– John Coldwell (assistant Keeper to Walt Tansky on Pulteney Point 1969 – 1972)
Lennard Island diaphone - photo Chris Mills
The diaphone is a unique organ pipe. The theory was based on a design for the Wurlitzer pipe organ invented by Robert Hope-Jones dating from 1895.
A special tone generator in the organ involved a piston vibrating inside a cylinder, which had slots through which air was discharged. The air passing through the slots caused a vibration which when amplified through a long cone (like a megaphone) created a powerful harmonic sound.
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.
Locked from World on North Island (Kains Island)… Thomas Sadler, lighthousekeeper describes horrors of isolation that left him a broken man – wife is driven to insanity by worry over plight of children…; Jan 7, 7 – Superintendent of Lights states report incorrect… [Colonist, 1919-01-05, p. 2]
To Cape Beale lighthouse there was taken a new lightkeeper, and with him went a cow. It so happened that a short distance from the light there was a whistling buoy floating on the water. This aid to navigation is such that air is compressed by the action of the waves and a whistle is thus actuated. The noise of the ingoing air and then the whistle is like a huge and gruesome groan, the note of whistle being like that of a foghorn. Continue reading Lighthouse History – 46 (1919-01-05 to 1920-03-18)→
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.
Died Apr 26, 1917 at Victoria, British Columbia, Nicholas Bertucci, Resident of here for 55 years, aged 79. native of Lavagna, Italy, he left there in early 1860s and came here by way of Cape Horn. Prior to coming to Victoria, he worked on an American survey ship, and after arriving here worked for 5 years as asst lighthousekeeper at Race Rocks. Later he owned and operated the Ferry Boat House, situated at that time where the E&N Railroad bridge now stands, selling it 1889. He leaves a widow, 7 sons: B G; L; and J, now on active service; N; A, Al; and F all of Victoria. Also 5 daughters: Mrs J Sault, Mrs H Galinger; Miss J, all of Victoria, and Mrs F Arnott, Continue reading Lighthouse History – 45 (1917-04-27 to 1918-12-08)→
The article I posted earlier about the storm at Cape Scott brought to mind a story I had written for the old website. This story (below) brought to the attention of the government one of the important attributes of BC lighthouse keepers – they are on-site!
*************************
Helicopter pad at McInnes
On Thursday October 12, 1984 Roger Mogg (my assistant) and I were up at the helicopter pad at McInnes Island lighthouse enjoying the clear Fall weather after lunch. We had been shooting clay pigeons with our shotguns and a newly acquired launcher. The wind was light, with very few clouds in the sky, so it made a perfect day for target practice in between weather reports.
Just then Karen called up that Stan at Egg Island had just notified the Coast Guard radio station in Bull Harbour that he had unexpected high winds and seas. Roger and I looked at each other and joked that Stan must have been into his home-made wine again! Looking down towards Calvert Island (between us and Egg Island) from our location on the helo (helicopter) pad we could see only clear sky with a trace of cirrus cloud. Calvert was over forty miles (64 kms) away and we could just see the top of it on the horizon. Egg Island was further south still. Continue reading The Storm of October 1984→
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.
photo 4 sons of Fred Marshall Eastwood, who has been the lighthousekeeper at Race Rocks for 25 years. Mr Eastwood has family of 12, the oldest now left at home is only 10. Sons: J W, RCE, 3rd Div; Private E E, Signaller, 103rd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force; Private J M, 1st Canadian Pioneers; Private R, 88th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. [Colonist, 1916-03-26, p. 5]
Breakwater now showing up well…; May 11, 11 – 25 cribs placed; brkwtr now showing up well…; Jul 2, 16, 17; photos Aug 20, 17 – only 80′ work uncomplete…; Sep 9, 11 – steady progress… Jan 12, 1917 – to have imposing lighthouse… Jan 28, 21 – completion of ocean docks calls for action…; Feb 11, 25 – Parfitt brothers get lighthouse contract [Ogden point breakwater]; Feb 21, 11 – Foghorn needed on new brkwtr; photo Apr 1, 25 -; will add 5,000′ to docking space; Piers nearing completion… [Colonist, 1916-04-08, p. 11] Continue reading Lighthouse History – 44 (1916-03-26 to 1916-08-25)→
Pamela Coulston, the lady that wrote the story Ice and Men which I reprinted on this website also has another talent – she designs jewellery – Canadian-inspired jewellery. This is not a plug to get you to buy her jewellery. I get no commissions from it. I just wanted to bring to your attention the craftsmanship here. Myself, I love silver jewellery, but there is also gold offered if you are so inclined. I have three or four favourites among her selections.
