Capstan Island: Located near the larger communities of West St. Modeste which is a few miles to the cast, Capstan Island not on an island, but, according to the Southern Labrador website, it got its name from a small tidal island offshore where in 1851 the residents constructed a capstan.

So, what is a capstan? Interestingly the DNLE has several meanings for the word "capstan" including the following:

(1) A "cove": i.e., a small bay or inlet of the sea affording shelter to small craft, the inhabited coastal strip of such an indentation; SETTLEMENT; (2) A "head": i.e., the innermost part of a bay, harbour or inlet, the land adjoining the inmost part of a bay; BOTTOM; (3) A "room": i.e., a tract or parcel of land on the waterfront of a cove or harbour from which a fishery is conducted; the stores, sheds, 'flakes,' wharves and other facilities where the catch is landed and processed, and the crew housed; often with specifying word: ADMIRAL; (4) A "stopper": i.e., a net used to catch seals migrating in coastal waters; STOP; and (5) A "watch": i.e., one of the groups of men on a sealing vessel organized to hunt seals on the ice-floes; GANG.

However, it would appear that none of the definitions are the one that pertains to this settlement. According to Wikipedia contributors (2020) and corroborated on the Southern Labrador website a "capstan is a sturdy wooden post and handle, mounted in a stabilizing frame, used to wind-in a rope or cable to block seals in the bay".

According to Wikipedia contributors, sealing began in the area in the mid 1850s, and at that time "a large capstan was placed on the island and a seal net attached to it.

When harp seals migrated along the shore in spring, the net 'box' trapped them". In 2016 there were 41 inhabitants in the settlement, a 5.1% increase over the earlier census in 2011.

Used with permission from "Uncovering the Origin of 1001 Unique Place Names in Newfoundland and Labrador" 2021 Jennifer Leigh Hill

Address of this page: http://nl.ruralroutes.com/CapstanIsland