Site of former Rocky Point Wharf January 2021
Died peacefully near Canceaux Cove on Charlottetown Harbour after a lengthy decline, aged 174 years. The Rocky Point Wharf had been a fixture of the Charlottetown Harbour since 1847 when funds were raised by public subscription to build the wharf. Earlier ferry services to the area has simply landed on the beach at various places along the shore. The wharf had served as a gathering point for South Shore residents as far away as DeSable for generations as they waited for the ferries that carried them back and forth across the harbour, especially during market days. The wharf was robust and well maintained until the 1960’s when its role was usurped by the West River Bridge at Meadowbank. Since then the wharf suffered from neglect and gradually fell into poor condition. Following decades of ignoring the wharf it was put out of its misery by bureaucrats from the Provincial Government late in 2020. The site of the wharf has been replaced with a large (and expensive) rock breakwater which seems to protect nothing. At the end of the breakwater the rubble from the wings of the wharf, which had formerly protected the docked ferry can still be seen, especially at low tide. Rocky Point wharf was predeceased by related structures such as the York Point Ferry Wharf at Francklyn Point and the Southport Ferry Wharf at Minchin Point. Visiting hours every day 2 to 4 and 7 to 9. Please omit flowers.
Rocky Point Wharf site looking toward York Point. The characteristic “Y” shape of the ferry slip can be seen at low tide.
The Rocky Point Wharf has been the subject of a number of Sailstrait postings including a close up view of the structure in 2013 (click here), postings relating to the ferries which docked at Rocky Point such as the Fairview (here) and earlier boats (here), and Rocky Point as a holiday destination (here)
Although not frequently visited in the last few years the wharf was a symbol of Charlottetown’s marine heritage and will be missed.
Rocky Point Wharf 9 September 2020. Google Earth. The remains of the pre 1915 wharf can be seen to the west (left) of the structure
Sailstrait 
I have many memories of my dad, Charlie Kirkpatrick, travelling by car across the ice from Charlottetown to Rocky Pt Wharf in the late 50’s & 60’s to sell Fuller Brush to his many customers on the South Shore.
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Great article Harry. Let’s hope they don’t do the same to Hayden and Cranberry Wharves on the Hillsborough River. The latter being a reminder of the early Irish settlement at Five Houses- the Glasgow Irish.
It may be too late as I believe this is already in the plans. There are mumbles about insurance liability and no-one seems to be pushing back on the total elimination of all unused wharves. –