It’s hard to say which is my most favourite, but this salmon from her Canadian West Coast Marine Life collection is one of I would choose first. It is 5 cms long and swivels actively on a necklace. I would have to say this ranks number one with me.
You all know my feelings about the Enbridge Pipeline project (aka Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines) currently being proposed for British Columbia. I am definitely against it. During my years on the BC lighthouses I saw many examples of poorly managed mines and fisheries. Let us stop this one before it gets started and one oil spill creates havoc on our beautiful BC coast. Please read this student’s opinion. – retlkpr
We all like oil, because we like the benefits that come from oil: like our heat and our gasoline. But we’re all hypocrites, because we don’t like to see the oil, pay for it, or sacrifice our lifestyles for it. —more
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.
As I was collecting this information from the newspaper archive website, I noticed that many articles were in consecutive order and applied to Nootka Light, so I collected them all together here. It is a bit long, but interesting, as it describes the building of a lighthouse from the ground up as they say. Take note of the dates at the end of each article. it surely was not done overnight. More extensive information can be obtained from the actual scanned copies of the newspapers themselves on the above website.
******************************
Dominion Government Steamer lighthouse tender Estevan will clear Victoria for Ucluelet, with the lifeboat on board. Yesterday the craft was hoisted aboard and stowed on the foredeck, where it will remain until discharged at Ucluelet, where everything is in readiness for the reception, and with her arrival there will be tried out by the lifesaving crew.
After discharging the new power boat Estevan will take the lifeboat, at present stationed there, to Clayoquot, and the surf boat now at that point, will be brought South to Clo-oose. Estevan will also establish a gas lighted beacon at Channel Rk, Barkley Sound, to replace the one which broke adrift recently in a Southeast gale. While away from Port Estevan will also establish a temporary white light at Amphitrite Point, to mark the point, pending the construction of a new lighthouse. The unattended light at Amphitrite was carried away last week in a gale. [Colonist, 1914-01-06]
Plans for the new lighthouse to be established at Amphitrite Point, Ucluelet Arm, have just been received at the local offices of the Marine Dept. Work on the new structure will be started early in the new year and the contract will be rushed to completion as quickly as the weather will allow. The plans call for a reinforced concrete tower, which, when completed, will be 30′ in height. The tower will be surmounted by a 5th order lens, giving an adequate flashing radius for that section of the coast. Lighthouse tender Leebro will be used in transporting the construction materials from Victoria to Amphitrite Point, and it is expected that she will make her 1st trip there after the Xmas holidays. [Colonist, 1914-12-15]
Construction materials for the new lighthouse at Amphitrite Point will be taken on Leebro’s next trip North. As soon as possible after the New Year, Leebro, Captain Hunter, laden with cement and other materials that will go towards the construction of the concrete tower, will leave port for Amphitrite Point. It is expected that she will be almost exclusively engaged in transporting material to the site until such time as the structure is completed. Dominion Government Steamer Estevan, Captain Barnes, flagship of the fleet, is due to put to sea on Mon next with supplies for West Coast Vancouver Island. She will first proceed to Estevan to carry out some work at West Coast Vancouver Island Stations. [Colonist, 1914-12-30]
Within the next 2 weeks the new lighthouse at Amphitrite Point will be blinking its powerful rays seaward to the North of Barkley Sound. Lighthouse tender Leebro, Captain Hunter, in port yesterday from West Coast Vancouver Island, brought the news that the lighthouse is in the final stages of completion. When Leebro left there the workmen were putting the final touches to the 2nd storey of the lighthouse, and practically everything was in readiness for placing the lantern in position. The structure, which is built of solid concrete, is 2-storeys in height, and will be surmounted by a 5th order light. The construction of the lighthouse has been carried out in a remarkably short space of time. Captain Hunter says the recent trip to West Coast Vancouver Island was made under most favorable conditions, there being a total absence of gales, usually frequent at this season. Leebro is now loading and will put to sea with the last consignment of supplies for the light on Fri. [Colonist, 1915-02-24]
Mariners are officially notified that the new concrete lighthouse, at Amphitrite Point, West Coast Vancouver Island, to replace the former lighthousewhich was washed away during a heavy gale last fall, has been put into operation. [Colonist, 1915-03-26]
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 my three years on station.
