Capelin Cove is located on the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton Island in a secluded area of Richmond County, Nova Scotia. The cove consists of a spectacular crescent sand beach backed by marram grass covered sand dunes. Further inland is a large lagoon, which opens to the ocean during periods of high rainfall or when the ocean overwashes the dunes. The sides of the cove are lined with eroding high cliffs with occasional rock outcroppings.

This tranquil cove became the focus of a great deal of activity on September 15, 1995, when the M/V Chiloli, a 75 meter offshore supply vessel, was found abandoned and aground on the beach. The RCMP immediately took control of the vessel as it had been used to transport contraband drugs. Once the criminal investigation was complete, the vessel was turned over to the Canadian Coast Guard for salvage.

Inspections by environmental emergency personnel from Coast Guard and Environment Canada revealed that the vessel still contained approximately 225,000 litres of diesel fuel and lubricating oil. In addition, it also contained other oily wastes and garbage. The grounded vessel acted as a breakwater which caused erosion of an adjacent area of the sand beach. Options for dealing with the vessel included doing nothing, pumping off the oil and leaving the vessel, and removing both the vessel and it's contents in one operation.

The Regional Environmental Emergency Team(REET) members, through Environment Canada staff, promoted the latter option. Coast Guard agreed and quickly mounted an operation to offload the diesel oil to tanks on shore from which it could be trucked out on an old logging road to the highway and to a recycling facility. At high water on the evening of October 9, the vessel was refloated and towed to Halifax, N.S., where it was offered for sale.

Throughout the salvage operations, Environment Canada staff monitored the activities at Capelin Cove and provided advice on the protection of the susceptible beach ecosystem. Sand dunes and their marram grass cover are very sensitive to vehicle and machinery traffic. Destabilization of the backshore can result in erosion and increase beach overwashing during storms. To prevent such damage, access to the site was strictly controlled during the operation and machinery traffic was confined, as much as possible, to the beach forshore.

The area which eroded behind the vessel was quickly infilled by wave action once the vessel was removed. Backshore areas, which were damaged, were levelled and revegetated, as required. Follow up surveys were conducted to evaluate the recovery of the beach and dune areas and to assess the need for additional remedial action. The beach road was also posted to inform the public of the sensitive nature of the vegetation to vehicle traffic.

Rehabilitation work was completed in the fall of 1995. Capelin Cove is again an ideal area for a secluded walk.