Margaree Harbour Range Lighthouses

Cap LeMoine and Margaree Harbour, Nova Scotia

Dec, 31, 2012 The wind was blowing from the West at 90 km (55 mph)

TWO RANGE LIGHTS

The Margaree Harbour Range Lights, on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia are deteriorating, and we need your support to help our community restore them to their original beauty. These are not the more common lighthouses which warn ships of danger, to “stay away;” ours are two Directional or Range Lights,” welcoming seafarers in, showing them a safe path to harbour.

They are geographic and historical icons of our area, Nova Scotia and Canada, and are still being used—a direct link with our past. Descendants of the men who took care of the lights in the past, and others who sailed under these lights, still use them today. They are simple, square, sturdy wooden structures, held down by cables and have withstood whatever nature has thrown at them in our extreme climate for 115 years. Other lighthouses are being replaced by steel poles with a light on top.

At any given time there are about 25-30 local lobster or crab fishing boats at our wharf; from the opening of the season at the beginning of May through to December, the boats are busy. Fisherpeople continue to set sail here in the early hours of the day, and, even with the modern navigational aids such as GPS, they can still use these lights for guidance and comfort when returning home at night. The history of Margaree’s onshore fishery, characterized by individual owner-operators, is a vital part of our history, our culture and our understanding of ourselves.

Our community supports our efforts to save and restore the two Lights once they are transferred to us. Fortunately this simple, square, wooden design will also allow the community to readily maintain them in future. Following the transfer of ownership, we want to refurbish them to their original condition. These Lighthouses still have good bones, but minor structural fixes are necessary. Some trim and glass needs repair, the cedar-shakes will be replaced and finally, a fresh coat of paint applied.

We hope you will become honorary members of our community and participants in our history by supporting the Lights!!

Margaree Harbour Heritage Lighthouses Group
Box 67
Margaree Harbour NS
Canada B0E 2B0

margaree harbour water flood 2010

Margaree Harbour water flood 2010

St. Paul Island Lighthouse, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia

This small metal lighthouse once stood on St. Paul Island, a remote island located in the Cabot Strait to the north of Cape Breton. The tower replaced and earlier wood frame structure destroyed by fire going into service in 1917 and was in use until 1962 when automated systems made it obsolete. After decommissioning it was dismantled and moved to the Canadian Coast Guard base in Dartmouth. Following a decade long effort the tower was moved back to Cape Breton this time to the community of Dingwall where it now sits beside the St. Paul Island Museum.

ship in storm margaree harbour & belle cote october 6 ,2011

ship going North during storm off the coast of Cape Breton at Belle Cote % Margaree Harbour

Margaree Island by Sea Doo

Trip around Margaree Island (Sea Wolf Island National Wildlife Area) on my Sea Doo.

About the Island:

Cape Jourimain And Parrsboro

OK, this video is slightly less boring than my previous ones. IT includes the Lighthouse at Cape Jourimain, an encounter with a seal, the confederation bridge, the lighthouse at Parrsboro and some cliffs at Economy Nova Scotia so buckle your seat belt.

If you want to see some of my photos, you can check my website or flickr.




Music from

Parrsboro, Nova Scotia

Music By: The Pet Robots
Title: Your Body

Tenerife Peak, Cape North, Nova Scotia

Climbed 7-10-12 while geocaching