Webcams for Swallow Tail Live

Many thanks to the Village of Grand Manan and Alpha Securities for the web cameras and internet to broadcast the video.

The webcams are accessible on the Village of Grand Manan website: http://villageofgrandmananc.netfirms.com/photos/

Follow the instructions for access to the Swallow Tail Webcams. There are three camera views available, a view of the lighthouse (and also the ferries as they pass or any other vessel), a view of Pettes Cove and a view of the top of the stairs (helps for counting the number of visitors!).

Enjoy!

BRRRRR - Sea Smoke

Fog in winter, definitely, but it is usually called sea smoke, sea vapour, vapour, ice fog, steam fog and probably several others. The condition occurs when the air temperature is lower than the water temperature and the water evaporating from the ocean surface can’t be absorbed by the cold air (cold air holds less moisture than warm air) and accumulates in droplets that create fog, often sen in convective currents or wispy tendrils. If the air temperature is significantly colder than the sea surface temperature, the sea smoke can be so dense that as it rises, it can create cloud cover and fine snow.

Grand Manan Adventure ferry in sea smoke

These conditions will cause the fog detector to start the fog horn because of the limited visibility. It is also an excellent warning to mariners that sea water hitting their vessels may freeze instantly, accumulating enough that it can compromise the stability of the vessel. Chipping ice can reduce the top heaviness of the vessel but is labour intensive and not all areas can be reached safely on a vessel. Freezing spray warnings are issued when these conditions are likely.  In any event, the air temperature will be very cold and if windy as well, the wind chill can be significant and frost bite may be an issue.

Sea smoke can be incredibly complex and amazing to photograph. Here are a few taken on January 3.

Swallow Tail lighthouse with sea smoke.

Swallow Tail peninsula and the Grand Manan Adventure ferry with wispy sea smoke.

Swallow Tail lighthouse and the Grand Manan Adventure ferry.

Swallow Tail Lighthouse Enters the WiFi Age

The new Grand Manan Adventure ferry was built with modern communications in mind. Few people these days are without a computer, tablet or cell phone so the access to WiFi during the ferry ride was a desirable feature. A company called ProData have been installing the necessary equipment to give continuous service during the ferry ride. The location of the Swallow Tail peninsula is ideal to bridge the gap between the ferry terminal on Grand Manan and the ferry during its run. Small relays have been installed on the boathouse and now give anyone in the area free Public WiFi.
 

Grand Manan Adventure ferry coming around Swallow Tail heading to Blacks Harbour.

This is a great perk for us, not to have that monthly bill, but to be able to promote free internet access to visitors, to those staying at the keepers house and to our summer staff. We hope this will also allow us to have a webcam installed in the future, similar to the one at the Long Eddy Lighthouse through Alpha Security Services, a local security company: http://alphasecurityservicesinc.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=55

Small WiFi relay antennae on the boat house at Swallow Tail.

Last Day for the MV "Grand Manan" - September 12, 2010

The MV "Grand Manan" made its last trips today, September 12, after serving the island since 1965.  A new ferry, the MV "Grand Manan Adventure" is currently under construction and the MV "Grand Manan V" will become the second ferry, operating only in the summer and every second year when the "GM Adventure" goes into refit for six weeks. n the MV "Grand Manan" has served the island well over the last 45 years.

A cake was available for all passengers and balloons decorated the saloon.  Signal flags were hung from bow to stern and across the bridge.  Several people took this last opportunity to ride over on the ferry and back again.  The last trip had special invitations to Allison Thomas who was the first passenger in 1965 from St. Andrews and Fraser Shepherd who works as captain on the "Grand Manan" for many years.  The ferry captain saluted the island as he backed away from the wharf with a long blast on its powerful horn and again as the ferry went around Swallowtail for the last time.  Both ferries saluted each other as they crossed paths along the ferry route.  Aerial photos were also taken.  The ferry will remain in the area until the new ferry arrives as a back up in case anything happens to the "Grand Manan V" but today was the last scheduled.

Swallowtail has seen many firsts and lasts and this is one more.

MV "Grand Manan" passing Swallowtail Light on the 9:30 trip to Blacks Harbour.

Light in the stormy night

We have had a stormy few days with ENE winds battering Swallowtail. Heavy rain and wind (over 90 kilometres/hour or 50 knots) last night knocked out the power for awhile. Swallowtail's light and foghorn are electrically powered and when the power goes off so do the light and foghorn. Backup systems used to be commonplace but transporting diesel fuel for generators by helicopter can be a risky business if anything happened to the bladder containing the fuel. This means that you don't have to look for the light to shine across Pettes Cove from Swallowtail when the lights go out because Swallowtail light goes out as well. And, of course, with no light keepers there is also no one to make sure a back up system kicks in automatically.

The only vessel plying the waters around Swallowtail the last couple of days has been the Grand Manan V ferry and even the ferry was tied up for 20 hours because of heavy seas. The guiding light of Swallowtail certainly isn't as required for navigation as it once was but it is a comfort to see the rotating light in all weather conditions, as long as there is power.

The ferry heading towards Blacks Harbour after being tied up from Thursday, February 25 at 3 PM to 11:30 Friday, February 26 because of stormy conditions. The ferry buried her bow going across Pettes Cove.

Here is a short video of the roiled waters in the Saw Pit February 25.

Rock formation at the end of Swallowtail

Not only were light houses important to navigation before Loran C and now GPS but also having precise knowledge of the coastline and various landmarks or rock formations helped mariners find their way. Around Grand Manan there are many unique rock formations, many of which are named, such as Seven Days Work, the Bishop, King Point, Southern Cross. These are so distinctive that they are often printed on the nautical charts but some are small and are not documented but are local knowledge.

There is a unique rock formation at the eastern tip of the Swallowtail peninsula beneath where the fog bell and small building (now attached to the lighthouse) were located. From a certain angle these rocks look like a woman with a baby on her back or children climbing the rocks with a dog waiting beneath them. Even if the light house wasn't visible in thick fog, if these rocks were glimpsed, the mariner would know where they were. Of course, at Swallowtail, the fog bell and later fog horn would be another clue, but most of these formations are not located at a lighthouse.

I first learned of this when I was sailing around Swallowtail with one of the older fishermen. He pointed out the rock formation and had described it as a woman with a baby, but it was later described as a girl and a boy, a boy with a backpack, etc. The dog, however, is always the lower rock.

Next time you are travelling on the ferry, look for these rocks. They can only be seen from certain angles.