The Salish first settled Comox, whose name is derived from the Indian word “Koumuckthay,” meaning “Land of Plenty.” Europeans arrived at Comox in the mid-1800s. Overlooking the protected waters of Comox Harbour, Comox was an important port for the ships of the Royal Navy and transport steamers.

St. Andrew’s crosses (X’s) were fastened to trees on the mainland south of Comox Harbour to guide vessels over the bar at Comox known as the Kelp Bar. The bar is about a half mile wide and is situated between the northern extremity of Seal Islets Spit on the south and a rocky ridge that extends from Vancouver Island on the north.

In 1915, the Department of Marine paid $167.35 to purchase the sites for range lights to replace the St. Andrew’s crosses. W. H. P. Trowsdale supervised the day labour that constructed a set of wooden range towers that year at a cost of $2,756.39. The front tower stood on the western shore of Baynes Sound, twenty feet back from the water’s edge, and displayed a fixed white light from a fourth-order lens. The rear tower was positioned 1,000 feet inland from the front tower and showed a fixed white catoptirc light. The front tower was square in plan with sloping sides and was capped by a square lantern room. The rear tower was also square in plan with sloping sides but its base was open frame surmounted by an enclosed watchroom and square lantern.

The electric range lights were activated around September 15, 1915 with a contracted keeper to look after them. The trees carrying the St. Andrew’s daymarks had to be removed to clear the ground for the new range towers.

Modern range lights continued to guide vessels across the bar at Comox today.

References

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

Range lights continued to mark this location today.

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