| Lighthouses have saved thousands of lives all over the | | | | my childhood. It's pretty hard while surfing through |
| world since their inception. Many a sailor has live to tell | | | | websites with lighthouse pictures, not to see several |
| their stories, because one of these beacons of | | | | seascapes of Eastern Canada and the United States. I |
| guidance showed them the safe way home. While | | | | spent many a months of my childhood summers |
| modern technology and navigation have rendered | | | | visiting Dalhousie, New Brunswick where my mother |
| many of these beacons unnecessary, they still hold a | | | | was from. The little bay that Dalhousie sat on had it's |
| place in the hearts of many people. Sailors and | | | | own old beacon of light. At least I think it did. Or maybe |
| landlubbers alike. Every time I see a lighthouse poster | | | | that was the lighthouse from the mini putt course |
| or photograph, it reminds me of something different. | | | | down by the bay. Either way the story still works. |
| As with many things in this world symbols and ideas | | | | The last item that strikes my memory, is a more |
| have a deeply personal meaning for everyone. | | | | recent one. It's funny as well. Perhaps because of the |
| One thing light house pictures remind me of is my first | | | | situation, or perhaps because it pokes a little fun at |
| really big sailing trip. In the summer of 2007, my family | | | | good old American arrogance. I am from Canada, and |
| undertook our most adventurous vacation ever. Sailing | | | | have live in the shadow of our big US neighbour for |
| a 30 foot Hunter, we took two weeks on Lake Huron | | | | my entire life. It's fun to have a chuckle at their |
| and Georgian Bay to sail from Bayfield Ontario to the | | | | expense every once in a while. The story is basically a |
| North channel. The anchorage haven that exists | | | | transcript at sea of the radio dialog between two men. |
| between Manitoulin Island and Northern Ontario. One of | | | | One the captain of a rather large US battleship, and |
| the anchorages we stopped at on our way home, | | | | the other man who is unidentified. The American |
| was Wingfield Basin. | | | | captain insists the other man of the obviously "smaller" |
| A small anchorage just west of Tobermory, and | | | | craft on his radio to change course. |
| complete with it's own little lighthouse. We made | | | | After bantering back and forth, with neither side willing |
| several trips to the lighthouse over the few days we | | | | to back down and alter course, the unidentified man |
| were anchored there. You could climb to the top, and | | | | issues the following suggestion (paraphrasin from |
| visit the little gift shop nearby. It was fun for both the | | | | memory here) "I have no intention of altering course, |
| adults and kids. | | | | but if you wish to remain on your current heading, feel |
| The other thing posters of lighthouse remind me of is | | | | free... we're a light house... your call". |