Titanic Tea and Diamond Jubilee

Save Canada's Lighthouses

Heritage Canada Foundation Launches Campaign to Save Canada's Lighthouses


OTTAWA, Feb. 8, 2012 /CNW/ - The Heritage Canada Foundation (HCF) is launching a campaign to encourage federal investment in the efforts of local groups and communities to save their lighthouses.

The Government of Canada owns hundreds of iconic lighthouses. Earlier this year, Canadians were shocked to learn that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) had declared more than 500 lighthouses—including the most historic ones—as "surplus."

The Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act (HLPA), which came into effect in May 2010, was intended to conserve and protect heritage lighthouses. However the Act excludes lighthouses that are declared "surplus" from being designated unless a community group or private owner commits to buy or otherwise acquire them and protect their heritage character. As a result, local groups and communities are now under pressure to assume the financial responsibility for maintenance and protection of almost all of Canada's iconic lighthouses.
The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans stated in their March 2011 Report on the Implementation of the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act that the Act's intent was undermined by DFO's action.

"HCF agrees with the Senate Committee that federal support is essential to help communities save our country's lighthouses before they're lost to demotion and neglect," says Natalie Bull, HCF's executive director. "The Save Canada's Lighthouses campaign is designed to raise awareness, and attract federal support to these important icons."
Canadians are urged to sign the petition at http://www.savecanadaslighthouses.ca/. Time is also running out to nominate lighthouses for designation: To be considered, each lighthouse requires a nomination supported by 25 people and submitted to the Minister of the Environment by May 29, 2012.

The Heritage Canada Foundation is a national registered charity dedicated to the preservation of Canada's historic places.

Copyright 2012 PR Newswire

Fog Bell Has Landed

As part of a grant from the Legacy Fund of Heritage Canada, celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Swallowtail Lighthouse, we have been renovating the trails and preparing a tribute to the lightkeepers.  Part of this includes returning the bronze fog bell that was used for many years to alert mariners in times of restricted visibility.  With the propensity of fog in the Bay of Fundy, many months of the year, fog alarms were as important as the light.

Bell house prior to 1922 at the extreme easten end of the peninsula. 
The photo was posted to the Facebook group - Old Grand Manan Photos

Reference to the fog bell begins in 1915 when a building was built at the extreme end of the Swallow Tail peninsula, although the date on the bell is 1904.  In 1922, the bell was moved to sit beside the lighthouse to make it easier for the light keepers to keep the winding mechanism operating which in turn rang the bell.  Originally, fog bells, horns, guns were only sounded in response to a fog horn or bell from a passing vessel but with the development of an automated system, similar to what is used with spring wound clocks, the fog bell could be sounded throughout inclement weather that restricted visibility.



Close-up of bell house on northern side of lighthouse.  Elmer Wilcox photo, 1958.



Bell house and fog bell on northern side of Swallowtail light house.  Elmer Wilcox photo, 1958

Both the bell and the bell house were moved to the northern side of the lighthouse where the bell sat until 1980.  A fog horn had replaced the fog bell at an earlier time. The bell had developed a small crack where it was continuously rung and the tone of the bell had changed. The lightkeeper at the time, Grimmer Ingersoll, organized the removal of the bell from the point to the Grand Manan Museum where it sat in front of the Deep Cove School House.  Moving the bronze bell was not an easy feat.  At 900 kg (2000 lbs), it took brute force and lots of ingenuity to accomplish the task.  Unfortunately, the bell did suffer some damage when it was moved in 1980 and two chips can be found on the edge of the bell where chains were wrapped around it.

Light keeper, Grimmer Ingersoll, and friends moving bell in 1980,
eventually getting it to the Grand Manan Museum

When the Swallowtail Keepers Society was formed in 2008, the Museum agreed to donate the bell back to Swallowtail.  A large deck was built by Terry Davidson, George Best and Ken Ingersoll, over the concrete base of the old flag pole and a stand was attached to hold the bell.  Repairs had to be made to the top of the bell and modified to include an eye and shackle for lifting. Michael Brown of Waterfront Fabricating drilled through 6.5 inches of steel at the top of the bell to install two new plates and an eye.  The bell originally had two bolts that held the bell on an I-beam but these were not appropriate if the bell was to be lifted and then lowered onto the stand. The bell could have been strung in a cargo net but that complicated the moving process and recovering the cargo net afterwards, given the weight of the bell.

Terry Davidson and George Best beginning the bell deck

Finished bell deck awaiting the bell

Once the bell was ready to be moved, Randy Brownlee and the M.G. Fisheries boom truck picked up the bell and drove it to the top of the hill at Swallowtail, leaving only 300 m (1000') to move the bell but with 54 steps, a wooden foot bridge, a gravel path over undulating terrain, and a flight of stairs up to the deck, that was not an easy feat.

M.G. Fisheries boom truck that moved the bell from the Grand Manan Museum
 to the top of the stairs leading to Swallowtail.  Randy Brownlee photo.

Inquiries went out to the Canadian Coast Guard and a military base to see if they might be able to use one of their helicopters to move the bell.  No promises were made but it was suggested that if everything was in place, if a helicopter was available, it might happen.  In the middle of November, the Canadian Coast Guard needed their heavy lift helicopter to move building material to Partridge Island in Saint John, NB to construct a new helicopter pad.  Since that is only 25 minutes by helicopter, we were asked to be ready on short notice.  A call at 8:30 on November 21 set the final process in motion.  The helicopter would arrive at 1:30 to move the bell.  This in part was to take advantage of the decreasing wind in the afternoon and to allow myself to be present since I was booked to make a right whale aerial survey the next day with the Fisheries and Oceans Canada as part of the Lobster Mitigation program for Lobster Districts 36, 37 and 38.  locations of right whales are provided to lobster fishermen to help them avoid conflicts with right whales and their fishing gear.

