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East Quoddy AKA Head Of The Harbor Light


East Quoddy AKA Head Of The Harbor Light
Photo Information
Copyright: Tom O'Donnell (gunbud) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 4085 W: 3 N: 3473] (16185)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-09-18
Categories: Architecture
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-03-17 17:53
Viewed: 661
Points: 38
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
East Quoddy Head Light
(Head Harbour Light)

The lightstation at Head Harbour, one of the
oldest lightstations in Canada, has a long history
as an aid to navigation in the Bay of Fundy and
Passanmquoddy Bay It is located at the northern
extremity of Campobello Island, which is the
largest of a number of Islands in the area of
Passamaquoddy Bay near the Maine-New
Brunswick border.The light is known to local
residents as "Head Harbour Light".

Campobello Island is closer to the coast of Maine
than to the mainland of New Brunswick. Twelve
miles by sea to St. Andrew's, its road link with
the Canadian mainland is by way of a bridge to
Lubec, Maine and a sixty-mile drive through that
state to St. Stephen.

During the Napoleonic Wars, when Britain and
the United States were engaged in economic
warfare, the town of Eastport on the Maine shore
line across from Campobello Island grew rapidly
as a smuggling centre.

On the New Brunswick side, Campobello became
a transfer point for trade as well. As the Islanders
said,"That's why fogs were made".

Although the illicit trade declined by the 1820s,
general trade flourished and traffic grew in the
narrows between Campobello Island and the
Maine coast.

Fishing, shipping and shipbuilding were very
important activities in Passamaquoddy Bay but
the famous Fundy fogs, the high tides, and the
treacherous rocks and shoals around the islands
near Campobello Island presented considerable
difficulty to this marine community. The volume
of coastal trade along the Bay of Fundy and the
coast of Maine increased with the 19th century,
and the chain of lights in the dangerous
Passamaquoddy area was strengthened by a
number of other lights.

The first light in the region was the American
West Quoddy Light, established in 1808 on the
Maine coast at about the level of the southern
point of Campobello Island. The first light in
New Brunswick was established in 1791 at St.
John Harbour. The second was in 1829 at Head
Harbour, where it was felt that "trade would be
benefitted and possibly vessels and lives saved" if
the point were lit. An upgraded fog alarm was
installed at Head Harbour in 1880 in response to
repeated requests from mariners, and in 1885 a
second light was established on Campobello
Island at MulhoUand Point near the site of the
modem bridge to Maine.

Today the waterways in the region are still busy,
and the natural hazards to navigation have not
diminished. The Head Harbour light continues,
after over 150 years to provide an essential service
to the marine community in the area. The Head
Harbour lightstation is about two and a half
miles from the nearest community, Wilson's
Beach. The rocky outcropping on which the
station is set becomes an island at high tide and
it is connected with the main body of the island
by more of these rocky quasi-islands.

A road fiom Wilson's Beach runs to a spot within
walking distance of the lightstation. Beyond that
point, the station is accessible by foot at low tide.
At the time it was built, the station was relatively
isolated, and it is unlikely that its establishment
played any significant role in the development
of any community.

The Lighttower is a white, wood, shingle-clad,
tapered octagonal structure about 51' high. It
was built in 1829 of heavy timber construction;
The original lantern was replaced by the present
cast iron model in 1887 The distinctive daymark
in the form of a red cross has been on the tower
at least since Confederation. It was placed there
to distinguish the tower from windrows of snow
in late winter and early spring.
denisn72, gneufeld, asajernigan, AROBN54, plimrn, dareco, Dyerco, snunney, John_F_Kennedy, cfreire, saylan-cb, scobert, Royaldevon, Bluejeans has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Tom,
A well composed and nicely balanced image here of the rugged coastline and the stately lighthouse. Nice details and excellent sharpness in well managed light. TFS. Gerald

Hello Tom
I like the domination of the rocks and the colors of them. The blue of the sea and of the sky is vivid and nice. The point of view of the red and white lightstation is very good. Long and excellent historical note. Cheer!
Best regards
Denis!

