Cape Scott Lighthouse is at the northwestern extremity of

Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are o ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Initial presence

A Danish-Canadian community existed east of

Cape Scott Cape Scott is a cape at the western side of the terminus of Dennistoun Glacier on the northern coast of Victoria Land in Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the ...

from 1897, but numbers had dwindled by the mid-1910s. The community apparently maintained a stake light and lantern at the cape for a period. However, the practice had long ceased by the time the first official navigational aid was constructed in 1927. This red lantern, fitted to a wooden mast, comprised an unwatched acetylene gas light.

Radar installation

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

erected a

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, w ...

tower near the point, and a camp in the woods immediately east of the Guise Bay neck. Connected by a plank and sand road, the facility became operational in February 1943. The contingent of up to 70 military personnel relied upon a weekly supply ship, which offloaded into rowboats for transport to shore. Parachute drops were used in emergencies. A

landline A landline (land line, land-line, main line, home phone, fixed-line, and wireline) is a telephone connection that uses metal wires or optical fiber telephone line for transmission, as distinguished from a mobile cellular network, which uses ...

was established to

Coal Harbour Coal Harbour is the name for a section of Burrard Inlet lying between Vancouver's Downtown Peninsula and the Brockton Point of Stanley Park. It has also now become the name of the neighbourhood adjacent to its southern shoreline. Neighbourhoo ...

. In September 1945, the electronic equipment was removed and the station disbanded. The Department of National Defence remains owner of the property.

Light tower

In 1959, a light tower was built upon the concrete foundation of the former radar tower with a DCB 36 beacon, and the diesel generators providing electricity were housed in the former operator shack. Three dwellings for keepers were built nearby. In 1981, a new tower was erected with AGA PRB 21 model panels of sealed beams. By 2019, solar panels replaced the diesel generators. Operated by the

Canadian Coast Guard The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG; french: links=no, Garde côtière canadienne, GCC) is the coast guard of Canada. Formed in 1962, the coast guard is tasked with marine search and rescue (SAR), communication, navigation, and transportation issues ...

, the lighthouse is one of the few that has not been automated. Although hikers visit the lighthouse location, the trails are unofficial, and their use is discouraged.

Principal keepers

*William Edward Gardiner 1960–1964 *Arthur G. Walden 1964–1968 *Anthony Holland 1968–1969 *Don DeRousie 1971–1972 *Robert W. Noble 1972–1973 *Don Weeden 1973–1992 *Mike Higgins 1996–1997 *Glenn Borgens 1998–1999 *Roger Williamson 2001–2002 *Mike Higgins 2002–2003 *Calvin Martin 2003–2004 *Harvey Humchitt 2004–present

Footnotes

References

External links

* Lighthouses in British Columbia Vancouver Island {{BritishColumbia-lighthouse-stub