Monthly Archives: September 2011

Lighthouse History – 16 (1902-01-14)

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The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: “Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Queen City, which returned to port from Ahousett and way ports on West Coast Vancouver Island yesterday, brought more news of wreckage. At 2 ports at which she called on her down trips news was given to her officer, meagre, but alarming, of a vessel seen off the coast floating bottom upward. This latest victim of the heavy gales was unidentified, and all that could be learned was that she was a good-sized sailing vessel, which was described by the Indians as a Schooner, thought to be a 3-master. It was at Clo-oose that the 1st news of the derelict was received. Rev Mr Stone reported that Indians had come in after sighting the derelict floating bottom upward a short distance off the coast. No particulars were learned by him which might render her identification possible.  Continue reading Lighthouse History – 16 (1902-01-14) →

Thomas Crosby V – One of the “Bookboats”

Adult Memories, Books, British Columbia, Lighthouses, Mission Boats, Old Website, Recipes, Recreation, Ships, , , , , , , , , , ,
TCV underway

One of the most frequent visitors to the lighthouses, beside the Coast Guard (CG) ships and helicopters, was the United Church medical mission boat, nicknamed a God-Boat or Godship, the Thomas Crosby V (TCV).

The following article used to be on the Prince Rupert Library (PRL) website. The article was borrowed with their permission before it was removed from their website.

In this story the boats were nicknamed the “Bookboats” because they brought with them a library of books, both fiction and non-fiction for all ages, plus an assortment of magazines. After the Prince Rupert Library ceased sending boxes of books to the lighthouses, the TCV was one of our only sources of reading material.

TCV at Boat Bluff - photo Ed Whitebone

Not only books, they also brought friendship, and on many trips, a nurse. The nurses were most welcome to families with young children, advising on baby problems and administering inoculations when required. The minister on board came as a friend and was welcomed as one. They performed baptisms and weddings, and provided counselling when required. Just like the lightkeepers, the ministers on the Thomas Crosby V were jack-of-all-trades. – JAC Continue reading Thomas Crosby V – One of the “Bookboats” →

Memories of Boat Bluff c. 1980s

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– Ray MacKenzie (Assistant Keeper on Boat Bluff 1982 – 1986) 

Boat Bluff at low tide, Summer 2003; Mike Higgins photo

My wife Petra and myself and our dog Butch arrived on Boat Bluff Lightstation on the 2nd day of October, 1982 aboard the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker “CCGS Wolfe”, having been picked up in Port Hardy by Capt. Mellis on the CCGS WOLFE whilst it was on it’s fall re-fuelling run.

It had been a very nice, albeit long trip, as we were on the fall refuelling run. We had an opportunity to go ashore at a few of the stations which made it very interesting to a couple of greenhorns with stars in their eyes.  Continue reading Memories of Boat Bluff c. 1980s →

A Casualty of Automation

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      The following was an actual advertisement in an Irish newspaper: 

      1985 Blue Volkswagen Golf
      Only 15 km
      Only first gear and reverse used
      Never driven hard
      Original tires
      Original brakes
      Original fuel and oil
      Only 1 driver
      Owner wishing to sell due to employment lay-off

At least according to Dan’s Lighthouse Page.

 

A Return to Foghorns a Boon to Safety Even in Age of GPS

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photo - Chris Mills

A return to foghorns a boon to safety even in age of GPS

by Glen Farrough,  Vancouver Sun, September 08, 2011

It’s been roughly eight years since the Coast Guard silenced most of the foghorns on our coastal lighthouses, for a saving of $75,000 per year. The main reason used to justify this move was the increasingly widespread use of global positioning system (GPS) devices.

But this same Coast Guard still feels it’s necessary to have all their visual aids to navigation in place. They maintain their system of day markers, cardinal buoys, lighthouses, etc. Continue reading A Return to Foghorns a Boon to Safety Even in Age of GPS →

Drowning at Lawyer Island c. 1904

British Columbia, Childhood Memories, Coast Guard, In Memorium, Keepers, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Ships, Women, , , , , , ,
Lawyer Island Lighthouse; photo - CCG Prince Rupert

In the Lighthouses of British Columbia guestbook I came across an entry by an “M. W. Harding”. He stated that his grandfather had been the first lighthouse keeper on Lawyer Island, near Prince Rupert, BC, and had accidentally drowned. I contacted Mr. Harding and got more information from him about his grandfather’s death. – JAC

– Ned Harding (Grandson of Thomas Harvey who was Senior Keeper at Lawyer Island 1921 – c.1905)

I have some information regarding the Lawyer Island Lighthouse. This information was given to me by my mother who was the daughter of the original keeper. The keeper’s name was Thomas Harvey who took care of the light starting approximately 1901. He was married to my grandmother in 1898 and my mother was born in Vancouver in 1899.

