Lighthouses, icebergs and the farthest point east

Newfoundland's oldest surviving lighthouse is at Cape Spear, 7 miles from St. John's to the north. It is located on a rocky cliff 245 feet above sea level. Adjacent to the historic lighthouse is the modern one that continues to be operated by the Canadian Coast Guard. Cape Spear Lighthouse was designated a National Historic Site of Canada for its age and architectural significance. Built in 1835 by the Colony of Newfoundland to signal mariners on the approach to St. John's harbor, Cape Spear Historic Lighthouse was in continuous operation for 1836 to 1955. When it was acquired by Parks Canada in 1975, it was restored to its original 1835 appearance. At Cape Spear, the light keeper's duties were passed on from one generation to another through the Cantwell family, for seven generations. Cape Spear also played a role during World War II when a coastal defense battery, equipped with two 10' guns, was built to protect the entrance of St. John's Harbour from German submarines.

The modern (1955) lighthouse on Cape Spear operated by the Coast Guard.

The historic lighthouse was built in the"British" style with everything symmetrical. For instance, the "widows" on the right are painted black to look like windows, but are not actual glass but are there for symmetry.

A costumed interpreter explained that the lighthouse keeper made a good salary and was able to enjoy some small luxuries. The bedspread and the tea warmer on the bedside table are examples.

The sitting room.

Upstairs where the supplies were kept. Sperm oil for the lights in the light house and some food stuffs.

These are spare chimneys for the light. There were seven lights arranged in a circular chandelier that was rotated using a clockworks. The wicks extended the height of these chimneys, about one foot, and the chimneys had to be kept clean. There were concave mirrors behind the seven lights and the chandelier rotated every 7 minutes.  Each light shown for 17 seconds and there were 43 seconds off. If the lamps became sooty, it would make the signal unclear. So they were change frequently. This is how the sailors knew which light house they were approaching. Other lighthouses had different rotational times and when the number of lighthouses exceeded sixty seconds, the use of colored filters were added.

The Lighthouse workroom with the signal flags in the cubby holes.

The entrance to St. John's harbour to the left of the lighthouse.

The coast to the right of the lighthouse.

The road to the lighthouse from St. John's across the barrens.

These ferns are called cinnamon ferns because the brown spoor stalk resembles a cinnamon stick.

Descending the trail from the modern lighthouse to the easternmost point on North America.

A tour boat returning to St. John's harbor past the lighthouse.

These guns (there are two of them) were originally installed at Fort Mott on the Delaware River to guard the approaches to Philadelphia in 1896. At the beginning of World War II, in 1941, they were sold to Canada as "scrap metal" because the US was not allowed to transfer armaments to another country. There was an elaborate loading system beneath the guns and it took 1/2 hour to load each gun. They were only fired in practice, never in battle. The reason they are still on site is because it would cost more to dismantle them then to just leave them in place.

Frederick at the most eastern point in North America.

The two "points" that are at the most eastern point in North  America.

While we were there we could look out to sea and see an iceberg.  It was quite far away, on the horizon, and we hope to view icebergs up closer when we are on the north coast of Newfoundland.

I also realized that I did not explain the name of yesterday's blog, Mistaken Point, where the fossils were. It was called Mistaken Point because, in the fog, sailors would often mistake the bay located there for St. John's harbor. There were over 50 wrecks before a lighthouse was erected at nearby Cape Race. Cape Race light station is a National Historic Site and has one of the most powerful lights in the world. It is also the place that received the first distress message from the Titanic.