Winter Not Kind To Yarmouth Lighthouse
By Sue Clark on Apr 9, 2009 in News 
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Cape Forchu Lighthouse Suffers Damage
Now that spring-like weather is actually approaching in the Northern hemisphere, lighthouse groups are taking stock of the winter damage to their beacons. And one of the harder hit is Cape Forchu Lighthouse in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Not so much the lighthouse itself, but the area around it, including washed out shoulders, collapsed steps, holes in the driveway, downed fences and smashed lobster traps.
From a story at the Yarmouth County Vanguard, Manager Denise Nickerson is quoted as saying it’s the worst damage she’s ever seen. “The upper look-off, where there is a memorial, actually flew down by the lower parking lot,” she said.
Multiple Areas of Damage
The earth underneath steps going up to the lighthouse from the lower parking lot collapsed and large rocks smashed holes in the cement driveway. Fencing was ripped and pulled out in several places and lobster traps placed for decoration were crushed. Photos at the Vanguard show the potholes, some created rocks being smashed onto the asphalt. Heavy damage from waves and flooding can also be seen. Signs are smashed, and boulders are strewn all over.
The Town of Yarmouth is putting a high priority on the repair work, although a lot of it might not be done until tourist season is well underway. The town promises to disrupt traffic as little as possible. They will be working with the Friends of Cape Forchu Light Society to make it as safe as possible.
About Cape Forchu Lighthouse
Cape Forchu is unique in that it is a fairly recent lighthouse, replacing the original, rotted wooden one built in 1839. In 1961, the new tower, designed by L.E. Slaght,was erected in its place. The new one is built of eight inch thick concrete reinforced with twelve tons of steel bars. It has a unique “applecore” design, and is said to be the first in Canada of that style. The original Fresnel lens (pictured at left) was removed by the Coast Guard and donated to the Yarmouth County Historical Society. It now resides in their museum.
From the Lighthouse Society’s site: The applecore style is the prototype for its kind in the world, and was so named because of its resemblance to an applecore. The tower was built in this slender shape to withstand the power of the wind. The narrow shape, measuring only 5 feet (1.5 meters) in diameter, allows the wind to travel around the tower instead of against it. A spiral stairway winds its way to the top; no visitors are permitted inside because of the limited space. At the peak, its hexagonal shape flares outward like an inverted cone. On the top of the cone is a lantern 10 feet in diameter which encloses the light, and on the outside a 2 ½ foot wide walkway.
View photos of the storm damage here.
Photo Credits:
- Cape Forchu Lighthouse by Dougtone. Some Rights Reserved.
- Fresnel Lens from Cape Forchu by Ctd 2005. Some Rights Reserved.
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