Ocean Sea foam - photo unknown photographer
After a SE winter storm the hole would fill up with kelp stems broken off the surrounding reefs by the large swells. The swells then pounded this kelp into a tan-coloured foam which drifted all over the ocean and blew up into the trees and hung there like lichen. It was quite light but sticky to the touch.
One winter day we were expecting the supply ship with groceries, mail, etc. One of the Coast Guard buoy tenders arrived rocking and rolling in the swells in Quatsino Sound. Over the side went the workboat and then began the process of off-loading the supplies into her. We could see the orange-suited crew members on deck and in the boat but could not recognize anyone.
Lowering station boat into the hole - note the foam - photo retlkpr
As we watched the workboat pull away from the shelter of the ship we were called on the radio by an unknown voice that the boat was on its way in. We acknowledged and commented that this appeared to be a new mate. Always fun to see how much experience they had unloading under a highline.
The boat rolled across the half kilometer distance between us and the ship, sometimes disappearing completely in the swells. The mate brought the boat closer to shore and lined up with the small bay, all the while ploughing a path through the foam which was pushed aside by the bow. As the boat neared the gap the mate rode a swell in under the hook and all but completely disappeared!
We could see well from the winch shed and the highline deck but only heads were showing in the workboat – the rest had completely disappeared! During the night the storms had lashed the kelp to pulp and filled the gap with sea foam to almost a metre deep! The workboat rode in on the swell and right under the foam.
The gap from seaward at low tide - photo retlkpr
Pushing the foam aside, the crew grabbed the lowered hook, slipped on a set of slings and signalled Haul Away. As the bonnet sling left the well of the workboat it also left a nice clean spot in the boat. On landing on the highline deck above, it was discovered that everything was covered with the sea foam, but, all was OK on the inside of the cartons of groceries and bags of mail although a bit sticky on the outside. The foam, although appearing quite dense, was actually quite dry and no harm was done.
The mate was a little more cautious when he came in with the second load.
************************************
More information about the sea foam. Below is the content of an email I received in March 17, 2008.
HERE’S SOMETHING WE’LL NEVER SEE………WHIPPED OCEAN……..AMAZING!
Suddenly the shoreline north of Sydney was transformed into the Cappuccino Coast . Foam swallowed an entire beach and half the nearby buildings, including the local lifeguards’ centre, in a freak display of nature at Yamba in New South Wales .
One minute a group of teenage surfers were waiting to catch a wave, the next they were swallowed up in a giant bubble bath. The foam was so light that they could puff it out of their hands and watch it float away.
Boy in the bubble bath: Tom Woods, 12, emerges from the clouds of foam after deciding that surfing was not an option
It stretched for 30 miles out into the Pacific in a phenomenon not seen at the beach for more than three decades. Scientists explain that the foam is created by impurities in the ocean, such as salts, chemicals, dead plants, decomposed fish and excretions from seaweed. All are churned up together by powerful currents which cause the water to form bubbles. These bubbles stick to each other as they are carried below the surface by the current towards the shore. As a wave starts to form on the surface, the motion of the water causes the bubbles to swirl upwards and, massed together, they become foam.
The foam ‘surfs’ towards shore until the wave ‘crashes’, tossing the foam into the air.
Whitewash: The foam was so thick it came all the way up to the surf club
‘It’s the same effect you get when you whip up a milk shake in a blender,’ explains a marine expert. ‘The more powerful the swirl, the more foam you create on the surface and the lighter it becomes.’ In this case, storms off the New South Wales Coast and further north off Queensland had created a huge disturbance in the ocean, hitting a stretch of water where there was a particularly high amount of the substances which form into bubbles. As for 12-year-old beach goer Tom Woods, who has been surfing since he was two, riding a wave was out of the question ‘Me and my mates just spent the afternoon leaping about in that stuff,’ he said.
‘It was quite cool to touch and it was really weird. It was like clouds of air – you could hardly feel it.’
Children play among all the foam which was been whipped up by cyclonic conditions.
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.
