The Bouctouche Dune or Sandbar, is connected to the mainland at a point approximately 3 ½ miles north of Pointe à Jérôme and ranges southeast for over seven miles, providing protection for the waters of Buctouche Bay. Bouctouche is a Canadian town located at the mouth of the Bouctouche River on the coast of Northumberland, Canada.
The sandbar lies about a mile off of Saint-Thomas-de-Kent, near where the Point Dixon Range Lights were established in 1881 to support vessels in finding the entrance to the bay. A well-maintained saltwater beach, the frontage is an ideal location for enjoying nature and a focal point for ecotourism. Visitors to this area of the New Brunswick coast will find a memorable tourism experience in a unique natural environment.
Therefore, a footbridge built on the abutments of the old railroad bridge attaches to Le Pays de la Sagouine and Rotary Park from the opposite side of the Bouctouche River. People can now share the dune if they want to appreciate its unique beauty. The boardwalk is wheelchair accessible, with ramps to the beach and inner bay, and as such, this earthenware is wheelchair friendly.
La dune de Bouctouche was established by J. D. Irving, Limited, to keep and restore the significant sand dune that provides a habitat for many shorebirds and other migratory birds. A two-kilometer-long boardwalk lets visitors feel the sense of flora and fauna found on the dune without impacting the subtle ecosystem. The beach is located on the site of the Irving Eco-Center, la Dune de Bouctouche, where a team of interpreters delivers programs and presentations throughout the season to make this coastal habitat known to as many people as possible.
Moreover, a lighthouse on the southern extremity of the Buctouche sand bar was put into operation in 1902. The lighthouse is a square wooden building, dominated by a square wooden lantern rising from the middle of the cottage roof. Thus, the building and lantern are painted white. The lighthouse is 35 feet high from its base to the ventilator on the lantern and is located on land 4 feet above the high water mark.
The light is fixed in white dioptric, elevated 38 feet above the high water mark, and noticeable 11 miles from all points of approach by water. The work was done by Mr. G.W. Palmer of Kars, whose contract price for the building was $1,289.
In 1907, 375 feet of close pipework were put in place to protect the lighthouse from the encroaching sea, and the following year, roughly 400 more feet of pipework were added and the boathouse was moved back to a safer position.
