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On December 27, 2007, Canada Post issued five stamps featuring Canadian lighthouses. The “Flags over Lighthouses” issue pays homage to the historical lighthouses across Canada that serve as treasured reminders to the nation’s nautical heritage.
One of the first steps in the creation of these stamps was weeks of inten-
sive photo research by Toronto’s Gottschalk+Ash International. “While the main focus was on the lighthouses, the environment surrounding them played a very important role. A great deal of careful planning went into what geographical and architectural features were present in each image,” explains designer Michael Kirlew. After the photographs were selected, a number of fine details and elements were enhanced to breathe life into the resulting five stamps.
The first lighthouse is Point Clark, Ontario, originally referred to as “Pine Point” after a lantern hung from a pine tree to caution sailors. The 110-foot imperial tower was built between 1855 and 1859 to warn of the dangers posed by the reefs approximately two miles off Lake Huron’s shoreline.
Next is Pachena Point, British Columbia, located along a dangerous stretch of the western coastline, 12 km south of Bamfield on Vancouver Island. Pachena Point is closely linked to the tragic Valencia wreck, one of the worst maritime tragedies in British Columbia’s history.
Third is Warren Landing, Manitoba. Among Canada’s most remote and least often seen lighthouses, the two pairs of range lights that have guided boats into the wilderness village of Warren Landing since 1908 are found on the west bank of the Nelson River just below Lake Winnipeg. Originally, all four lights wer in square pyramidal frame lighthouses. While two remain active today, the rear range lighthouses have since been replaced by steel skeletal towers.
The fourth lighthouse, Cap-des-Rosiers in Quebec, so named for the lush wild rose bushes that cover the cape, is located at the eastern corner of the Gaspé Peninsula, marking the entrance to Forillon National Park.
The fifth stamp shows the 1758 Sambro Island lighthouse, located in Nova Scotia. The 44-foot granite tower is sheathed with wood shingles to protect the mortar from deteriorating from the salty atmosphere. It was white until 1908 when three red stripes were added to increase visibility in snowy conditions.
A booklet of 10 stamps is available for $5.20 (Canadian). The official first day cover cancellation at Sambro, Nova Scotia is limited to 23,000. Available for $3.60 (CAD). A booklet of 30 stamps will be available May 1st, 2008. To order, go to www.canadapost.ca or call 1-800-565-4362 from the U.S. or Canada, 902-863-6550 from other countries.
This story appeared in the
March 2008 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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