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Blogs

Dreams of Being a Lighthouse Keeper

For years past, adults and children of all ages had dreams of growing up to be an adventurous lighthouse keeper. That dream is slowly dimming as the world automates its lighthouses. The following article from The Guardian  brings to our attention the dimming of the dream in the UK The lure of the lighthouse for […]

Light at the End of the World

Light at the End of the World Three Months on Cape St. James, 1941 by Hallvard Dahlie (orig from Raincoast 18, 1998) with notes from Jim Derham-Reid (last keeper on Cape St. James before automation) A strange interlude in my brief seafaring life took place in the fall of 1941, when I signed on as […]

Mise Tales Thirty-Four

  For an update on what a Mise Tale is then please see Mise Tales One. Jaw-dropping animated video on overfishing… It’s time for change!  ****************************  The Costa Concordia rests on its side on the morning of January 14, 2012 (click for larger photo)  Yes, it is a photo of the Costa Concordia, aground on the rocks, but […]

Something Even Better?

Something Even Better than working on a lighthouse? In an email with an ex British Columbia (BC) lighthouse keeper he mentioned that he was going to work in Alberta, Canada as a Fire Tower Lookout! What does that have to do with lighthouses? A lot from many people’s perspective! Both jobs have the isolation and romance […]

Reprint – DFO Shutting Down Coast Guard Radio Stations, but Prince Rupert’s Will Be Expanded

  I wrote an article on January 04, 2012 entitled MCTS To Lose Staff To Save Money. After that date, the department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO or F&O) have changed their plans. They are now closing whole stations instead of a removing a few men! The news article below is well written and explains what […]

A Trip by Helicopter up the West Coast to Carmanah Point 2006

 A trip by helicopter up the west coast of Vancouver island to Carmanah Point October 25, 2006  To see what part of the west coast of Vancouver island is like from the air, check out Mike Shepherd’s article Coast Guard Bell 212 Helicopter Trip.  There are some really nice shots of the Pacific Ocean and familiar lighthouses. – […]

You Just Thought Moving Was a Pain!

Let’s face it, nobody likes moving. All the packing, loading, carrying, lifting, unpacking. There’s probably nothing more unpleasant to go through, even when you’re moving to a better place and looking forward to moving in. But try compounding that with the almost insurmountable obstacle of living on an island. Not just any island, but a […]

Foghorns and the Changing Coastal Soundscape

 Foghorns and the Changing Coastal Soundscape Technology and politics are changing the tune of the maritime chorus April 20, 2012 | 3:46 PM | By Craig Miller and with thanks to Climate Watch Read the full text version of this story at KQED’s QUEST site. (more photos – retlkpr) East Brother Island, with the 19th-century lighthouse on the left and fog signal […]

Triangle Island Light and the HMCS Galiano

On the morning of October 30, 1918 in the vicinity of Triangle Island lighthouse, the HMCS Galiano foundered and sank. Not much is known about the sinking, but the story is associated with the Triangle Island lighthouse because that was their last port of call. Triangle Island is remembered as the most remote, isolated, lonely […]