Cain’s Island, also known in earlier days as Caine’s Island, is situated at the entrance to the harbour at Rose Blanche, just west of the point where Rose Blanche Lighthouse stands. Rose Blanche Lighthouse was built in 1873, and then in 1904, a fog alarm was established on Caine’s Island as an additional aid to mariners. A 1904 Notice to Mariners publicized the new fog alarm:

A fog alarm consists of a diaphone, which during thick or foggy weather, will give blasts of five seconds’ duration every two minutes, thus: blast of 5 seconds, silent 115 seconds, blast of 5 seconds, silent 115 seconds.

The engine house is a square, flat-roofed building, painted in alternate black and white horizontal bands.

The keeper’s dwelling is a square, flat-roofed wooden building, painted white, roof black.

The storehouse is a square, flat-roofed building, painted white, roof black.

In 1907, mariners were notified that on April 1 of that year, the fog alarm on Cain’s Island would be changed to sound six-second blasts separated alternately by silent intervals of fifteen and ninety-three seconds, thus: blast six seconds, silence fifteen seconds, blast six seconds, silence ninety-three seconds. Starting in June of that year, a red lens-lantern light was exhibited from the roof of the engine house to guide vessels entering the harbour of Rose Blanche. In 1912, a covered passageway was built to link the dwelling to the engine house.

John Garcin was hired as the first keeper of the station and served through at least 1921. The 1921 census shows that John Garcin was sixty-three at that time, and his thirty-two-year-old son John Garcin, Jr. was serving as the assistant keeper. In 1935 and through at least 1945, Llewelyn Gillan was in charge of the station on Cain’s Island and James Skinner was serving as his assistant.

In 1990, a combined fog alarm building and lighthouse were removed from Cain’s Island, and a large, square, skeletal tower was placed on the island. It appears that this tower served until 2003, when a mast light was placed on the island. In 2021, the mast light was exhibiting a flashing red light with a period of six seconds.

Keepers: John Garcin (1904 – at least 1921), Llewelyn Gillam (at least 1935 – at least 1945).

The modern light can be seen from Rose Blache Lighthouse.

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