The Year 2004

Jan 1st to Jan 8th.  Taking a little break over the holidays.  Before Christmas we spent hundreds of hours fixing up two floats for the Christmas parades in both Southampton and Port Elgin. We won the Port Elgin competition.

Jan 8th to March 10th, 2004.  Tremendous amount of work has been done on the cabin of the Peerless.  New dash made of wood was added.  New steering mechanism and a brand new gear shift have been installed.  Also, new GPS hand held has been added. This required a lot of work with cables from bow to stern.  Chief workers were Gord Webb, Bob Chapman and John Mackay.  Mike Sterling and Bob Trelford did other work offline.   Mike gave a talk in Hamilton for a group trying to restore the little John Brown lighthouse there.  They have a good group.  Total hours 250.

March 11th-March 21.  Lots more work on the Peerless.  John Mackay found some bad steel on the deck in the bow.  In the past the Water Rescue people had put foam in there for some ill conceived reason and it collected moisture and caused rust.  We will have to replace the entire area there.  Bob Trelford, Bob Chapman and Gord Webb were working there too!  Lots of work by Ken Cassavoy on preparting for the giant dig on the Shipwreck set to begin May 17th.  Mike Sterling helped here as did Gord Webb.  Vicki Tomori and Bruce Chapman did a lot of work on MHS and Propeller Club business.  Total hours 200.

March 22nd to April 16, 2004.  More and more work in the Boathouse on the Peerless and Ken Cassavoy has done lots of the shipwreck did preparation.  Bob Chapman,Bob Trelford, Bob Chatterton, Gord Webb, Mike Sterling, John MacKay and lots of others have worked on the Peerless. Bob Chapman, John MacKay and Gord Webb have almost finished the redesign of the cabin including steering, ventilation, gearing, outdrive and repair of the deck on the bow which was rusted thru.  This was done day by day.  Total hours 480.

April 17th to 20th.... Bob Chapman, John MacKay continue to work on the Peerless.  They were also waiting for the inspector to come.  The Peerless is almost ready.  Tom Shillinglaw is working on the outdrive.  Bob Trelford  is doing some work on the trim.  Joe Sholzes replaced the carpet in the Boat House Conference Room.  Mike Sterling and Gord Webb went and got the barge from John Rigby's to put the motors on it.  Kevin Champion has worked on all the motors.  Total hours 40.

April 21st to May 1st, 2004.... The Peerless is completed in the Boat House and launched in Port Elgin on April 30th after extensive modifications to the cabin, steering and outdrive.  Metal plates welded onto the bow.  Flags and jump seats added along with a new Captains chair.  Two summer students hired.  Extensive work in Pioneer Park and lots of work on the docks including welding by Pete McGuire.  Principal volunteeers Tom Marcotte, Vicki Tomori, Bob Trelford, Bob Chapman, John Mackay and Gord Webb.  Total hours 225.

May 2nd to May 13th 2004.  We've had a tremendous amount of work done. On May 12th we had a big Propeller Club dinner with 76 attending.  Wayne Macdonald has been working on the outer Range Light.  The Peerless has been inspected in PE. The Tilbury is in the water and the barge Seagull is in PE harbour.  Lots of work on Pioneer Park headed up by Tom Marcotte.  Bob Trelford has made a great display box for the Tour Base.  The students Matt and Ryan had been working hard, painting and fixing the docks.  Doug Welch helped us turn them over at the harbour in Southampton for more repair work done by the students.  Gord Webb has been doing a lot of work on the Peerless with John MacKay and Bob Chapman.   Total hours 350

May 14th, 2004.  Brought the barge Seagull and the Peerless from Port Elgin.  Changed the motor on the Seagull to a 25 HP Evenrude.  Worked on fencing for the beach shipwreck.  Students Matt and Ryan, Bob Chapman, Ken Cassavoy, Mike Sterling, John MacKay and Gord Webb. Total hours 35

May 15th to May 21st 2004. Peerless inspected by Mr. Kennedy in Port Elgin.  Lots of tests including load tests with 12 on board.  We then started work on the walkways.  As of My 21 they are in and awaiting the docks.  Louis and Gils Roy did a good job along with Carl Crymble, Bob Chapman, Tom Marcotte, Joe Scholzes, Mike Sterling andGord Webb.  The ladies came out to clean the house on May 21st.   The shipwreck dig started with lots of Propeller Club volunteers.  Diane Huber was there a lot.  Total hours 220

May 22nd & 23rd, 2004.  Ken Cassavoy started the big dig which went well on the 22nd and 23rd with all the volunteers showing up. Lots of torrential rain, however caused the people to be uncomfortable. 

