Adventures of a lightkeeper / Porter, Barry (Barry M.)
"Adventures of a Lightkeeper is a memoir. It covers the years 1983 to 2006, when Barry Porter worked as a lighthouse keeper with the Canadian Coast Guard on the northeast coast of Newfoundland Labrador. His adventures started at Surgeon's Cove Head Lighthouse, located on Exploits Island in the Bay of Exploits, just north of Lewisporte and west of the fishing communities of Comfort Cove, New World Island, and Summerford. This lighthouse guided shipping to and from the busy ports of Botwood and Lewisporte, plus the fishing and pleasure boats from the communities of Porterville, Point of Bay, Embree, Little Burnt Bay, Campbellton, Birchy Bay, and Fortune Harbour. Included is a chapter on a unique Exploits Island resident, Richard Wells, who defied the government's resettlement program in the 1960s. Barry also worked on the historic Long Point Lighthouse on Twillingate Island for seven years. He was the last lightkeeper to live in this majestic 146-year-old dwelling while working there. There, he experienced hurricane-force winds and observed some of the most rugged and dedicated hunters and fishermen from Durrell, Twillingate, Crow Head, Moreton's Harbour, and Tizzard's Harbour. While working at Long Point, Barry spent time with local artist Ted Stuckless and met the famous media magnate Geoff Stirling. He also met marine scientist Dr. Jon Lien and became friends with Peter Troake, the famous skipper of the MV Christmas Seal. The book also describes Barry Porter's four years keeping light on remote Bacalhao Island. This lighthouse guided all ships in and out of the Hamilton Sound shipping route. It assisted fishing and pleasure boats from Herring Neck, Cobb's Arm, Too Good Arm, Pike's Arm, Change Islands, Fogo Island, Boyd's Cove, and Port Albert. The lightkeepers there kept in contact with fisher persons and hunters throughout Notre Dame Bay, from Fogo Island to Lushes Bight, and as far north as Shoe Cove near Cape John Gull Island Lighthouse, via CB and VHF radios. Barry writes about his only shift on Puffin Island Lighthouse, located near Greenspond, in 2003. He tells stories of close encounters with Arctic foxes, a hungry polar bear, snowy owls, humpback whales, and beautiful icebergs. He also describes the life and the isolation, the history of the lighthouses, and pioneer lightkeepers. Also included are stories about lighthouse automation, marine rescues and near-misses, and vicious storms. Completing this in-depth memoir on the life of a lighthouse keeper are chapters on the Canadian Coast Guard ships -- including the Sir Wilfred Grenfell, Sir John Franklin, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and Ann Harvey -- the helicopters, technicians, rescues Barry performed while off duty, and his efforts to rehabilitate a paralyzed beagle that lived with him at one of the lighthouses."--