There were surprisingly many lighthouses on Prince Edward Island. Paradise for. a lover of lighthouses. And who doesn’t love lighthouses?

Today I saw a guy wearing a black shirt with the following inscribed on it: “Tuna Assassin.” He was wearing a bit of sheepish grin. Appropriate, I thought.

When I arrived for the first camera shot there was a lovely reflection of the lighthouse in the water that disappeared because of rising wind by the time I stopped the car and pulled out my camera. That sucked. But at least we saw it.

Although we nearly missed it, we stopped at the St. Peters Harbour Lighthouse. This was a hidden unadvertised gem of a lighthouse near a long-abandoned harbour.  We would not have found it had I not been hungry for an ice cream and a chatty woman operating the shop. When we first arrived, the store was unattended because the young woman had to go to drop off her child at the nearby school. When she returned, I asked her if there were any lighthouses in the area and she knew of this one.  And she gave us directions on how to find it.

The moving sand here made the harbour impractical. Thanks goodness they did not destroy the lighthouse! All we could see were remnants of the old pier.

This was another lighthouse threatened by rising sea levels and the sand that often accompanies that. There were remnants of an old pier nearby more or less buried under the sand.

I couldn’t get enough of this lighthouse.

After we made an unplanned visit to Prince Edward Island from New Brunswick, which of course is permitted for meanderers, we took a drive to West Point Lighthouse which is an unusual lighthouse with black and white stripes amidst gray skies. It is the tallest Lighthouse in P.E.I. at 67’8”, made of cedar shingles painted black and white. It stands where the waters from the waters from the Northumberland Strait meet the waters of Egmont Bay.

This was the first lighthouse built by the Federal government of Canada in P.E.I. after confederation. It was built in 1875 and put into service in the following year. The original stripes were red and white but apparently black and white stands out better as offering more contrast, and the color black does not fade as fast as red. Who knew?

In 2020 a big storm caused severe damage to the trees, dunes and the boardwalk swept away from the front of the Lighthouse. Life in a lighthouse is never without its challenges. A protective seawall was built in 2011.

It opened on July 1, 1984 as Canada’s only Inn in an active Coast Guard Lighthouse.  In 1987 extensive renovations were made and a large dining room and kitchen were added and 6 bedrooms were created in a new wing on the northwest side of the light tower.  Needless to say, I would have loved to stay there. I wish I had known about that. I have stayed at lighthouses a few times and each was a bit of an adventure. Someday I must related those stories.  In 2009 to 2020 further renovations moved the rooms to the Harbourside Centre. After that there were a total of thirteen rooms. It is now a four-star inn. Wow I must go back.

We were disappointed that there was road construction that obstructed access to and views of the La Martre Lighthouse. This was a major disappointment because it is one of the more original lighthouses along the Gaspésie coastline. First, it is painted a bright red along with its nearby buildings and second, it has an unusual octagonal base shape. It is considered one of the more photogenic lighthouses in Quebec but the view was seriously marred today. Sometimes life just sucks.

The lighthouse is fully automated today but is operated non-automated during the day so people ordinarily can see the Fresnel lens rotating in its mercury bath while using its original system of weights and pulleys.

After that we veered inland because we were running out of time and I did not want to travel the roads in the dark. Old men must learn to be humble.

The  Gaspé Peninsula, or Gaspésie, in French is peninsula along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River from the Matapedia Valley in Quebec into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Chaleur Bay, on the south side of the Peninsula separates it from New Brunswick. I don’t know exactly where it starts and ends. The name Gaspé comes from the Mi’kmaq word gespe’g, meaning “end”, referring to the end of the land.

Originally, this was the land of the Mi’kmaq people.  Actually, much of the land we travelled through in eastern Canada—commonly called the Maritimes—was in their territory.  And that is important but too often forgotten by Canadians. Jacques Cartier arrived in Gaspe in 1534 and many people think—wrongly of course—that this is when Canada started. This is a very large area, bigger than Belgium for example. Approximately 140,000 people live there. About 1/10^th as many as Manitoba.

