Twenty-third Lighthouse Expedition

October 14 – 19, 1995
Lake Ontario
(Includes a few from Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair)

Saturday, October 14, 1995

7:50 am: Left home. Very cloudy.
12:40 pm: Arrived at Port Dalhousie, Ontario near St. Catherine’s. The Port Dalhousie Rear Range Light sits on shore and we walked out on the pier to get pictures of the Port Dalhousie Front Range Light. Both towers are white with green lantern rooms. We ate lunch in the car as it was very overcast and windy. Left 1:20 p.m.
1:30 pm: We arrived at the Port Weller Light on the Welland Canal. It’s on Coast Guard property and because it’s a hazy day, we aren’t close enough to get a decent picture. No big loss, it’s an ugly thing! Left 1:35 pm. We drove through the Niagara-on-the-Lakes area – orchards, greenhouses, vineyards – a beautiful area. The town of Niagara-on-the-Lakes was a bustling, quaint little town.
1:55 pm: We found the Niagara River Range Lights. The Niagara River Parkway was a beautiful drive. We took the bridge to USA and arrived in New York State.
2:50 pm: We arrived at the Fort Niagara Lighthouse at Fort Niagara. It started to sprinkle. The Robert Moses Parkway was a pretty drive. We left at 3:00 pm.
3:40 pm: Arrived at Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse. The chain was across the road into the Golden Hill State Park so we hiked about 3/4 of a mile to the lighthouse. It started sprinkling on the way and was raining hard by the time we started back to the car. Our pants were soaked. It was also very windy. This light was one of those featured on the Great Lakes series of U.S. postage stamps. The park seems very nice and on a warm sunny day it could be beautiful. We were happy we had our rain ponchos with us when we got back to the car at 4:20 pm.
5:30 pm: We arrived in Greece, NY and stayed at the Wellesley Inn. We had dinner at Applebees.

Sunday, October 15, 1995

8:35 am: We left the Wellesley Inn in Greece, NY. Some sun this a.m. but cold 46 .
8:55 am: We arrived at the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse. Met Charles Isaac, the resident lighthouse keeper who let us in the house and gave us a key to the tower. He is a lighthouse relief carver/artist. He retired after 30 years of working for Chase Manhattan Bank. He was a V.P. of the bank when he retired. He’s now doing what he really enjoys. He does art shows in NY and MI. The lighthouse here was built in 1822 where Lake Ontario and the Genesee River meet.
10:05 am: We traveled back west to arrive at Braddock Point Light. Two-thirds of the original tower was removed and they capped the lower third. (Take Lighthouse Rd. to Clearview St.) It’s a private residence and a pretty home. Left at 10:15. Now we’re going east again!
11:20 am: Arrived at Sodus Point Light. There is a museum and gift shop. We managed to leave some money there. The keeper’s dwelling and light tower are very clean and the museum is excellent. The grounds and view of Sodus Bay from the tower are beautiful. We left at noon and drove the short distance (less than 1/2 mile) to the pier to see the light there. VERY windy. The waves were crashing over the pier and the sailboats we saw earlier had all come in. The light on the pier is Sodus Point Pierhead Light. We stayed there and had lunch in the car. We left at 12:35 pm.
1:30 pm: We arrived at the Oswego West Pierhead Light. VERY VERY windy but the sun was shining. The water was crashing over the breakwater. Don had a difficult time keeping the camera steady. Left at 1:45 pm.
2:20 pm: Arrived at Selkirk Lighthouse. This is a bed and breakfast. This is literally at the curve on the road. Not too pretty a lighthouse. As we were leaving we saw Sandy Karns from WI whom we met on the U.S. Lighthouse Society Ireland trip this past summer. She had been to the Lake Ontario Conference. Left 2:40 pm.
3:10 pm: We arrived at the Stony Point Lighthouse. This is privately owned but is easily accessible for pictures at the end of Lighthouse Road. We had sprinkles on the way here, but they stopped while Don took pictures. Left at 3:20 pm.
3:50 pm: Arrived at the Econo Lodge Efficiencies in Watertown , NY. We had dinner at the Red Lobster. We took a drive around town after dinner.