Nice shot Tom, hope to see some of this for my self later in this year, and I hope I capture it as well as you do. Great capture. Greg

Tom,
This is a great lighthouse and you have presented it nicely. Your composition is fine placing the tower off center using the rocky coastline to lead the eye into the shot. The lighting and colors are great with excellent sharpness and detail. The many shades of blue in the photo makes for a very pleasant shot.
TFS,
Asa

  • Great 
  • emilbo Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 766 W: 309 N: 523] (6001)
  • [2008-03-17 18:59]

Salut Tom!
Apremière vue, j'ai cru que c'était le phare de Méris-sur-mer, tout près de chez-moi, vue de cet angle avec à peut près le même paysage de bord de mer. Excellente prise de vue et qualité d'image.
J'aime beaucoup les rochers et ceux-ci sont magnifiques avec le pare derrière. Parfait éclairage. superbes couleurs et excellente note.
Félicitations!...
Emilius

Ayuh, Tom,
this is one beautiful shot. That light is so great and just superb detail. Wonderful rich color and excellent shadows. The contrasts in the warm and cool colors are just awesome. Marvelous division and balance, too. That's beautiful. Thanks and have a good week,
Shelly

  • Great 
  • Dyerco Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1162 W: 10 N: 1135] (4937)
  • [2008-03-17 23:57]

Hi Tom
The exposure has been well handled to shoe lots of detail in the rocks. The lighthouse is well placed in the scene.
Phil

As always your pictures stand out for their superb color! Also the scenes are fantastic. I love that blue blue water!! TFS

Hello Tom,
A very good composition of this lighthouse stood on a craggy headland. I like the textures and tones in the rocks which contrast nicely with those of the lighthouse. I don't know whether its my eyes but the horizon seems slightly tilted to me.

What a nice panorama with a special low POV which makes this an attractive picture. I do sense a slight tilt but nothing serious.
Best wishes,
Achim

Hi Tom
c'est un véritable chef d'oeuvre que tu présentes ce matin. Ce phare sur cette île qui est encore à son état sauvage et aux belles couleurs de l'été que nous allons avoir bientôt.
Amitiés
Jean-Pierre

Hi Tom
Beautiful capture of this lighthouse plenty of colors and marvelous lights. The POV brought out the great rocks with its textures and the trees on the right added an excellente framing for the picture. Well done, regards, Consuelo

  • Great 
  • plimrn Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3604 W: 226 N: 4774] (15197)
  • [2008-03-18 6:53]

Hi Tom,
I do like the diagonal of the classic granite rock against the blue sea; together with the line of the lighthouse and trees it creates a very harmonius compo. The note is fascinating.
HLJ, Pat

Hi Tom,
Fabulous shot of this vintage lighthouse. Thank God, in our haste to modernize everything, we didn't foolishly demolish these marvelous structures. These are beautiful historic icons and it is good to hear that they are still very useful. It is wise not to become too dependent and high-tech devices like GPS technology. Wonderful photo!
Stan

Hello Tom

What interesting historical notes!
Lovely composition with the sea providing a wonderful blue bed upon which the land can rest!
Excellent contrasts between the rugged rocks and the smooth sea, the pale blue of the sky and the rich, deep blue of the sea!

Kind regards,
Bev :-)

Hello Tom,
Nicely captured of the lighttower with a good fg perspective and I loved all the details on the rocks!
the image is fine with sharpness, well balanced colouration and details
well done
best regards
Tony

Hi Tom
Very nice view...
Great colours and light...
Good details and sharpness...
Well done.
TFS/Regards

  • Great 
  • mumek Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2179 W: 27 N: 2250] (15265)
  • [2008-03-19 3:03]

Good morning Tom!
This is a very good capture of the lighthouse.Great view at the rocky shore with nice contrast between dark blue water and the sky. Thanks for very interesting note
best regards
ziggy

Ola Tom
Bonita composição com o farol escondido por detrás da colina , muito bonita este pedaço de costa cheio de rochas , bonitos tons de azul , gostei muito da nota , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

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