Though I don’t know exactly where it began, for me it began after leaving Rimouski and the “people” leaving the St. Lawrence River, looking out for land. This marked the beginning of the Gaspésie for us. It is one of the most interesting areas of Canada in my opinion. It is an area with a great variety of simple, yet elegant homes. They are not ostentatious, but nonetheless beautiful. Simple beauty. Well-tended. These people have heeded the wise words of Bob Dylan, “Don’t go mistaking paradise for that home across the road.”  This area, though I had been there before many years ago, was one of the surprises of the trip.

Canada is full of surprises. And not all of them are bad.

It was a lovely ride beside the St. Lawrence River. Of course, sprinkled along the way were a few lighthouses.  The first one was the Cap Chat Lightouse that was completed in 1909. It is not very tall and unlike the fine sculpturing of the lighthouse at Rimouski, this one was a squat square towers built of reinforced concrete with a circular red lantern It is 133 feet (10 metres) above the sea. It has a revolving Fresnel lens built in France and at the time produced a white flash every 3 seconds that was visible for 17 miles. A new dwelling was built for the lighthouse keeper after the original one burned down in 1923.

I learned that during World War II Cap Chat was a staging area for German U-boats who hoped to intercept coal convoys from Cape Breton Island. Because of stratification in the area of fresh and salt water it was difficult for radar to detect them. It is possible to rent the house for overnight  stays. Wow! Life is good. I have slept in a few lighthouse keepers homes over the years and would have loved to stay, but we got here too early to pack it in. Sadly, we had to move on.

Right across the road from the lighthouse in Rimouski is the historic Maritime Museum de la Pointe-au- which houses the RMS Empress a ship that is sort of Canada’s Titanic. That vessel played a very important role in the history of Canadian shipping and navigation.

The museum commemorates the tragic sinking of the Empress of Irelandocean liner in the St. Lawrence River to Rimouski. It was the worst maritime disaster in Canadian history.  Of the 1,477 people on board, 1,012 died.  Actually what I read was that they were “lost.”  But I think reality is worse. The ship sank on May 29, 1914 near Rimouski.

The land has been declared a national historic site. The ship was considered a symbol of luxury at the time. It had spacious décor with rich wood panels and fireplaces. First class passengers were offered a music and writing room, a café, smoking room, and library. The ship and her sister ship were in their time the fastest ships making the trans-Atlantic run.

Shortly before she sank after a collision with the Norwegian collier SS Storstad, the Commander was told by the pilot, “I don’t think you should run into much fog for the rest of the night. Good luck commander.” Even though no passenger was given a cabin numbered 13, many on board suffered bad luck. In fact, it was the worst luck. On this day the Empress was unlucky as were most of her passengers.

Lighthouses can also have spiritual meaning.  In the Bible there are many references to light and nothing speaks about light as clearly and succinctly as a lighthouse. In verses from John 8:12, Jesus spoke as follows: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

It is one of the most significant passages in the Bible. It shows Jesus as the ultimate source of light and life. He provides spiritual light. He enlightens. He illuminates the way. He provides salvation from the dangers of life. Like a lighthouse Jesus can save us. That I think is the message.

You don’t have to believe in anything supernatural to appreciate the words and the meaning of such a passage. To some people a lighthouse can remind us of the divine spark of light in each of us. They can connect us to something greater than ourselves, particularly in the dark night of the soul.

The lighthouse can light the way to a spiritual path.

In the morning leaving Rimouski Quebec, we headed right out to the Pointe-Au-Père Lighthouse just north of town.

I have a confession to make—I love lighthouses. I cannot resist stopping to look at them and photograph them. Why is that?

Similar to what Sigmund Freud said about cigars, I say, “Lighthouse is never just a lighthouse.” Lighthouses have great symbolic value. Freud was obsessed with cigars.  When his nephew declined a cigar at 17 Freud was thunderstruck. How was that possible? He said to him, “”My boy, smoking is one of the greatest and cheapest enjoyments in life, and if you decide in advance not to smoke, I can only feel sorry for you.” He actually thought it was illogical not to smoke cigars. That is the way I feel about lighthouses. I wanted to see them all. And sometimes that was absurd. He smoked cigars almost continuously. He smoked about 20 cigars per day!

What then do cigars symbolize? Of course, many have said the cigar is an obvious phallic symbol. Of course, lighthouses stand proud and erect.  Is that what they refer to? Perhaps.

