Life on First Narrows Lighthouse and Fog Station c. 1915+

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Capilano Lighthouse behind the Empress of Japan - photo Dudley Booth

 

– a letter written by Dorothy Mawdsley (Harris) Harrop (daughter of first light keeper, George Alfred Harris, at Capilano 1915 – 1925),  with special thanks to Alfred Harrop, grandson of George Alfred Harrop, for letting me post the text of the letter.

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This letter is a bit long, as people were prone to write a lot before the advent of computers. If you have the time, this is a fascinating story of life way back then. – JAC

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Perhaps my grandchildren will take time to read this when I am long gone. We came to Vancouver  in 1909. I had just turned my 13th birthday. My father could not get work of any description. He had a Chief Engineer Ticket from Liverpool [UK]  but owing to the B.C. laws he was not allowed to work as an engineer even on a small tug in the inlet. It must have been very hard on both my father and my mother.  Continue reading Life on First Narrows Lighthouse and Fog Station c. 1915+ →

Lighthouse History – 36 (1909-12-07 to 1910-09-30)

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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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Captain Gaudin, Agent of Marine, has received details from David Logan, lineman at Clo-oose, regarding the wreckage washed ashore near Carmanah as recently reported by wireless despatches. Mr Logan’s report says that among the things found were 12 sacks of flour, 23 tins of coal oil, 2 50-gal barrels of coal oil, a case of bird seed and some broken things. At Ucluelet a bottle was found containing some pieces of paper, it having been thrown from Steamer President in Oct. 
Lumber seen floating off the Vancouver Island coast recently was probably from Schooner Yosemite which has arrived at San Francisco and reports having 60,000′ of lumber washed from her decks on Nov 27, when 30 miles from Columbia River. The coal oil found on Vancouver Island coast is supposed to have been part of that included in the cargo of the wrecked Schooner Argo consigned to the Tillamook lighthouse. [Colonist, 1909-12-07] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 36 (1909-12-07 to 1910-09-30) →

I Remember . . . c. early 1960s

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Langara Point

 

– from Jeannie (Hartt) Nielsen (daughter of Ed Hartt, Senior Keeper on Langara 1957 – 1963) 

 

 

Smells
Growing 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 Langara lighthouse in the early years (1957 – 1963) we received supplies every three months. I can remember the first thing I listened for in the early morning of landing day was the clicking sound of the damper in the chimney of the kitchen’s oil stove. When I heard that I knew that there would be no supplies landed that day as the wind was too high.

One December I heard that dreaded sound twenty (20) days in a row, and each day the ship tried to bring our groceries. We would watch as it would come into view just off Langara Rocks. They would assess the landing conditions, then we would watch with growing dispair as it turned back to the safety of a nearby harbour. Finally on the 21st day, the supply tender (itself running out of provisions) was able to deliver our supplies.  Continue reading I Remember . . . c. early 1960s →

Mise Tales One

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No, it’s not a misprint, but what is a Mise?

When I was a teenager I always had stuff to repair, and my Father had drawers of spare stuff  that I needed for the repairing.

In the wall of small drawers was one labelled Mise. These were very small drawers and the hand-written label on meical adhesive tape was also small and very hard to read.

In the Mise drawer were small nails. In my naivety I assumed that Mise was a special designation of Mice, and these small nails then became Mice Nails to me.

It was not until I was out and working did I discover they were actually called finishing nails, and the drawer label actually read Misc, which naturally stood for Miscellaneous!

So I will dedicate these pages to my Father, Alec F. Coldwell. This is Mise Tales One and I will post here miscellaneous things I find that are too short to make a full story. I do hope there will be many more Mise Tales later.

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Music Video – Lighthouse by Westlife

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 This song is by Westlife (Facebook link), a group that has been in the charts since 1998. It is from their final album “Greatest Hits” . The Irish group has said they will be splitting up after their final 2012 tour.

The album contains some older songs and four new ones including this one called “Lighthouse”. It is the band’s second compilation of greatest hits, following the 2002 release of “Unbreakable.” 

http://youtu.be/6yCHe-hOAqI Continue reading Music Video – Lighthouse by Westlife →

Here Is How To Do It in Prince Edward Island

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This is how you go about saving a lighthouse. Work for it! Work together for it. Councillor Rob Lantz of Charlottetown electoral ward 3 (Brighton), Charlottetown, PEI, Canada has given me permission to repost this article here from his Ward 3 Brighton blog.

