Pokemouche Village is situated on the Pokemouche River, roughly three kilometres from where the river enters the Gulf of St. Lawrence through Pokemouche Gully. During 1875, a lighthouse, consisting of a square, 11.3-metre-tall tower with an attached keeper’s dwelling, was built on Pokemouche Island, just north of the gully, to guide mariners through the opening. Due to the lateness of the season, its keeper, Philip Robichau, did not activate the tower’s fixed green light until the opening of navigation in 1876. The total cost of the lighthouse, which was erected by W. Ferguson, came to $2,179.70. Five lamps, three circular-wick and two mammoth flat-wick lamps, were set in reflectors in the lantern room to produce the light.

In 1884, a second light was established to work with the main light in indicating the proper alignment for entering the gully. The new light was a lantern, displaying a red light, which was hoisted atop a pole capable of sliding along a tramway so it could be moved to suit changes in the channel. In 1892, Keeper Michael Hayden, became keeper in 1888 following the death of Keeper Robichau, received $15 for rebuilding the tramway after the original one had been carried away by the sea. A plank walk with a handrail ran between the two lights for the convenience of the keeper.

In 1915, the characteristic of Pokemouche Light was changed from fixed green to occulting white every fifteen seconds, thus, light 10 seconds, eclipsed 5 seconds. The keeper would also sound a hand-operated foghorn in response to signals from vessels.

On April 27, 1939, Keeper D.A. Ferguson started a grass fire on the island that got out of control and burned down the lighthouse. An unwatched automatic light, shown from a lens lantern atop a pole, commenced operation a few weeks later. Lighted buoys now mark the way through Pokemouche Gully. .

Keepers: Philip Robichau (1876 – 1888), Michael Hayden (1888 – 1923), D.A. Ferguson (1922 – 1939).

References

1. Annual Report of the Department of Marine and Fisheries, various years.

No light exists at this location today.

Find the closest hotels to Pokemouche Lighthouse