It has been said that a lighthouse represents navigation through the challenges of life. As Anne Volpe said, “They provide a sense of direction, safety, and hope. Lighthouses also symbolize the importance of staying on course, making informed decisions, and finding our way during darkness or uncertainty.” They offer guidance and assurance in tough times. In short, they help you to wade through uncertainties of life.

Lighthouses are often found in hazardous locations such as dangerous coastlines. Symbolically, they represent protection and security. Who would not want that? They offer hope that we will survive the dangers that surround us. They allude to a bright future. They are light inside the dark.

Yet the lighthouses are often found in secluded areas where they are isolated from harm. They suggest seclusion and solitude far from the maddening crowd. They provide tranquility in times of tumult and encourage reflection. They are allied with the search for truth. We need light to find the truth. And wisdom. Sometimes a lighthouse. And sometimes we just need luck.

Lighthouses must be strong for often they must endure brutal circumstances.  A lighthouse is a steadfast friend. Dependable. You can rely on the lighthouse in your life’s storms. Who would not welcome that?

After the danger of the rough sea, the lighthouse offers respite. They provide a warm welcome, a refuge, a safe haven. Lighthouses give us a chance to overcome obstacles and challenges in difficult times.

Lighthouses often are also shrouded in mystery and romance. I don’t know why? They are in remote areas which leads us to speculate about what life would be like living in a remote area, perhaps an island, in solitude for lengthy periods of time.

According to Volpe,

“Lighthouses represent the pursuit of wisdom, self-actualization, and spiritual enlightenment. They inspire individuals to strive for self-improvement, expand their intellectual horizons, and cultivate inner wisdom. They serve as reminders to seek knowledge, navigate life’s struggles with wisdom, and continually strive for personal growth and enlightenment.”

Lighthouses often symbolize eternal vigilance from other dangers. For example, they can represent political freedom, which as we all know, requires relentless never-ending vigilance and awareness. They require us to be attentive and aware and won’t tolerate indolence or laziness. In summary they require the best from us, including insight, courage, and determination to endure.

Long live lighthouses. Long freedom.

On our way to the east coast, we stopped in Rimouski, Quebec. It took quite a long time to find a room to stay. It turned out Rimouski was hosting a big hockey tournament. And in Quebec there is another religion that competes with art. That, of course is hockey. The town was filled with hockey fans and parents of hockey players. The hotel was jammed. There were hockey players everywhere.  It seemed like we got the last room in the town and naturally it did not come cheap.The players of course are hockey gods.

We stayed at the Hotel Rimouski. It was a large and nice hotel. The hotel restaurant was very large and completely filled with people who seemed to be having a great time. There is no doubt about it—Hockey is popular in Rimouski.

Pointe-Au-Père Lighthouse

In the morning in Rimouski, Quebec we headed right out to the local lighthouse on the edge of town. We saw it yesterday from a distance.  Today we would get a much better look. I admit I got a bit ridiculous about insisting on seeing the lighthouses. For one thing there are 40 lighthouses in Quebec and many of them are on islands.  No matter how much we meandered we would not see them all. And I always thought I was missing the best one.

Today in Rimouski Quebec I saw one of the most beautiful lighthouses I have ever seen. It was a magnificently sculptured lighthouse that stood out against a deep blue sky with distant fog in the background. This was the 3^rd Pointe-Au-Père Lighthouse that was built in 1909 very near the edge of the city of Rimouski  in Pointe-au-Père.

It is the second tallest lighthouse in eastern Canada and consists of 8 concrete buttresses that reminded me of the great Cathedral of Paris—i.e., Notre-Dame de Paris. Often it is just called Notre Dame.  It was recently renovated after the great fire a couple of years ago. The buttresses here, unlike those in Paris, support a slender structure. Notre Dame de Rimouski perhaps.

The lighthouse is 108 feet (33 m) tall and its lines are pure.  It looked very modern. Sleek, jutting out into the sky like a sliver of white and the original was replaced with an electronic light in 1975. The grounds have been declared a national historic site.

Did you know that the maritime regions of Québec are home to over 40 lighthouses? A few are still operational, but most have been replaced by more modern instrumentation. Witnesses to a rich maritime tradition, these lighthouses, which were once navigational aids, now have a new purpose: to remind us of our past. Each lighthouse has its own personality, history and legends, and every one of them is worth a visit!

And I saw so few. What a dreadful pity. Even though we meandered!