Rescued Bench and Fog Bell Clapper

We were very disappointed when one of the wooden lobster trap style benches went missing this spring. It was situated to the east of the lighthouse and was a favourite for many people. We had looked from above and from the water but couldn’t find it.

Wooden lobster trap style bench.  Each one has a unique, spectacular view.

This August, a family from Holland were exploring below the lighthouse on the rocks and found the bench lodged in a crevice. We were able to recover the bench and on the climb back up, the clapper mechanism for the fog bell was also discovered in the rocks. It is a bit bent but should be fixable. This was the last clapper mechanism for the bell and stood to the side of the bell and hit the bell on the outside. A chip developed in the bell because of it.

Fog bell and external clapper mechanism.  Photograph taken by Mary Catherine Edwards in the mid-1960s.

Divots in the rim of the fog bell caused by external clapper.

Earlier clapper that hung inside the fog bell.  Photograph provided by Jodie Graham.

An earlier clapper that hung under the bell was also recovered in 2009 when the soil was removed from around the lighthouse as part of the soil mediation project to remove lead and bismuth, components of paint prior to 1970. The clapper had been left on the ground and gradually disappeared as the grass grew over it.

Ken Ingersoll putting the final touches on the wooden lobster trap style bench where it was located near the lighthouse.

The bench survived with only minor damage to some of the boards. It is now sitting on the keepers house deck. Another bench was built to replace this one when we didn’t realize the bench was just in hiding!

People using the replacement bench near the lighthouse, which is bolted to the rocks.

Rescued wooden lobster trap style bench now located on the keepers house deck.