I have installed a Guestbook at the request from a friend of mine. She thought it would be a good idea, and so do I. Use it to communicate with each other and pass on information, or to comment on something written. Also, please use it to tell me what is wrong – errors, misspellings, missing links, etc. That way we can keep the material up-to-date and correct. Thanks. Hope to see you on here.
By the way, the comments section is still open – use it just to comment on each article rather than as a general comment on the site, or use both.
The Guestbook can be found above this article listed just below the main photograph on each page, or click here.
One of the interesting things about writing articles about lighthouses, is that one gets to do a lot of research on maritime matters such as boats, shipping, photography.
TCV underway
My last article on the Thomas Crosby V (TCV) left me with the question, what happened to the ship itself? According to all the reports she was sold to Kennford Limited, a cruise operator in the Cayman Islands. The only listing I can find in the Cayman Islands is Kennford Hotels, and then it is a dead end. Continue reading Lost Boats #1 – Thomas Crosby V→
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)→
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!→
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.
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!→
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)→
Do any of my readers know where I would be able to obtain kerosene lamp mantles for lighthouse lamps? I received this email today, and would like to be able to help this lady out.
Iconic lighthouses lead the way to The Bahamas from the Caribeean News Now
Map of BahamasNASSAU, Bahamas — Sailors prized them. Pirates hated them. Today they are romantic symbols of adventure, travel and solitude. Lighthouses still stand watch throughout The Islands of The Bahamas and The Bahamas Lighthouse Preservation Society safeguards three of the world’s few remaining kerosene-burning, hand-wound lighthouses.
Built in 1863, the famed Hope Town Lighthouse on Elbow Cay, Abaco still guides boats and ships today. Boating remains a way of life in the Abacos and throughout The Bahamas and the lighthouses are treasured even if modern captains navigate by satellite. Continue reading Travel – Bahamas Has Two Dozen Lighthouses!→
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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“W B G” of Alberni writes, under date of Feb 6, to the Vancouver Province as follows: Editor Province: As you will see by the heading of this letter, I wish to attract through your columns, if possible, attention to the unguarded condition of West Coast Vancouver Island. By unguarded, I refer to the lack of communication and also of warning from which that coast is in need. The Dominion Government has granted an appropriation for a telegraph line to Alberni from Clayoquot, which is certainly, when accomplished, a step in the right direction. But I consider it will be but one step in the direction desired, and the erection of at least 2 or 3 more lighthouses or beacon stations is imperatively required along the long and dangerous coast line on West Coast Vancouver Island, which has been only too significantly named the “bone yard of the Pacific”. Whilst I am writing this the United States Government vessel Grant is cruising up this coast to find, if possible, further particulars and details as to the cause of the large amount of wreckage strewed from Carmanah Continue reading Lighthouse History – 14 (1901-02-12 to 1901-06-20)→