Calls were made to a few people to pass the word about this special event.  Over a dozen people watched as the helicopter arrived to survey the pick up location and the bell deck.  Because of the weight of the bell, only the pilot and one crew member was aboard to do the lifting.  One person was at the bell to hook up the cable and two were at the bell deck to position the moving bell onto the stand.

Jamie McCavour grabbing hook from Canadian Coast Guard helicopter

Jamie McCavour, Canadian Coast Guard,  hooking up cable to bell before lifting

With great anticipation and a bit of trepidation hoping that nothing would happen and the bell wouldn't be lost into the ocean, the helicopter moved into position.  The bell slowly rose off the wooden pallet where it had been sitting.  The pilot then took a long wide circle to approach the bell stand from the south, just as the Grand Manan Adventure ferry rounded Swallowtail.  After a few false approaches, the bell finally was positioned accordingly and was quickly unhooked from the helicopter.  A cheer went up from the onlookers.

The Grand Manan ferry, Grand Manan Advenutre going around Swallowtail as bell
was being brought in a wide arc to the bell deck.  Note the bell house is attached to the lighthouse.

Bronze fog bell lifting into air.  Martha Eaton photo.

Canadian Coast Guard helicopter taking bronze fog bell to the bell deck in a wide arc.

Steve Lloyd and Bob Hebert (Canadian Coast Guard) coordinating the landing of the fog bell on the stand

Bob Hebert (Canadian Coast Guard) unhooking the cable on the fog bell once it was positioned on the stand.

Here are two videos taken of the move

(pick up of the bell from the top of the hill by the Coast Guard helicopter).

I walked down to the see the bell in position and had a great sense of accomplishment as I came over the rise and saw the bell.  While the bell is slightly off centre, that can be fixed.  I took great pleasure in ringing the bell for the first time since it had been removed from Swallowtail.  The tone echoed nicely and while I don't have perfect pitch, the tone is supposed to be an F, according to the manufacturer, Meneely Bell Company of West Troy, NY.

Canadian Coast Guard crew - Bob Hebert, Jamie McCavour, Paul Mosher (pilot) and Steve Lloyd

International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend

Over three days in August, 19, 20 and 21, we hosted ham radio operators for the third year as part of the International Lighthouse/Lightship weekend.  Sterling Carpenter, Rick MacMillan and Art Gunn brought their equipment and set up in the keepers house.  Because we have worked hard to make it livable, removing the mould, repairing damage and making it water tight, we were also able to offer them the house for the weekend.  While there is running water to the house, the plumbing system hasn't been activated since 2004 so "camping" was what was offered.

Rick, Sterling and Art in the western side of the keepers house

Despite the fog, the three thoroughly enjoyed themselves, welcoming visitors to the house and reaching the following ham radio operators, set up in lighthouses:


VE7FE Nootka Island Lighthouse, BC (1911)

DA0LCC  Lighthouse at Wehldorf Upper , Germany (1968)

N2MO Lighthouse at Sandy Hook , NJ, USA (1764)

W4JUP Lighthouse at Jupiter, FL, USA (1860 but continued disputes had the light dark until 1866)

KP3RE Fajardo Lighthouse, Puerto Rico (1882)

W2GSB Fire Island Lighthouse, NY, USA (1826)

W4A Tierra Verde Lighthouse, Tampa Bay, FL, USA (2005)

W9LY Michigan City Lighthouse, IN, USA (1858)

V3CL Oakville Lighthouse, Oakville, ON (1837)

Rick MacMillan using his computer as part of the calling procedure for his ham radio

Sterling Carpenter setting up one of the antennae for their ham radio

Sterling's only comment when asked what could be better, was to be able to set up in the lighthouse.  That could be sooner than we think.  We look forward to next year's International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend.

Colouring Sheet

Colourcanada.com have a wide range of activities from colouring sheets to games, fun facts, history, and other Canadian related material on their web site.  It is "a growing project that aims to make exploring Canada fun". One of the colouring sheets is Swallowtail Lighthouse as seen from the top of the hill. http://colourcanada.com/pdf/nb/swallowtail.pdf

Download the colouring sheet and have fun.

Swallowtail Now

About 30 people attended the evening presentation at the Grand Manan Museum, Thursday August 4, entitled Swallowtail Now.  It was fun and a challenge to put together the talk from hundreds of photos taken over the last year, as well as some historic photos to set the tone.  This is the 25th year since the de-staffing of the lighthouse, November 1985, and the 75th anniversary of the death of the lightkeeper, Elodie Ingalls Foster.

The Museum graciously split the door donations with Swallowtail Keepers Society.  The evening talks are a part of their annual fund raising and public education series.

Chimneys Getting Repaired

Joe and Ken wrapping the chimney with plastic
for the winter to stop some of the water from getting in
and protecting the chimney from further damage

Brian McLanahan is staying at the keepers house this week and will be repairing the chimneys.  The chimneys are in great need of repair and the leaking flashing has been the cause of much of the water damage in the house.  It will be great to have them functional again and the two stoves moved out to the house.

While waiting for the Rotary Festival fireworks tonight, we could see the lights on in the house.