Summer Students 2012

We were fortunate to receive funding from the province of New Brunswick through S.E.E.D. for eight weeks and the federal Summer Placement Program, also for eight weeks. Courtney Guptill managed the Welcome Centre and Gift Shop with Jesse Gagné filling in on her days off. Courtney and Jesse greeted visitors, maintained a daily log of visitors and handled the sales in the gift shop.

Courtney accepting an order of Eric Allaby's posters.

Jesse also helped with various tasks on the property including mowing, weeding, and painting. He also helped our volunteers to install the interpretative signs and helped our Artist in Residence, Shoshannah White move in for a three month stay.

We are very thankful to have these summer students who greeted 6159 (3124 people in July and 3035 in August). This compares with 5886 in 2011 (315 for eight days in June, 2577 for July and 2994 for August).

We did manage to have the Welcome Centre open on occasion in September (541 visitors) and the beginning of October (199 visitors) through the gracious volunteering of Frances Hodge, Linda L’Aventure, Mary McLintock, Carol Green, Alexis Phillips, and Ken Ingersoll. This compares with 398 and 110 visitors under similar circumstances in 2011 for September and early October.

Linda L'Aventure helping set up the gift shop.

We are slowly trying to increase our inventory and had some great new items this summer, including a custom designed pewter pin. We still have t-shirts and the very popular heavy canvas tote bags. Proceeds from the sales go back into the restoration of the property.

Boathouse Gifts

If you haven't been to Swallowtail lately, there are some new additions.  We have two summer students, Geoffrey Hadaway and Robyn Guptill.  They are keeping the building at the top of the hill open daily, the former boat house from the decommissioned Ross Island light house, Fish Fluke Point.  They are greeting visitors and selling a few items to help raise funds to maintain the property, pay the utilities, etc.

 The t-shirts have the same design as the very popular cotton tote bags sold last year for the 150th anniversary.  They are available in four adult sizes and several children's sizes.  There are also matted photographs, notecards, postcards, bookmarks, jars of beach treasures and some used books for sale.

We also have two picnic tables loaned to us from the Anchorage Provincial Park.  One is on the deck and the other is near the stairs.  We do have water for sale and you can bring your picnic lunch and enjoy the view.

Come visit!

Help in Unexpected Ways

Swallowtail is a beautiful location but getting things to and from the keepers house or lighthouse is always a challenge even when the tram way was functional and things were brought by boat.

Keepers buildings and lighthouse seen from Net Point.

A couple of weeks ago we needed to move some heavy items out to the keepers house from the former Ross Island boathouse because that is now our greeting centre and gift shop.  We had organized some of our volunteers to help but many of us are getting up in age although are still very active and always up to a challenge.

It just so happened that the Hampton Sea Cadets were visiting the island to go whale watching and arrived just in time to carry some items down the 54 steps across the bridge and along the trail.  Thank you!

Some of the Hampton Sea Cadets aboard the whale watching
vessel, "Elsie Menota"

One of the Sea Cadets leaders chatting with the captain of the
"Elsie Menota", Sarah McDonald.

And just to remember the light keepers motto at Swallowtail - never go empty handed, they graciously carried some items back up the steps!

The Sea Cadets taking unused insulation back - never go empty handed

The gift shop/information centre is starting to look great, thanks to many people who have been involved hiring students, organizing schedules, ordering stock and painting signs.  We have two picnic tables on loan from the Anchorage Provincial Park for the summer.

Former boat house from fish Fluke Point Lighthouse on Ross Island
moved to Swallowtail after that lighthouse was decommissioned in 1964.
It is our welcome centre and gift shop.