Residents of Peggy's Cove described Noel as the worst weather event in living memory. The force of the storm during the night is well illustrated by a couple of storm chasers on websites:
- George Kourounis: Storm Chaser & Adventurer - Post tropical Hurricane Noel
- Ultimate Chase
Breaking waves of 120 ft high were estimated during the night by storm chasers on youtube. Waves broke a south-facing window in the lighthouse and water flowed across the northeast corner of the Sou'wester Restaurant parking lot, estimated at 12 m above sea level. Boulders as large as 6m x 5m x 2m were moved, including rocks tossed onto the restaurant parking lot and against the sewage treatment plant.
Peggy's Cove: Breaking wave a day after Noel struck NS illustrates the power of the sea
The most remarkable story is the flooding of the village by seawater that came from the east. Above the village there is a shallow east-west valley that drains west into the harbour and east to the ocean. At the highest point of the valley there is a breakwater/dam built in 1915 to prevent seawater from flooding the village. After hours of steady pounding by water during Noel, the breakwater broke about 03:00 am. Water flowed into the village eroding both sides of the harbour road and carrying sediment and other debris into the harbour as it flowed past and through a number of buildings, including a gift shop named Beal's Bailiwick.