May 24th, 2004.  Lots of volunteers at the dock set to go to the Island, but terrible rain over the last few days have caused the river to rise and the Boat Club sailboats and docks were in the middle of the river hanging on for dear life.  We pitched in with the Peerless and the Tilbury and got things sorted out.  All boats were safe on the south side dock. The entire lot of them could have been lost.  Total hours 24.

May 25th to September 21st.  The table below tells the story.

Task Comments Priority Status
Finish Old Privy George G. & Bob Chatterton Low Pending 40 hours
Expand Environmental Privy Bob Trelford +Students, Mike, Rick & Sandy High Done 200 hours
Marker for Gypsy Stone Mike Sterling, Bob T, Sandy L High Plaques being made. Finish Oct.1st. 8 hours
Shipwreck Cassavoy High Patrick, Stan, Leslie 1200 hours
Marker for Inucksuit Mike Sterling Low Pending
Frame Photo for Keepers Mike Sterling High Pending
Stabilize South Building Mike S. & Joe Med. Done 3 hours
Walkway from Bridge to Island Bob, T, Rick S. Bill M. John H, Mike & Students High Done 250 hours
Chips for gardens. Bob, Mike, Students, High Done 60 hours
Fix Flaps in Lighthouse Bob & Bruce Chapman Med Wood temp flaps done, brass in spring 80 hours
Trim Lilacs Joe, Rick, Connie High More work needed in front of Keeper’s Quarters.
Paint Plywood at the top of the Lighthouse Students Med Done
Paint Outer Range Light Wayne MacDonald, + Med. Done 80 hours
Add addition to tool shed Bob Trelford, Mike, Students Med Done 40 hours
Label Herbs Hannalore, Eric Luce Med Done 20 hours
Gardening Donna & Hannalore Sandy High Done 300 hours
Shelves for Tour Base Bob and Vicki High Done 10 hours
Move anchors Mike High Done 6 hours
Paint around doors Joan Rigby Med. Done 4 hours
Screen for basement windows Mike + Students Med Done 4 hours
Window Leak Bob Trelford Low Done 2 hours
Paint Ramp Students Low Done 2 hours
Fix Flag Pole Doug Johnson, Mike+students Low Done 2 hours
Clean up beach after dig Cassavoy, Students High Done 40 hours
Sort and store Privy dig artifacts Mike Low Pending
Flowers for Tour Base ?? Low Pending
2nd floor window glass brick Mike, Gord Stonemasons Med. Done 20 hours
Paint Tool Shed & Privy Sandy L. Med Done 40 hours
Paint Walkway Railing Sandy, Connie Med. Done 2 hours
Bell for Captains Mike, Rick Low Done 4 hours
Fix Generator exhaust Gord, Mike High Done 2 hours
L. Sautter Plaque in Lighthouse Mike Dr. Don Mercer Low Done Oct 1st 5 hours
Organize Tool Shed Rick, Gord Low Done 5 hours
Chantry Island Tour Base Vicki and staff High Done 600 hours
Chantry Island Tours Captains, Crew, Docents High Done 1000 hours
Chantry Island Institute Ken R. Margo King High Done 300 hours

 
Responsibility Team Leaders Assistant(s)
Captains John MacKay Gord Webb, Bob Chapman
Scheduling Bob Trelford Bob Trelford,Vicki, Gord Webb
Tour Base Vicki Tomori Pat Marcotte + volunteers.
Propeller Club Gord Webb Bob Trelford
Keeper’s House Cleaning Barb LePage Joan Rigby, Connie & Ali
Keeper’s House Décor Jane Kramer Joan Rigby
Lighthouse Repairs Mike Sterling Bob Chapman, Bruce Chapman
Docks & Walkways Mike Sterling Bob Trelford, Gord Webb, Rick Schumacher
Town Relations John Rigby Vicki Tomori
Gardens Sandy Lindsay Hannalore Fulford
Gov’t Relations Jim McLay Gord Webb
Birds Cindy Cartwright  
Construction Bob Trelford Rick Schumacher
Pioneer Park Tom Marcotte Rick S. Connie S. Ali etc
Marine Heritage Society Mike Sterling Board of Directors
Chantry Island Institute Margo King, Ken Rothenberg Done.Mike Sterling
Museum Marine Displays ? ?
Shipwreck Ken Cassavoy Patrick, Stan, Leslie Currie
Tour Guides Joan Rigby Jane Kramer

Oct 17th, 2004.  Visited Burlington Lighthouse Group and gave them a 2nd talk.   Hours 10. 

From early October until November 11th, we have been working in the Boat House.  Lots of cleanup work and fixing the big door to allow easy access for the Peerless.  The Peerless has been brought in for the winter along with the Tilbury. Total hours 200.

