Swallowtail, Swallow Tail, Swallow's Tail

Which is correct - Swallowtail, Swallow Tail, Swallow's Tail?  I guess it depends on what time frame you consider.

Early on, the peninsula was called Swallow's Tail, referring to the shape of the peninsula in relationship to the coves flanking it on either side.  The peninsula looked like the long tail of a swallow, birds that were plentiful on the island, but unfortunately today are getting more and more difficult to find.

Illustration of a swallow superimposed on the peninsula to show the similarities.  The curve of Pettes Cove, called Sprague's Cove in the 1850s, closely mimics the curve of a swallow's wing.

From the NB Lighthouse Publishing article Swallowtail Lightstation History. Update Posted 03.03.2007:

In a Dec. 15th, 1859 report I. Woodward of the Commission of Lighthouses said (p. 317 Board of Public Works Appendix, April 1860):


Sir, I have to report that in accordance with your request to me in the month of June last that I would proceed to Grand Manan taking with me John P. McKay and select a site for a lighthouse at the "Swallow's Tail" which he had contracted to build. We left Saint John on the 27th of June by steamer from Eastport, where, joined by Captain Robinson, R.N.Commissioner of Lighthouses, we proceeded to Grand Manan, whereon the 28th and 29th, we selected a spot on the Point known as the "Swallow's Tail", for the contemplated lighthouse and keepers house. Made an arrangement with the owner of the land, Mr. James Small, residing at Sprague's Cove...   The apostrophe "s" was dropped at some point and became Swallow Tail, only to be further modified to Swallowtail.  We have opted for the Swallow Tail spelling in our recent work but Swallowtail is still used extensively.

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.

1958 Compared to 2012

The present keepers house was built in 1958 by Joseph McDowell & Son, a local contractor. Fortunately, Elmer Wilcox documented the construction and took this photograph when the keepers house was finished and the original keepers house was still standing. The photograph was taken from the top of the light house.

Original and new keepers houses taken from the lighthouse in 1958.  Photograph taken by Elmer Wilcox

The original keepers house and small outbuildings were torn down and the site levelled. The keepers house did have an ell on it early on but it was removed probably because of wind damage and other difficulties in keeping buildings tight. leading to its deterioration. Soil remediation for lead and bismuth removed much of the soil where the original house was located and left the site more uneven. Some of the brick and concrete foundations still exist but otherwise it is only in photographs and people’s memories, but as you can see little else has changed with the building footprint, other than decks and paths. The door in the north porch (right side of the photograph) was changed soon after the keepers house was built because of the difficulty of opening it during north east gales.

Keepers House and Boat House as seen from the lighthouse in September 2012.  Photograph taken by Ken Ingersoll.

While some new trees have sprouted, the small clump in the background doesn’t look like it has changed in 52 years.  The herring weir has been moved further away from the peninsula and, of course, the fog bell now sits by the keepers house instead of the lighthouse.

Lobster Roll Supper - Fund Raiser

We had yet another wonderful fund raiser for the Swallow Tail light station on July 7, 2012 at the Grand Manan Curling Club. 

The list of volunteers and in-kind donations is lengthy to have such a wonderful success, including the three lobster fishermen who donated the lobster (Deane Griffin, Glenn Foster and anonymous), Laura Buckley and her crew from the Inn at Whale Cove Cottages for arranging, preparing and serving the food, Ce Bowdoin (tea biscuits), Swallowtail Lightkeeper Society volunteers for setting up, serving, working the door, and cleaning up (Ken Ingersoll, Sue Stymest, Theresa Noel, John Pattison, Linda L'Aventure, Pam Charters, Alexis Phillips, Sue McCulley, Lloyd MacFarland), musicians (Before the Mast, Dinah Romig, John McDonald, Alexandre Banks), Rick Doucet (serving), Atlantic Save Easy (rolls), Walter Wilson (salad), Strawberries, cream and other miscellaneous (Marathon Inn, Pettes Cove Arts, Peter and Marilyn Cronk, North Head Bakery McLaughlin Inn, Holly and Kirk Cheney, Deb Tremblay, Island Art workshops), , Adventure High (door prize).  We want to thank the Grand Manan Curling Club for the facility (hall rental and cash bar).  The Grand Manan Museum also provided their projector, on short notice, for the continuous slide show of the progress made at the light station since 2008.  None of this could have happened without the support of the community and visitors who joined us for this fun evening.  Thanks so much.

Great crowd enjoying the lobster rolls and the music

Inn at Whale Cove Cottage crew (Megan, Janna, Annie, Emmy) and Alexis Phillips preparing lobster rolls

Honourable Rick Doucet, MLA, helping serve

Before the Mast preforming one of the many songs during the evening.  Rolling Down is the title song from their new CD (http://www.beforethemastseashanties.com/)

July 7, Flag Raising and Bell Ringing

With spectacular weather, a group of nearly 100 people walked out to the keepers house at Swallow Tail on July 7th, the 152nd anniversary of the light house first being lit.  Two RCMP officers were present, along with the Honourable Rick Doucet, the MLA for the area and Kirk Cheney representing the Village of Grand Manan who have been very supportive of the restoration efforts at the Swallow Tail light station and are in the process of reconsolidating the light station with the acquisition of the light tower in the near future. 



RCMP officers breaking flag at annual flag raising

 After a brief welcoming, Wayne Clifford, John Peacock, MJ Edwards, Millie and Alexandre Banks played an impromptu piece on the bronze fog bell, returned to the property in November 2011.  The new deck around the bell acted as a natural stage for the event.  Members of Before the Mast (http://www.beforethemastseashanties.com/) continued with two songs before everyone was given a chance to play the bell if they wished.

The Lahey Family was represented to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of 22 years of service by George Lahey as light keeper .  The Dalzell family regrettably could not make the event which also marked the 100th anniversary of the retiring of George Dalzell as light keeper after 19 years of service.

Before the Mast helping celebrate the Swallow Tail light station anniversary

The descendants of the late light keeper, George Lahey, ringing the fog bell

Despite damage from many years of use and also being moved several times, the bell sounded wonderful and could be heard beyond the peninsula.  Listen to three different strikes of the bell here: http://www.freesound.org/people/bob.burgess/sounds/160882/

Annual Lobster Roll Supper - July 7

Annual Flag Raising - July 7

Come join us at Swallow Tail for the annual flag raising July 7. 

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of George Dalzell's nineteen years as keeper and the beginning of twenty-two years of service by keeper George Lahey.

There will also be an impromptu concert involving the fog bell and singers. You can also request to ring the bell.

Come see the improvements to the grounds if you haven't already seen them.