This Howlite Update features specimens that are remarkable for the species. Howlite is only known as crystals from this one locality worldwide – Lake Bras D’Or, Iona, Nova Scotia. The specimens in this update are super for the locality and represent selected top pieces collected over a period from 2001 to 2012 – they were acquired as part of the collection of well-known Canadian collector Terry Collett.

Howlite, Bras D’Or Lake, Iona, Nova Scotia – crystal group 2.2 cm

Howlite, Bras D’Or Lake, Iona, Nova Scotia – 8.1cm (crystal group – 2.6 cm)

Howlite, Bras D’Or Lake, Iona, Nova Scotia – crystal group 1.8 cm

More information about this occurrence and the howlites is included in the specimen descriptions themselves under “About These Howlites.”
I did not mention in the “About These Howlites” section just how harsh the locality can be. It is on the shoreline of an extremely temperamental body of water. Within literally thirty minutes, it can change from still and calm, to stormy with waves a few feet high. I’ve been caught by this phenomenon – one day the waves took most of my howlites, a few of my collecting tools and the hat right off my head. (None of these items were recoverable – I was busy scrambling back up the cliff! Fortunately, none of the howlites were that great.) If you are a delicate cluster of howlite crystals, it is a hard place to survive.