Monday, October 16, 1995

8:50 am: We left the Econo Lodge in Watertown, NY. COLD, WINDY, SPRINKLES!
9:20 am: Arrived at the Cape Vincent Lighthouse. This lighthouse was moved from the Cape Vincent Breakwater in 1951 and serves as the Welcome Sign to the town of Cape Vincent. It’s 15 foot high – originally built in 1900. (We’re having camera trouble.)
9:45 am: We arrived at the Tibbets Point Lighthouse. It’s at the point where the St. Lawrence Seaway meets Lake Ontario. There is a hostel in the keepers dwelling. VERY WINDY! We could see the East Charity Shoal Light way out in the water (not close enough to get a picture). Left 10:10 am. We stopped at the Palette Shop in Cape Vincent and met Shirley Hamblin who was the organizer of the Lake Ontario Conference (which we just missed on the 14th.) She’s an artist and we bought one of her painted coffee mugs.
11:20 am: Arrived in Alexandria Bay. We could see the Sunken Island Lighthouse out in the Bay. A lot of places have closed up this time of year. October 15th seems to be the magic date.
11:40 am: We arrived at Joan and Dick Durand’s in Alexandria Bay. We met this wonderful couple on the Ireland trip and they had encouraged us to look them up when we made the Ontario Lighthouse Trip. Dick took us to their "camp" on the river where they spend the summer and fall months. They have a beautiful view of the St. Lawrence Seaway and they love their home on the river. They fed us a wonderful lunch and then they took us on a tour of the lighthouses in the area.
1:50 pm: Arrived at Rock Island Light viewing it from Wellesley Island. Left at 1:55 pm.
2:10 pm: Arrived at Sunken Island Lighthouse for a better view from the shore. Left 2:15.
2:40 pm: Saw Sisters Island Lighthouse from shore. Left 2:45
3:05 pm: Arrived at Crossover Island Lighthouse. This is where the ships crossover from American to Canadian waters. Left 3:10 pm.
3:40 pm: Arrived Ogdensburg Harbor Lighthouse. We got a view from the park on the river. We could also see Windmill Point Lighthouse and Prescott Harbor Lighthouse – both in Canada. We crossed the bridge into Canada and stopped right in front of Windmill Point Lighthouse.
4:40 pm: We arrived at Prescott Harbor Inner Light. Could also see the Prescott Harbor Outer Light, but for some reason Don didn’t take a picture. We drove back to Alexandria Bay via a different route and saw the beautiful area they call 1000 Islands. We had a wonderful dinner at the Riveredge Hotel.
9:30 pm: We stayed at the Durand’s in town and they stayed at the "camp".

Tuesday, October 17, 1995

8:20 am: We left the Durand’s home in Alexandria Bay and drove to the "camp" for breakfast. The temperature was 38 . We had a wonderful ham and eggs breakfast.
9:30 am: Left the Durand’s and crossed back into Canada on the 1000 Islands Bridge (thru Wellesley Island).
11:00 am: We arrived at the ferry boat dock in Kingston and quickly walked into town a few blocks and bought some "goodies" at Cookes and returned to the ferry dock at 11:20. The ferry left at 11:30.
11:55 am: We arrived on Wolfe Island. We drove to the ferry dock for Simcoe Island but no one was there. We drove a little further and we could see the Nine Mile Point Lighthouse, but we couldn’t get close enough for a picture.
1:15 pm: Took ferry back to Kingston and arrived at 1:35. (If you make this trip, allow 4 1/2 hrs. to see this light and pray there will be someone at the ferry dock at Simcoe Island to take you over. It was a big disappointment to spend all this time for nothing!)
3:10 pm: We arrived at the False Duck Island Lighthouse at Mariners Museum on Quinte Island near Milford, Ontario.
3:35 pm: Arrived at Prince Edward Point Lighthouse . This is a sad looking thing with the lantern room gone and a new ugly light tower in it’s place. It really needs a new coat of paint. From this point we could see the new tower on False Duck Island (modern structure). We could not get to Salmon Point Lighthouse as it’s on private property.
5:50 pm: We arrived at the Presqu’ile Lighthouse in the Presqu’ile Point State Park. This is a beautiful park on the point. Too bad the lantern room is gone. There are plans for a museum here. Left 6:00 pm.
6:45 pm: Arrived at the Comfort Inn in Cobourg, Ontario. Dinner at Taco Bell.

