Lighthouses have saved thousands of lives all over the world since their inception. Many a sailor has live to tell their stories, because one of these beacons of guidance showed them the safe way home. While modern technology and navigation have rendered many of these beacons unnecessary, they still hold a place in the hearts of many people. Sailors and landlubbers alike. Every time I see a lighthouse poster or photograph, it reminds me of something different. As with many things in this world symbols and ideas have a deeply personal meaning for everyone.



One thing light house pictures remind me of is my first really big sailing trip. In the summer of 2007, my family undertook our most adventurous vacation ever. Sailing a 30 foot Hunter, we took two weeks on Lake Huron and Georgian Bay to sail from Bayfield Ontario to the North channel. The anchorage haven that exists between Manitoulin Island and Northern Ontario. One of the anchorages we stopped at on our way home, was Wingfield Basin.

A small anchorage just west of Tobermory, and complete with it's own little lighthouse. We made several trips to the lighthouse over the few days we were anchored there. You could climb to the top, and visit the little gift shop nearby. It was fun for both the adults and kids.

The other thing posters of lighthouse remind me of is my childhood. It's pretty hard while surfing through websites with lighthouse pictures, not to see several seascapes of Eastern Canada and the United States. I spent many a months of my childhood summers visiting Dalhousie, New Brunswick where my mother was from. The little bay that Dalhousie sat on had it's own old beacon of light. At least I think it did. Or maybe that was the lighthouse from the mini putt course down by the bay. Either way the story still works.

The last item that strikes my memory, is a more recent one. It's funny as well. Perhaps because of the situation, or perhaps because it pokes a little fun at good old American arrogance. I am from Canada, and have live in the shadow of our big US neighbour for my entire life. It's fun to have a chuckle at their expense every once in a while. The story is basically a transcript at sea of the radio dialog between two men. One the captain of a rather large US battleship, and the other man who is unidentified. The American captain insists the other man of the obviously "smaller" craft on his radio to change course.

After bantering back and forth, with neither side willing to back down and alter course, the unidentified man issues the following suggestion (paraphrasin from memory here) "I have no intention of altering course, but if you wish to remain on your current heading, feel free . . . we're a light house . . . your call".