Despite the fierce winds and heavy rain brought by post-tropical cyclone Lee last Saturday, a considerable number of individuals still made their way to Peggy’s Cove to witness waves surging several meters high and crashing against the shoreline near the iconic lighthouse.
To ensure safety, a security guard was stationed at the lighthouse site on Saturday morning, guiding people away from potentially perilous spots near the water’s edge, where the relentless waves persisted.
Earlier in the day, the Halifax Regional Municipality issued a statement declaring Peggy’s Cove off-limits to the public. The statement strongly urged residents to steer clear of shoreline areas, especially during high tides, due to the extreme risk involved.
In addition to Peggy’s Cove, the Eastern Shore, Bedford, as well as the Halifax and Dartmouth Waterfronts, were all identified as areas of significant concern.
Despite the continued spectacle of crashing waves, not everyone opted for caution. Dozens ventured to the Halifax waterfront to witness the storm’s impact firsthand, with one daring individual even executing a flip into the harbor while clad in a full-body swimsuit.
During a news conference on Saturday afternoon, Halifax Mayor Mike Savage reiterated the call to avoid the shorelines and implored locals to stay away from the coast. He emphasized the presence of seawater, fallen trees, and downed power lines blocking numerous roads in the Halifax area.
“This is no time to go wave watching,” he emphasized, describing the activity of onlookers at the Halifax waterfront as “unnecessary and dangerous.”
Stephen Kiley, a resident of Shad Bay, recounted his visit to the shore while checking on family in the Prospect Bay area. He acknowledged the area’s propensity for extreme weather and was about to depart when police advised him to evacuate.
A Dartmouth resident experienced a predicament while wave-watching, nearly running out of gas on Cow Bay Road, which ran adjacent to the crashing waves, with water beginning to encroach onto the pavement. A passerby came to his aid, providing a small amount of fuel to help him escape the area.
In a social media statement from the RCMP, reports were flooding in about people driving to the shoreline to watch the waves, prompting police to strongly advise motorists to stay off the roads. This reckless behavior, they noted, not only endangers those involved but also puts first responders at risk should rescue efforts become necessary.
As of noon on Saturday, Lee was situated approximately 90 kilometers southwest of Yarmouth, N.S., with the storm’s center expected to arrive later in the afternoon, as per Environment Canada’s update. Its impact was anticipated to be felt within a several-hundred-kilometer radius.