Seven Miles Under the Atlantic
Written by: Hughie MacArthur
This is the true story of a Cape Breton coal miner whose life was shaped by work beneath the Atlantic Ocean, the loss of fellow miners, addiction, recovery, union service and the lasting effects of trauma. It is not a story about one mine alone. It is about the culture that surrounded mining: families who waited at home, men who depended on one another 7 underground, union brothers and sisters who fought for fairness, and injured workers who still needed someone beside them after the shift was over.
"I entered the mine as a teenager who wanted a paycheque and a way out of town. I came to understand, much later, that the mine had become part of me. This book is my attempt to tell that story plainly."
The Narrative
One man. A lifetime underground. A story that reaches far beyond the coal mine.
Hughie MacArthur takes you deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean into the dangerous, demanding world of coal mining and into a life shaped by hard work, brotherhood, loss, and purpose.
Hughie MacArthur
Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Hughie MacArthur is a lifelong coal miner, safety advocate, and storyteller whose experiences span decades beneath the Atlantic Ocean. As an International Auditor and Safety Representative for the United Mine Workers of America, Hughie witnessed firsthand the dangers, friendships, hardships, and triumphs of life underground.
In Seven Miles Under the Atlantic, he shares his journey—not just as a miner, but as a man shaped by hard work, brotherhood, loss, resilience, and purpose.
Contact: sevenmilesundertheatlantic@gmail.com