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Saving the Brighton Beach Range Light
Published by Councillor Rob Lantz on January 10, 2012   in Heritage

The  Brighton Beach Range Front Light is a designated heritage resource under the city’s Zoning & Development Bylaw. The lighthouse was built in 1890. It is an iconic symbol of our nautical heritage and provides a scenic shoreline vista that is photographed as much as, maybe more than, any other site in Charlottetown.

Random photos pulled from the photo sharing site Flickr.

Continue reading Here Is How To Do It in Prince Edward Island →

The Lighthouse Keeper – A Day in the Life

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Scottish lighthouses

In December 2011 I received a Guestbook entry from a Scottish ex-lighthouse keeper who said “I was made redundant from the service in 1992 and the last Keeper retired from the service in 1998 . . .” His name is Peter Hill and he has written a few poems about his life and also a book. The poem I like the best is reproduced below. 

Peter was a keeper in Scotland and I was a keeper in Canada, and we have never met before, but he wrote in the poem below:

“I dress in darkness yet know my style, my clothes on dresser neatly piled.”

Now only a lighthouse keeper would write about this fact about dressing in the darkness to go on the morning shift. I did the same thing, as it allows our eyes to adjust to the darkness so we can see better before going outside to observe the weather for the upcoming weather report.

I hope you enjoy the poem as much as I did.

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The Lighthouse Keeper – A day in the Life

In softest echo and muffled beep, I am awakened from my shallow sleep
Anticipating that very call! It’s a wonder how I sleep at all
Accustomed and by ritual seed refreshed in body by slumbers need
My motions slow and gentle take, while sleeping Mags, am careful not to awake
I dress in darkness yet know my style, my clothes on dresser neatly piled.
Shirt and jumper left till last, washed and ready for my watch.

Just as quietly as before, I open out the double door, closing soft and handle gripped on well oiled hinge in jam it slips Continue reading The Lighthouse Keeper – A Day in the Life →

Lighthouse History – 35 (1909-04-21 to 1909-10-12 )

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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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Many ex-Victorian seal hunters are on the Japanese sealing Schooner Matsu Maru, which recently put into Hesquoit and has proceeded on her sealing voyage off this coast on her way to Behring Sea, according to ProvincialConstable E McLeod of Clayoquot, who is in the city with an Indian woman, sentenced to one month’s imprisonment at Clayoquot for supplying liquor to other Indians. George Diehl, a well known local hunter, who has been hunting under the Japanese flag for 2 or 3 seasons, and 9 others, including a majority of Victorians. The Schooner has 9 hunting boats, on one white hunter is in charge of each boat, with 3 Japanese hunters. Captain Thompson is navigator of the vessel. 
The 2 Japanese who deserted from the Schooner at Hesquoit were captured at Clayoquot, after much trouble in reaching that village, and were returned on board when the Schooner was hove to off Lennard I lighthouse. She continued on her cruise after taking the deserters on board.  Continue reading Lighthouse History – 35 (1909-04-21 to 1909-10-12 ) →

What You Can Do With What You Can Find

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 The story I posted three days ago about the lighthouse for sale in Sitka, Alaska I found on this website called Completely Coastal. The website is a delightful mix of all things creative which are found by, or taken from the sea.

If you missed the story, click on the photo left to take you to the actual Sitka lighthouse story on my website. A fascinating place to own.

While researching the source of the term offiical navigational aid and the location and price of the home-built lighthouse for sale, I contacted the owner of Completely Coastal. Her name is Maya and she loves designing things from the sea.

Many of the advertisements on the right side of her website are also for products created from the sea. Her blog details in photos and text the creation of many of these products. I just love the driftwood Christmas tree. How many lighthouse keepers will have one of these in future years?

Take a look at her website. Drop a comment or two. Enjoy!

FOR SALE – Official Navigational Aid

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It seems that this guy in Sitka, Alaska built a house and lighthouse and had it approved as an Official Navigational Aid by the US Coast Guard as the Rockwell Lighthouse. The place is  for sale (January 2012). Attached below is the advertisement from Sitka Realty service.

Anyone interested? It’s a steal!

(This is only a photo of the webpage - none of the links work)

Some lovely photos of the inside and outside of this house on Old House Dreams website.

As for the term Official Navigational Aid, Canada also does it sometimes.