Groceries & Mail – Page 2 – Lighthouse Memories

Grocery Mishap at Kains Island (Quatsino) c.1975

March 2, 2012accident, BC, foam, groceries, lighthouse, litehouse, mail, sea foam, workboatAdult Memories, Coast Guard, Equipment, Groceries & Mail, Incidents, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Storms, WorkboatsretlkprLeave a Comment

The landing under the hook (aka highline) at Kains Island was a large basin at the back side. It looked like a very large boulder had been washed out from the hole. It was a bit tricky if the swell was running to bring the station inflatable in safely but we never had a accident in […]

Sisters Island Lighthouse c. 1927-1928 – Short Stories

February 24, 2012adventures, BC, groceries, Henry H. | Smithman, lighthouse, litehouse, mail, Sisters IslandAdult Memories, Childhood Memories, Equipment, Foghorns, Government, Groceries & Mail, Incidents, Keepers, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Stories, WomenretlkprLeave a Comment

Groceries at Sisters Island c. 1927 – Elizabeth Kate (Stannard) Smithman (Wife of Henry Herbert Smithman who was Senior Keeper at Sisters Island 1927 – 1929) Light keepers have to take a four-month supply of food when they go on as there’s no way of getting anything otherwise. No stores to run to and no neighbours […]

Of Ice and Men

February 19, 2012CG, Coast Guard, ice, ice breaker, lighthouse, litehouse, northern Canada, Pamela | Coulston, supply, Wilfred | LaurierAdult Memories, Coast Guard, Equipment, Government, Groceries & Mail, Lighthouses, Ships, Storms, Travel, Weather, WomenretlkprLeave a Comment

Following along with yesterday’s story about travel on a CCGS ice breaker, and with the permission of the author, Pamela Coulston, I am reprinting her article here about life on Canadian Coast Guard ice breakers servicing the north and the lighthouses. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. **************************** Of Ice and […]

Supplies for Cape Scott Lighthouse 1975

February 15, 20121975, accident, Cape Scott, CCGS Douglas, groceries, lighthouse, litehouse, ship, Sir James | Douglas, workboatAdult Memories, Boats, Coast Guard, Construction, Equipment, Groceries & Mail, Incidents, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, Ships, Workboatsretlkpr2 Comments

In 1975 we (myself, my wife Karen and our two young children, our dog, cats, and all our furnishings) were on our way clockwise around Vancouver Island from Quatsino lighthouse to Pachena Point on board the CCGS Sir James Douglas with acting Captain Tom Hull. This was a grocery run so the trip was already pre-planned and we […]

Groceries at Green Island c.1975

February 12, 2012accident, beachcombing, Cloo-Stung, Green Island, groceriies, highline, lighthouse, litehouse, mail, overboard, Prince Rupert. BCAdult Memories, Beachcombing, Coast Guard, Equipment, Groceries & Mail, Incidents, Lighthouses, Old Website, ShipsretlkprLeave a Comment

The Cloo-Stung was a catamaran of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) used for delivery of personnel and supplies to Prince Rupert area lighthouses in protected waters. The groceries were delivered to the Coast Guard base in Prince Rupert from the local stores. These were then packed in slings (large canvas or net circles with ropes attached to […]

Triple Island – Inside the Lighthouse – 2012

February 6, 2012automation, BC, Canada, Glenn | Borgens, Heritage lighthouse, inside, lighthouse, litehouse, photos, Triple IslandAutomation, Coast Guard, Communication, Construction, Equipment, Government, Groceries & Mail, Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act, Light, Lighthouses, On The Job, Radio, Ships & Shippingretlkpr2 Comments

In June 22, 2011 I published an article about the Triple Island 3rd order lens which has now been replaced with a flashlight (see the article). I have never spent any work time on Triple Island, but I have landed there once or twice with the Coast Guard helicopters as a passenger. I never […]

Groceries and Mail on a Lighthouse

February 5, 2012BC, Canada, groceries, helicopters, lighthouse, litehouse, mail, McInnes Island, post, Post office, shipsAdult Memories, Coast Guard, Fishing, Groceries & Mail, Helicopters, Lighthouses, Old Website, On The Job, ShipsretlkprLeave a Comment

Some of you may wonder why the number of stories about re-supplying the lighthouses exceeds the others on this site by a large margin (lots more coming!). Next to the family and job, the arrival of the mail and groceries was the most important event in the life of the lightkeeping family. Imagine no telephone, […]

Surviving on Fiddle Reef Lighthouse c. 1950s

February 3, 2012Art | Swanson, childhood memories, children, Fiddle reef, lighthouse, litehouse, Oak BayAdult Memories, Childhood Memories, Children, Equipment, Groceries & Mail, Keepers, Light, Lighthouses, Recreation, Rowboat, School, Weather, WomenretlkprLeave a Comment

View Larger Map On January 21, 2012 I wrote about a family that lived on the lighthouses in the 1950s up to the 1960s, all in the days of no electricity – only kerosene lamps. I now have another installment from Ms. Juanita (Swanson) DuLong. She was only four years old at the time on […]

Life on the Lighthouses c. 1950s to 1960s

January 21, 2012Cape Mudge, children, Fiddle reef, lighthouse, litehouse, Pine Nootka, SistersChildhood Memories, Children, Christmas, Equipment, Foghorns, Groceries & Mail, Keepers, Light, Lighthouses, On The Job, School, Travel, Visitors, WomenretlkprLeave a Comment

I receive links to lighthouse stories in the most unbelievable ways. This one arrived in the middle of an email addressed to someone else, which was then passed on to me. After contacting this first writer I was passed on to another. To keep track of all my contacts I think I will soon need […]

I Remember . . . c. early 1960s

January 18, 2012children, groceries, holidays, Jeannie Hartt, Lanagara, lighthouse, litehouse, memories, schoolingAdult Memories, Boats, Books, Childhood Memories, Children, Equipment, Groceries & Mail, Hobbies, Lighthouses, Travel, WeatherretlkprLeave a Comment

– from Jeannie (Hartt) Nielsen (daughter of Ed Hartt, Senior Keeper on Langara 1957 – 1963) SmellsGrowing up on a total of five different west coast lighthouses I remember certain things that were common to them all. The best day was always supply day (see also the Groceries & Mail Categories). When we were on […]

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