Cole Harbour is the name for a natural harbour located in the Canadian

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 province of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...

.

It is located in central Halifax County

Halifax County, Nova Scotia

Halifax County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.The Municipality of the County of Halifax was the municipal government of Halifax County, apart from the separately incorporated towns and cities therein...

, with the mouth of the harbour located 6 kilometres northeast of Halifax Harbour

Halifax Harbour

Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...

.

The entrance to Cole Harbour is protected by Rainbow Haven Beach, a barrier beach which forms a lagoon on the inland side.

Measuring approximately 4 kilometres east to west and 3 kilometres north to south, the harbour is shallow and rocky. Virtually the entire shoreline and the harbour itself are protected by the provincial government as the Cole Harbour - Lawrencetown Coastal Heritage Provincial Park.

The centre of the harbour is divided by a man-made feature; during the late 19th century a railway

Rail transport

Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...

 was constructed from Dartmouth to Musquodoboit Harbour

Musquodoboit Harbour, Nova Scotia

Musquodoboit Harbour is a Canadian rural community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.The community is situated on the Eastern Shore at the mouth of the Musquodoboit River. the community lies 45 kilometres east of downtown Halifax...

 and crossed the width of Cole Harbour on a 3 kilometre causeway

Causeway

In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...

. Rail service was abandoned by CN Rail during the 1980s and the corridor has been converted to a rail trail

Rail trail

A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...

 as part of the Trans Canada Trail

Trans Canada Trail

The Trans Canada Trail is a proposed corridor in Canada. The creation of the trail was announced as part of Canada's 125th anniversary celebrations in 1992. It is expected that when complete, it will be the longest recreational trail in the world...

.

Part of the western shore of Cole Harbour was dyked during the 19th century to provide land for farmers. These structures were destroyed in the early 20th century and are now occupied by several residential homes along the Cow Bay road.

Notable celebrities hailing from Cole Harbour include Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby

Sidney Patrick Crosby ONS is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League . Crosby was drafted first overall by the Penguins out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...

 and Mike Clattenburg

Mike Clattenburg

Mike Clattenburg is a Canadian TV and film director best known as creator/director of the TV comedy series Trailer Park Boys , and This Hour Has 22 Minutes...

.

Communities

Communities along the shores of Cole Harbour from west to east include:

• Rainbow Haven
• Cole Harbour
  Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia
  Cole Harbour is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality. It is the hometown of Sidney Crosby.-Geography:...
  
  
• Upper Lawrencetown
  Upper Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia
  Upper Lawrencetown is a Canadian suburban community in Nova Scotia's Halifax Regional Municipality.It is located on the Eastern Shore along Route 207, also known as the Marine Drive.-References:*...
  
  
• West Lawrencetown
  West Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia
  West Lawrencetown is a community within the Halifax Regional Municipality Nova Scotia on the Eastern Shore on Route 207 along the scenic route Marine Drive.-History:...
  
  
• Naugle