Cabot Head Lightkeeper

Cabot Head Lightkeeper

May-October, 2016

Two months have passed since I finished my first term as Head Lightkeeper at the beautiful and remote Cabot Head Lighthouse. It was a great adventure! I was absent from my blog through that time because there was just so much to do. Every day felt full and long with a steep learning curve but each was rewarding in new, and sometimes unexpected ways. While it is impossible to sum up an intense 6 month experience in a few short paragraphs, I hope these words and pics will inspire you to visit in person or online. With luck and some planning, perhaps we will meet there in 2017!

Cabot Head Lighthouse has stood sentinel on the northeast tip of the Bruce Peninsula in southern Ontario since 1896. I felt very privileged to be there as it was commemorating 120 years of service. Since childhood, I have been fascinated by lighthouses, marine heritage, and shipwrecks. This was an upclose and personal opportunity to further explore these interests. The wild waters of Georgian Bay can be especially challenging off this rugged coast. The light was established to ease these navigational hazards, and to provide succor in case of tragedy.

My roles at Cabot Head were many and varied. The lighthouse operates now as a tourist attraction, museum, and gift shop run by Friends of Cabot Head. I was responsible for overseeing all these functions, plus maintenance, public relations, social media, and more. I was so grateful to have excellent co-workers, both paid and volunteer. I really enjoyed working with all the Assistant Lightkeepers who come to stay in the lighthouse for a week, and help with greeting guests, tidying the museum, and so many other chores. They are an amazing asset!

Cabot Head is a place of incredible natural beauty. I loved kayaking, hiking, and exploring the area. From atop the escarpment bluffs, there are incredible vistas across land and water. Paddling and snorkelling were great ways to see the shipwreck Gargantua in Wingfield Basin. Bruce Trail and other groups came to visit, sharing food and adventures. Wilmer Nadjiwon stayed with us as Artist in Residence, and I was thrilled to hear stories from this talented Ojibway Elder. It was a season chockful of memorable experiences.

Cabot Head Lighthouse offers each person a chance to step back in time and into nature. It is a very special place. For me, it was a powerful learning, and a fruition of a long-held dream. I am a lightkeeper! Perhaps I will meet you there in the coming season. Visit www.cabothead.ca. The lighthouse is open to the public daily, 10am-7pm, May 1-October 31.