Wednesday, October 18, 1995

9:00 am: We left the Comfort Inn in Cobourg, Ontario. Cool, overcast with a light sprinkle.
9:10 am: Arrived at the Cobourg East Pierhead Light in Victoria Park. There were large rolling waves on the lake. Diana made the birds fly for Don’s picture. (Think I’ve done this before!) Left 9:15 am. We walked around Cobourg and left town at 9:45 am.
11:15 am: Arrived at the Queen’s Wharf Light in a park in Toronto. This was the only Wharf light saved from the originals built in 1830. (We had already seen the Gibraltar Point Light on the Toronto Island several years ago and doubt the ferries are running today. The Toronto Harbor Light is in a park that is only open weekends in the summer.) Left 11:25 am.
11:55 am: Arrived at the Oakville Lighthouse in Oakville, Ontario in Shipyard Park (behind a fence). Left 12:10 pm. We had lunch in Oakville and left town at 12:45 pm.
1:15 pm: We arrived at the Burlington Canal Main Light and Burlington Canal Range Light in Burlington, Ontario. The Main Light is next to the lift bridge and the Range Light is out on the breakwater. This was the nicest day we’ve had to walk outside so far on this trip. Left 1:30 pm.; We decided to see some of the lights we missed on previous trips on Lake Erie and Lake St. Clair on our way home.
4:30 pm: We arrived at the Rondeau West Breakwater Light and Rondeau East Pierhead Light in the town of Erieau near Rondeau Provincial Park. Left at 4:45 pm.
5:15 pm: We arrived at the Comfort Inn in Chatham, Ontario. We drove around town a bit to find a spot to eat and decided on Samuel’s Restaurant. (It’s a chain in Ontario.) We had a good dinner.

Thursday, October 19, 1995

9:20 am: We left the Comfort Inn in Chatham, Ontario. It’s a nice day – hazy but warmer than we’ve experienced.
9:55 am: Arrived at the Thames River Rear Range Light on Lake St. Clair. Left 10:10 am.
10:55 am: We arrived at the Leamington Lighthouse. It’s a private residence but you can view it through a park of sad, little cottages. Left 11:15 am. (Leamington is the tomato capital of Canada and a big Heinz plant is there. We could smell catsup all over town!)
11:35 am: Arrived at the Kingsville Lighthouse. It’s located in a fenced in area behind the Canadian Legion Hall. Pretty sad shape. Left 11:45 am. (Diana’s family cottage was located west of here on Lake Erie from 1946-1951.)
12:50 pm: We arrived at the Old Pelee Passage Lighthouse. This light is on the Detroit River just as it opens into Lake St. Clair and just across from Peche Island. We had lunch in the park across the street from the lighthouse. We could see the William Livingstone Memorial Light on Belle Isle as we drove along Riverside Drive. Left 1:40 pm. We arrived back in the USA via the tunnel in Detroit.
2:55 pm: Arrived home.

Trip Totals: 36 Lighthouses, 1361 miles, 6 days

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Lighthouses: A Photographic Journey
Conceived and Developed by David S. Carter
Photographs by Donald W. Carter
Text by Diana K. Carter, Donald W. Carter & David S. Carter

Copyright © 1995-1998 David S. Carter, Donald W. Carter, & Diana K. Carter. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means, physical or electronic, in part or in full, without the express permission of the authors, is strictly prohibited.