November 10th & 11th 2004.  We have a cleanup of the basement and the dumps on Chantry Island going on now.  The government has hired an environmental cleanup group to do the work. The first work was to clean up the basement of the Lighthouse.  On November 10th a great discovery of a stencil for the schooner Altair

This artifact was found during the environmental cleanup of the Chantry Island Lighthouse basement. It is brass measuring ~11"X4". I think the writing is more dramatic in the scan then when holding the real artifact up to the light. The higher resolution version of the scanned image is excellent for investigation, note: the lettraset type stencil letters and the detail and difference between the two "A's", the manmade circular hole upper left, and the other holes that seem like nail piercings (like it had been tacked to something) or corrosion. The circular hole and overall shape remind me of a luggage tag but the pierced type is hard to read without a background.

A note from Patrick Folkes about Altair

Jim:  The schooner 'Altair' was built at Buffalo, N.Y., 1855, by Frederick N. Jones for Oliver Bugbee, Buffalo. He owned her 1855-56, then the Lake Navigation Co., 1856-58; "Parker and Estate of S.M. Johnson", Chicago, had her in 1864. She was 413 tons (this is undoubtedly gross tons) and had two masts (not three). The 'Altair' was length 138', breadth 28'2", and depth of hold 11'6". She was bound Chicago to Goderich when wrecked at Chantry Nov. 11, 1864.   The Toronto 'Globe', Nov. 18, 1864, says: "Several American vessels which were out in the gale of Wednesday and Thursday last, are ashore on this coast. Two are west of Chantry Island - the one on the shoal, nearly 1/4 mile out, and the other quite close to the shore of the Island. The former is the schooner 'Altair' from Chicago having 17,000 bushels of wheat on board, and the other the scow 'American Eagle' empty, having been on her way from Detroit for a load of lumber at Saginaw. Both vessels 'got on' before daylight Friday morning. The 'Altair' having sprung a leak made for Chantry Island Light, and was in a sinking condition when she grounded on the shoal. A boat from the 'Lily Dancy' of Goderich, which was safely anchored to the lee of the Island, having been seen going to the Island in the morning, confidence was felt that anything sailors could do for the crew of the 'Altair' would be done by that boats crew.  /  They carried a boat across the Island and succeeded in taking the crew off, and all got safe ashore, though they had a narrow escape - the boat having been capsized in the breakers, but fortunately not far from shore." The 'Globe', Wed., Nov. 30, 1864, quotes the Detroit 'Tribune' as saying:  "The schooner 'Altair' ashore on the above coast has been abandoned and is fast going to pieces."    There is a letter in the Public Works records dated Chantry Island Lighthouse, Jan. 16, 1865, from Duncan McGregor Lambert to the Secretary, Dept. of Public Works, Quebec City, which states:  "Herewith I send you my quarterly return for the past quarter.  /  You will notice my remarks respecting the Schooner 'Altair' and Scow 'American Eagle' both of which went ashore on Chantry Island on the same night   the former became a total wreck, the latter is now lying on the Island and will be got off. The Crews of both were saved that of the 'Altair' by the Crew of the 'Lilly Dancy' (sic) which was fortunately lying behind the Island, had it been otherwise all must have perished, as it would have been impossible for me with the means at my command to rendered (sic) them any aid    I would therefore suggest the propriety of the Department furnishing me with a small life Boat which would be carefully taken care of by me."     I see in my typescript that I did not include the precise source for the Lambert letter, but it is from RG 11, Public Works Dept., National Archives, Ottawa. I'm sure I have the proper reference on a photocopy of the original in my files and could find it if need be. The 1864 ownership is from the 1864 Board of Lake Underwriters vessel list.

November 15 and 16th, 2004.  Lots of work in the Boat House on the Tilbury.  It's done now and ready for storage.  More work on cleanup on the Island.  Total hours 50

Nov. 17th, 2004.  Had our fall annual meeting and dinner.  80 people there.  Lots of preparation by Bob Chapman, Bob Trelford and Gord Webb  Total hours 20

Nov. 17th to Nov. 22nd.  Lots of work in the Boat House fixing up things.  The Chambettes decorated the barge and we have started on the Peerless for the Christmas Parades.  Total hours 35

Nov. 22nd to December 3rd.  We have been working on an environmental cleanup on the Island.  Bob Trelford and Mike Sterling installed the plaque on the pedistal just below the Lantern Room that was missing for over 50 years and found by Bob Chapman.  We worked with the environmental consultants on the cleanout of the basement of the Lighthouse and the dump site to the west of the Lighthouse.  We found thousands of artifacts including a toy gun, fasteners, china and pottery and some tools.  All this was sorted out at the Boat House on December 2nd by 14 volunteers.  The Christmas parades went very well too.  Mike Sterling met with the Lighthouse Tour group relative the the 2006 international Lighthouse Conference to be held in Southampon.  Total hours 250