Although the day began with thick fog and the Sail Past to celebrate Swallowtail Light's 150th anniversary had to be cancelled, the lobster roll dinner and music went ahead without a hitch on July 10. This is an annual fund raiser for Swallowtail Keepers Society and had added importance this summer with the 150th Anniversary of the lighting of Swallowtail Light for the first time. We moved to a larger venue this year, the Grand Manan Curling Club, and were rewarded with increased attendance and were completely sold out.
This event would not be possible without the efforts of many people and the donation of all the food. Laura Buckley (Inn at Whale Cove Cottages) arranges the food component and her amazing crew are making the lobster rolls and tossing the salad as the plates are taken to the tables. This year strawberry shortcake was chosen for the dessert and the cream was being whipped as the desserts were going out.
This event would not be possible without the efforts of many people and the donation of all the food. Laura Buckley (Inn at Whale Cove Cottages) arranges the food component and her amazing crew are making the lobster rolls and tossing the salad as the plates are taken to the tables. This year strawberry shortcake was chosen for the dessert and the cream was being whipped as the desserts were going out.
Lobster rolls being prepared for the dinner
Many, many thanks to the kitchen crew - Laura Buckley, Fredonna Dean, Megan, Emmy, and Jana Greenlaw (who also shelled all the lobsters), and Laura's guests from Whale Cove Cottages, the Trotz family (Frank, Sarah, Anna and Susan) who volunteered to help on their vacation. Swallowtail Keeper Society members also helped with setting up the tables, selling tickets, serving and bussing the tables: Theresa and Lloyd MacFarland, Kevin Sampson, Sharon and Claude Ingalls, Pam Charters, Sue Stymest, Kirk Cheney, Linda L'Aventure, Laurie Murison and summer student Robyn Guptill.
Lobster rolls going out of the kitchen
The lobster was all donated, over 220 lbs of live lobster from three lobster fishermen, Neil Morse, Glenn Foster (whose great-uncle was one of the lightkeepers at Swallowtail and his great-aunt Elodie tragically died while lighting the flame for the light in 1936) and an anonymous donor. The salad greens were donated by Walter Wilson, the rolls by Dale and Betty Russell (Save Easy), Ce Bowdoin made all the biscuits for the strawberry shortcake and the strawberries were provided by Marilyn and Peter Cronk, Nora and Ed Parker (Compass Rose B&B), Mike and Joanne Ingalls, Linda L'Aventure and Brenda McLaughlin (McLaughlin's Inn). Whipping cream was donated by Nora and Ed Parker, Laura Buckley and an anonymous donor. Laura also provided many sundries.
Pam Charters arranged the musical line-up with Dinah Romig acting as emcee as well as performing. Dinah spent summers growing up on Grand Manan with her family in their summer home in Grand Harbour. She is a member of the Cape Cod Fiddlers. John McDonald, Kate Richardson, and Halie Bass also performed. Before the Mast were non-stop energy and would have sung all night. In fact they did, continuing the evening of music at the Grand Manan summer home of one of the members. For more information about the a cappella group dedicated to preserving and promoting songs of the sea, check out their website: http://www.beforethemastseashanties.com/
Before the Mast performing
A slide show of images of Swallowtail was shown throughout the event and included historic and modern images as well as the work that has been done in the last two years on the buildings. The money raised will be used to restore the keepers buildings at Swallowtail.
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