McInnes Island (marker with "A" - left) & Shearwater (far lower right)
McInnes Island had a light since 1921. There still are the remains of a wood post and a cement footing high on the SW corner of the island. But then in the early 1950s the Canadian government let a contract to build a lighthouse on the island. This was awarded to Stewart & Slade Construction who worked through 1953 and 1954 to complete the construction.
Ken Stewart 1953
In August of 1953,1 a young man, aged 19 years old at the time, was in the work crew hired by Stewart and Slade Construction. He was actually a relative of the boss as his Dad owned the company! His name was Ken Stewart and he worked with a group of other young men to build the lighthouse. Continue reading Building a Lighthouse – McInnes Island c. 1953→
Following along on the Lighthouse Lapel Pins collections, how many of you knew there were two Canadian lighthouse coins issued?
2004 Sambro Island lighthouse $20 coin
The first Canadian lighthouse coin was issued in 2004 and is from the Royal Canadian Mint (RCM) lighthouse series depicting the Sambro Island Lighthouse which was built in 1758 and remains North America’s oldest operating lighthouse. It is located at the mouth of Halifax Harbour, Nova Scotia.
The quantity minted was limited to 25,000 but only 17,515 were actually struck. Because of this this coin will be the lowest mintage coin in this series. It is now worth approximately $60 CDN (2011).
2005 Gibralter Point lighthouse $20 coin
The second Canadian lighthouse coin was issued in 2005, also by the Royal Canadian Mint with a limited mintage of 14,006. It depicts the Gibraltar Island lighthouse on Toronto Island, Ontario, Canada. A special feature of this coin is the high-tech minting technique which accentuates the beam of light from the lighthouse. It is also worth around $60 CDN (2011). If you want it with all the original RCM packaging, then it can be purchased for $109.88 (2011) from Colonial Acres Coins.
That’s it! There doesn’t seem to be anymore. Is there word of any more being issued? I do not know. Keep your eye out for the next one at the RCM website or sign up for the email newsletter.
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2003 Maine quarter (25 cent piece)
The US issued on June 02, 2003 a Maine State quarter depicting the Pemaquod lighthouse and is the 23rd quarter to be released in the U.S. Mint’s 50 State Quarters program. The Maine State quarter was the first U.S. coin to depict a lighthouse and it was only issued in a mintage of 448,800,000.
Launched in 1999, the United States Mint’s 50 State Quarters Program was a 10-year initiative that honored each of the nation’s states in the order that they ratified the Constitution or were admitted into the Union. Each quarter was produced for about 10 weeks and will never be produced again.
The 50 State Quarters were released by the United States Mint every ten weeks, or five each year. Each quarter’s reverse commemorated one of the 50 states with a design emblematic of its unique history, traditions and symbols.
A new Lighthouse Quarter from the US is to feature Acadia lighthouse. It is to be released in the Summer of 2012 – US Mint to Feature Acadia Lighthouse
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Early Roman coin showing a grain ship and the lighthouse at Alexandria (left)
The only other coin I can find with a lighthouse is one issued in AD 190 – 182 by the Romans. It depicts the famous lighthouse of Alexandria which fell down in 1323.
Are there any other coins in the world depicting lighthouses? Please drop me a comment or place a message in my Guestbook.
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2011-10-18
I was planning a holiday to Turkey, and for some reason one of my searches turned up an eBay page offering Turkish silver coins for sale. They are very beautifully engraved coins with lighthouses on them. Only two have been issued.
The first issued in 2008 depicts the Kizilada lighthouse in Fethiya, Turkey. The second issued in 2010 depicts the Ahikari lighthouse in Istanbul, Turkey.
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[update]
June 13, 2012 – Acadia National Park Quarter Products On Sale The United States Mint has started accepting orders for a number of numismatic products featuring the Acadia National Park Quarter. This coin represents the thirteenth release of the ongoing America the Beautiful Quarters
Program.
The reverse design of the quarter includes a view of the Bass Harbor Head Light House, which incorporates representative elements of the park including the lighthouse, the coastline, pine trees, and the ocean. Inscriptions surrounding the design include “Acadia”, “Maine”, “2012”, and “E Pluribus Unum”.
Workboat over the side CCGS Camsell - photo John Coldwell
– by Reg Gunn (First Mate on the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Sir James Douglas)
To see what life was like in the workboats that delivered our groceries and took us off for holidays, check out Reg Gunn’s article Life in the Canadian Coast Guard below.
