July 7, Flag Raising and Bell Ringing

With spectacular weather, a group of nearly 100 people walked out to the keepers house at Swallow Tail on July 7th, the 152nd anniversary of the light house first being lit.  Two RCMP officers were present, along with the Honourable Rick Doucet, the MLA for the area and Kirk Cheney representing the Village of Grand Manan who have been very supportive of the restoration efforts at the Swallow Tail light station and are in the process of reconsolidating the light station with the acquisition of the light tower in the near future. 



RCMP officers breaking flag at annual flag raising

 After a brief welcoming, Wayne Clifford, John Peacock, MJ Edwards, Millie and Alexandre Banks played an impromptu piece on the bronze fog bell, returned to the property in November 2011.  The new deck around the bell acted as a natural stage for the event.  Members of Before the Mast (http://www.beforethemastseashanties.com/) continued with two songs before everyone was given a chance to play the bell if they wished.

The Lahey Family was represented to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the beginning of 22 years of service by George Lahey as light keeper .  The Dalzell family regrettably could not make the event which also marked the 100th anniversary of the retiring of George Dalzell as light keeper after 19 years of service.

Before the Mast helping celebrate the Swallow Tail light station anniversary

The descendants of the late light keeper, George Lahey, ringing the fog bell

Despite damage from many years of use and also being moved several times, the bell sounded wonderful and could be heard beyond the peninsula.  Listen to three different strikes of the bell here: http://www.freesound.org/people/bob.burgess/sounds/160882/