Collecting Mermaid’s Tears at Indian Beach
There are many great beaches in Cape Breton and many activities undertaken while visiting them, but none creates such joy as collecting beach glass. Known to some as mermaid’s tears, beach glass started its life as bottles, vases, windshields, or other glass items. Through the turmoils of time and the constant beating of ocean water and sands, the glass smooths and clouds over.
These glass gems, the most rare of which are red, can be found on many beaches around Cape Breton but not so numerous as at Indian Beach in North Sydney. Located near the Newfoundland Ferry this beach is under constant pounding from the daily passing of the ferry. Leaving this beach littered with small nuggets of beach glass ranging, on average, from the size of a grain of sand to that of a nickel.
I have been to many beaches but at Indian Beach it is like picking blueberries. You just sit yourself down and fill your bucket.
From Sydney
- Head south on Esplanade Rd/NS-4 Trunk W toward Falmouth St, Continue to follow NS-4 Trunk W (4.6 km)
- Merge onto Peacekeepers Way/NS-125 W via the ramp to North Sydney/New Foundland Ferry (18.6 km)
- Take exit 1E for NS-105 E/Trans Canada Highway toward North Sydney/Newfoundland Ferry
- Merge onto Trans-Canada Hwy/NS-105 E (2.8 km)
- Take exit 21 toward NS-305/North Sydney/Sydney Mines
- Turn left onto Gannon Rd (68 m)
- Turn left onto Pleasant St/NS-305 E (71 m)
- Turn right onto Dinaut Dr/NS-305 E (signs for Nova Scotia 305 E/Sydney Mines)
- Continue to follow NS-305 E (800 m)
From Canso Causeway
- At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Trans-Canada Hwy/NS-4 Trunk E
- At the roundabout, continue straight onto Trans-Canada Hwy/NS-4 Trunk E (100 m)
- Slight left onto Trans-Canada Hwy/NS-105 E (signs for Trans-Canada Highway/Cheticamp/Baddeck/Sydney) (142.0 km)
- Take exit 21 toward NS-305/North Sydney/Sydney Mines (140 m)
- Turn left onto Gannon Rd (68 m)
- Turn left onto Pleasant St/NS-305 E (71 m)
- Turn right onto Dinaut Dr/NS-305 E (signs for Nova Scotia 305 E/Sydney Mines)
- Continue to follow NS-305 E (800 m)
Travel the Trans-Canada Highway (route 105) and follow the signs to the Newfoundland Ferry in North Sydney. Before entering the ferry terminal yard you take Exit 21 toward Sydney Mines and follow Purves St along the sore. Enter the Indian Beach parking lot on your right, just past Rollie’s Wharf Restaurant.
