Smugglers Cove

Smugglers Cove is a shore dive in a sheltered cove in Clare, Nova Scotia, about ten minutes south of central Meteghan off the Evangeline Trail. It was used by rum runners during the prohibition era because of a small cave on the north side of the cove.

The cove is about 50 metres (150 feet) wide, with the entry and exit in the park near the road. The stairs down to the water have been damaged by the Bay of Fundy tides, which makes getting to the water a bit of a challenge. Once in, there is very slight or no surge and a gently sloping bottom of medium sized rock, with the shoreline rock reaching down to 12 metres (36 feet) at high tide. A noticeable bank at the edge of the cove marks the way to deeper water. Depths vary by up to 24 feet (7 metres) with the tide, so dives are best made at or near high tide.

The cave can be entered only by surface swimming without gear and is not diveable. Lobsters and crabs hide among the larger rocks, and schools of minnows are common. The water is 1 degree Celsius in winter, 5 in spring, 10 in summer and 15 in autumn. Rocks can be slippery, and westerly winds can raise waves and surge at the mouth of the cove.