Parks Canada wants you to visit Sable Island, but you no longer have to travel by boat or plane. Instead, the government agency has created three virtual experiences to let you get up close and personal with the famous wild ponies and grey seals.
Situated 290 km southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, the island is difficult to reach. Visitors are allowed to access the island in January and February and from June to October, but need permission from Parks Canada and they must book their trip through a licensed operator.
And since few have the resources or perhaps the time for such an excursion, Parks Canada hopes their digital exhibits, which are found on the Google Arts and Culture platform here, will give more people access to this magical place. The exhibits give viewers a virtual journey to the island using 360-degree footage and images including one called Fences in the Sand, which explores the ponies’ impact on Sable Islands dunes and other ecology.