******************************
Within the next 2 weeks the new lighthouse at Amphitrite Point will be blinking its powerful rays seaward to the North of Barkley Sound. Lighthouse tender Leebro, Captain Hunter, in port yesterday from West Coast Vancouver Island, brought the news that the lighthouse is in the final stages of completion. When Leebro left there the workmen were putting the final touches to the 2nd storey of the lighthouse, and practically everything was in readiness for placing the lantern in position. The structure, which is built of solid concrete, is 2-storeys in height, and will be surmounted by a 5th order light. The construction of the lighthouse has been carried out in a remarkably short space of time. Captain Hunter says the recent trip to West Coast Vancouver Island was made under most favorable conditions, there being a total absence of gales, usually frequent at this season. Leebro is now loading and will put to sea with the last consignment of supplies for the light on Fri. [Colonist, 1915-02-24]
new lighthouse for Cape Mudge…; Mar 3, 9… [Colonist, 1915-02-27, p. 10]
Mr H J Hillier, telegraph operator at Ucluelet, and Mr C C Binns, members of Ucluelet lifeboat crew, have earned a great reputation as fishermen among natives of West Coast Vancouver Island by reason of the skill displayed in landing a 60 lb salmon from a small boat in a choppy sea, according to information brought here by lighthouse tender Estevan. Although a larger fish is reported to have been caught at Ucluelet, the one handled by Hillier and Binns is declared to be the liveliest that was ever induced to grasp at the business end of a spoon bait. It was only after the huge fish, which measured about 4′ 6″, had played itself out by its exertions, that it was hauled aboard through the combined efforts of the 2 men. Large schools of salmon are now running on West Coast Vancouver Island. Estevan was stormbound for 8 days. [Colonist, 1915-03-24]
Mariners are officially notified that the new concrete lighthouse, at Amphitrite Point, West Coast Vancouver Island, to replace the former lighthousewhich was washed away during a heavy gale last fall, has been put into operation. [Colonist, 1915-03-26]
Dispatched on an errand of mercy to Estevan Point, for the purpose of bringing to Victoria Mrs Jensen, Wife of lightkeeper at Estevan lighthouse, who is reported seriously ill. DLT Estevan, Captain Barnes, left port yesterday for West Coast Vancouver Island. A message was received yesterday at the local offices of the Marine Department stating that Mrs Jensen, who was recently operated upon in a Victoria hospital, has suffered a relapse, and as the case appeared urgent Estevan was ordered out at once. It is expected to be off Estevan early this morning, and in the event of the weather being calm the patient will be taken aboard and should arrive in port Mon am. Providing the weather is heavy there some difficulty will be experienced in making a landing and the arrival of the ship here may be delayed. Last night it was reported that a Southeast wind was causing a heavy swell off the point. [Colonist, 1915-04-04]
Sgt James V Carroll, 7th Battalion, Killed in Action, joined 88th Fusiliers Aug, 1914, aged 28, single. He had served 9 years in RMLI. native of England, left with 1st Canadian Contingent. Prior to coming to Canada he served 9 years as machine-gun Sgt with Royal Marine Light Infantry. Jun 8, 5 – reported Prisoner of War to Mr C Webb, Victoria. Sgt Carrol was formerly a cook on lighthouse tender Estevan and spent several years in Victoria. Aug 4, 5 – Prisoner of War. [Colonist, 1915-05-13, p. 1]
John Wright, San Francisco, died at Victoria, British Columbia, Aug 23, 1915, aged 84, native of Killearn, Scotland. He came to Victoria in 1859 to do architectural work along the Coast, being specially employed to design lighthouses. While in Victoria he was in charge of several important contracts, the most notable being the old Methodist church, Pandora/Broad Streets. While a local resident he became identified with 1st Presbyterian church. He left Victoria in 1866 for San Francisco, being accompanied by his partner, Mr F Saunders… [Colonist, 1915-08-25, p. 7]
50 years Ago files printed lately refers to an accident that had occurred on Xmas, whereby 5 lives were lost through the upsetting of a boat which was trying to make Race Rocks lighthouse. Mrs George Maynard, daughter of late John Davis, keeper of Race Rock lights, was an eyewitness of that tragedy, having been at the lighthouse at the time. Mrs Maynard clearly remembers having seen some of the occupants of the boat clinging to the bottom of the overturned craft for a long time. There was a lifeboat at the lighthouse, but it was a very unwieldy craft, requiring 18 men to handle it. [Colonist, 1916-01-01, p. 6]