I was talking with Reg Gunn and he told me “I remember when it was first published I received favourable comments from other Coast Guarders who also had enjoyed working the workboats on the west coast.”
It was a big one with a lot of energy. To slow down would have put us at risk of being carried forward up the shore. The stern went violently up and I felt my weight double. As I looked down the length of the boat, it was easy to see we were not in a very good position. I noted the crew were getting the pike poles ready for what ever came next. I thought to myself, this day has not improved. I knew the next thing would be the stern would go down just a fast and I would be floating in air.
At the top I kicked in the throttle and braced with all my strength as we went down. The stern met the next swell and we shipped considerable water but not enough to kill the engine. I opened the throttle again and backed up and over the next swell. On the back of the next one I did a full powered one eighty degrees turn to get us clear. I slowed and moved over to the lee of the aerial anchor rock. We could assess our situation here and get ready to go out through the gap.
I looked at our passengers. They were soaked. I said, “Are you all right there?” Mrs. Pearce said, Apart from being a bit wet, we are fine. Thought you were going to put us back ashore again their Reg. I was glad when you changed your mind!” Continue reading A Trip by Workboat from Carmanah Point c. 1970s – Part 2→
An impressive 33-metre-long aquarium went on display in Taipei, Taiwan on Friday at the opening ceremony of an aquarium expo.
The aquarium is believed to be the longest in the world and was built to celebrate Taiwan’s centennial this year. It features scenery and landmarks from around the island and 100 species of domestic cichlid fish.
The tank holds 28 tons of water and is made of tempered glass with an extra explosion-proof layer.
The aquarium has seven sections with nearly 30 modelled landmarks, including the Yehliu Geopark at the north coast, the landmark Taipei 101 building, Taiwan’s highest Jade Mountain, the Taroko National Park, and the Eluanbi Lighthouse down south. Each of the tanks is connected with a curved tank displaying waterfalls.
(NOTE: This is an image from the website. If the text is too small, hold down the CTRL key (lower left) on your keyboard and rotate the middle wheel on your mouse. The text will become larger or smaller depending on which direction you move the mouse wheel.) This applies to all websites and sites on the Internet.)
(NOTE: This is an image from the website. If the text is too small, hold down the CTRL key (lower left) on your keyboard and rotate the middle wheel on your mouse. The text will become larger or smaller depending on which direction you move the mouse wheel.) This applies to all websites and sites on the Internet.)
One of the benefits of having a “glamorous” job like a policeman, pilot, or lighthouse keeper is the collection of memorabilia such as models, photos, key-chain hangers, and lapel pins. This post is dedicated to lapel pins.
In the photos below you can see some of the pins that were collected by myself and my son over many years. From the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) we have helicopters and ships (CCGS) and hovercraft as well as crests. We also worked in close co-ordination with Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) and Coast Guard Radio. Continue reading Lighthouse Collections – Lapel Pins→
The following story came to mind when a friend of mine from Victoria made a comment on this website.
The water on the Inside Passage called Queen Charlotte Strait is know for its enveloping fogs which cover all land and sea, sometimes for days at a a time.
Pulteney Point (top middle) and Kluxewe river (bottom middle)
In the early 1970s I was stationed at Pulteney Point Lighthouse – my first appointment to the lightstation service. What a delightful place it was, and the keepers, Walt and Joyce Tansky were the best to have for a person starting on the lights.
– Dorothy Mawdsley (Harris) Harrop (daughter of first light keeper, George Alfred Harris, at Capilano 1913 – 1925) (with special thanks to Alfred Harrop, grandson of George Alfred Harris, for letting me post the text of the letter.)
First Narrows c. 1920 - photo Dudley Booth
[Father (George Alfred Harris)]. . . was given the First Narrows Light and Fog Station. I cannot remember but have a notion it was end of april 1915 when he took over. The light was first used May 17,1915 the day after my 17th birthday. The fog horn was started June 1, 1915.
It must have been rather hard him living there by himself. I do not know the dimensions of the lighthouse but it was full of engines. Two engines were the same and were there in case one broke down, then an air compressor which was linked with belts to pulleys from the engine to the wall and then up to a higher pulley and across to the compressor, hence by pipes to the fog horns. Continue reading Life at First Narrows (aka Capilano) c. 1913→
