland and 2,000 acres (800 ha) on the Rivière-aux-Canards side¹."