My mother and grandmother were also at Lawyer Island from about 1902. The grandmother’s name was Hannah G. Harvey, and my mother’s original name was Frances T. Harvey. The light was tended by this duo until 1904 when my grandfather was lost in the sea while rowing to Prince Rupert as was his practice from time to time.

CCGS Quadra; photo - CCG

When he failed to return, the light was tended by my grandmother. She kept the light operating for about two weeks after he disappeared. She also lit a huge bonfire on the beach to attract attention to her plight. After the incident, she and my mother were returned to Vancouver on the Coast Guard Ship “Quadra”.

I have no knowledge as to who the new lightkeeper was after my grandfather was lost. We have little more than this account since it appears little other history remains of this light and the Coast Guard has been no help. When I grew up as a youngster I was apprised of this account by my grandmother and my mother, both of them sadly long since passed.

Book – Women on a Lighthouse? You Bet!

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In the early days women were not listed as lighthouse personnel, even though they often did the work of a second man. A lady in the US has written a book about the “Ladies of the Lights” on the Great Lakes. The following quote from the Great Lakes Echo will explain more:

However, the people who operated the lighthouses, often in bleak and isolated conditions, are less known – especially the 52 women who served as keepers and assistant keepers for more than a century on lakes Michigan, Superior and Huron and the Detroit River. Continue reading Book – Women on a Lighthouse? You Bet! →

Here is a Way to Help Support People and Save Lighthouses

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Children's Memorial stones at Edgarton Lighthouse

The idea is very simple, and was given to me by the Edgarton Lighthouse Children’s Memorial article in The Martha’s Vineyard Times. The people built a memorial walkway around the lighthouse and “envisioned a smooth sea of stone around the base of the lighthouse, a terrace paved with small granite blocks engraved with the names of children who had died.” 

“Today, the memorial — a simple, elegant plaza around the base of the lighthouse that bears the names of 542 children gone before their time — is a source of comfort to bereaved family members and friends.”

“New stones are engraved and placed . . . twice a year; a map and list at the site indicates the position of each child’s stone. An engraved stone may be purchased for $250 US, a cost that hasn’t changed since the memorial began.”

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A plaque in the Memorial Wall in Prince Rupert for a friend of mine

Now this idea does not have to be only about children who died. How many of you have been to the city of Prince Rupert, BC, Canada? There they have two large “Memorial Walls” – “There is one wall for those that died at sea and one wall for those that lived by and loved the sea.”

The last time I checked Prince Rupert charges $175 CDN for a brick in their memorial wall and “Since the first order of bricks were received in August 1991 there are now over 950 memorial bricks placed in the walls“. 

It does not matter how much is charged, or for who the memorial is for, but a lighthouse is a great place to construct something like this. It helps pay for support and maintenance of the lighthouse, and as the lighthouse brings comfort to mariners, the memorial stones bring comfort to those who lost a a friend or family member.

Coming Soon to Facebook!

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New farm in Farmville

OK, I don’t play it, but Facebook says that 35, 566,567 people play it! Anyways, for those of you included in that 35, 566,567 Farmville is releasing a new farm in the Fall called appropriately Lighthouse Cove, so get your playing fingers ready, and go for it! As for me, I have no idea how to play the game, but maybe I might get interested in this part. Anybody going to tell me how you play? Continue reading Coming Soon to Facebook! →

Lighthouse History – 15 (1901-07-20 to 1902-01-03)

Construction, History, Information, Keepers, Lighthouses, Newspapers, , , , , , ,

The following extracts taken from early Victoria, British Columbia (BC) newspapers are credited to Leona Taylor for her excellent work in indexing the papers. Full information can be found here: “Index of Historical Victoria Newspapers“, 2007-09.

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Queen City sailed tonight for Cape Scott, Quatsino and way ports of West Coast. On her down trip she will bring a consignment of clams from Quatsino. She will also have a consignment of gold from Wreck Bay. On her last trip she saved the lives of 2 men in the rescue of a Columbia River boat which was threatened with destruction on the breakers at Wreck Bay. A new propeller is being made which is calculated to increase the speed of Steamer 
An immense run of salmon in the Straits was reported by lighthouse keeper Daykin of Carmanah Point yesterday. [Colonist, 1901-07-20]

The storm of Christmas night played havoc along the coast of Vancouver Island, upon which in years past so many wrecks have been thrown during the stormy season. This time, fortunately, no vessels, unable to withstand the force of wind and seas, were caught out in it, at least a close lookout was kept along the coast by the officers of Queen City, which arrived last night, and no signs of distressed or wrecked vessels was seen, Continue reading Lighthouse History – 15 (1901-07-20 to 1902-01-03) →