Lighthouses of Atlantic Canada

GUIDING LIGHTS: THE STORY OF ATLANTIC CANADA'S LIGHTHOUSES A. For centuries, the rocky coastlines of Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the other Atlantic provinces were among the most dangerous waters for sailors. Fog could roll in without warning, and strong tides pushed ships toward hidden reefs. As fishing and trade grew in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, colonial authorities began building lighthouses on headlands and islands to mark safe passages. Each light had its own pattern of flashes, so that a captain at night could tell exactly which lighthouse he was looking at and work out his position on the chart. Many of the earliest lights burned whale oil or other fuels, and their beams could be seen only a limited distance out to sea. B. Life for a lighthouse keeper was demanding and often lonely. Keepers trimmed wicks, polished lenses and wound the clockwork machinery that turned the light, sometimes staying awake through the entire night. When thick weather made the light useless, they operated foghorns or rang bells to warn approaching vessels. Many keepers lived with their families at remote stations that could be reached only by boat, and children were sometimes taught at home. In emergencies, keepers and their relatives were frequently the first to row out and rescue shipwrecked crews, often at great risk to themselves. Supplies were delivered only a few times a year, so keepers grew vegetables, kept animals and learned to repair almost anything themselves. C. During the twentieth century, technology steadily changed the role of the lighthouse. Electric lamps replaced oil, and automatic systems could switch the light on and off without human help. Later, radio navigation and satellite positioning gave ships far more precise ways to find their way. As a result, most stations were gradually automated, and the keepers who had lived at them were reassigned or retired. Today only a small number of lighthouses in Canada still have staff on site, mostly in remote coastal areas where keepers also record and report local weather conditions. The change was gradual and stretched over several decades. Some lighthouse buildings were left empty, and without regular care, several fell into poor condition. D. Although many lighthouses are no longer essential for navigation, communities have worked hard to preserve them. Several have been turned into museums, cafés or guest houses, and some are protected under heritage laws that prevent them from being demolished. Local volunteer groups raise money to repaint towers and repair foundations damaged by storms and erosion. For coastal towns, these structures have become symbols of local identity and popular attractions for visitors, who often travel long distances to photograph them at sunrise or to climb the narrow stairs to the top. Festivals, guided tours and local history projects help keep the stories of the keepers and their families alive for younger generations.