Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse facts for kids
| Location | Gaspé Quebec Canada |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 48°51′22.5″N 64°12′03.8″W / 48.856250°N 64.201056°W |
| Year first constructed | 1858 |
| Automated | 1981 |
| Foundation | stone, up to 8' deep |
| Construction | limestone tower, faced with white marble |
| Tower shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower, red lantern and trim |
| Height | 34.1 metres (112 ft) |
| Focal height | |
| Original lens | first-order fresnel lens |
| Range | 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi) |
| Characteristic | Oc W Flash 15 s; eclipse 5 s. Year round |
The Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse is a very tall lighthouse located near the village of Cap-des-Rosiers in Gaspé, Quebec, Canada. It helps guide ships safely along the coast.
This important lighthouse was named a National Historic Site of Canada in 1973. It also became a Federal Heritage Building in 1994. This means it's a special place that Canada wants to protect and remember.
The Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in all of Canada! It stands about 34 meters (112 feet) tall. You can find it on a high cliff on the south side of the Saint Lawrence River. It's right where the river meets the big Gulf of St. Lawrence. If you visit in the summer, you might even be able to take a tour inside!
Contents
Why is this Lighthouse Special?
The Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse was built in 1858. It was one of many tall lighthouses built to help ships in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Its strong light, placed high above the water, was a major guide for ships entering the St. Lawrence River.
The lighthouse tower is made of stone and covered with white marble. The walls are super thick, more than two meters (seven feet) at the bottom! They get a bit thinner towards the top. The building's foundations go deep into the ground, about two and a half meters (eight feet).
Who Kept the Light?
For many years, brave people called "keepers" lived and worked at the lighthouse. Their job was to make sure the light was always shining. They kept the lamp clean and working, no matter the weather. Here are some of the people who were lighthouse keepers at Cap-des-Rosiers:
- Eugène Trudeau (1856-1867)
- Auguste Trudeau (1867-1886)
- Jean B. Vien (1886-1890)
- Eugène Costin (1890-1915)
- P. E. Theriault (1915-1920)
- J. Napoléon Côté (1920-1927)
- J. Ferguson (1927-1931)
- J. Napoléon Côté (1931-1935)
- Joseph Ferguson (1935-1951)
- Joseph-Narcisse Rioux (1951-1970)
- Yves Packwood (1970-1971)
- Owen Gleeton (1971-1972)
- Paul-Roger Caron (1972-1978)
- Yvon Élément (1978-1981)
The lighthouse became automated in 1981. This means machines took over the job of the keepers, and people no longer needed to live there to operate the light.
Weather Around the Lighthouse
The area around Cap-des-Rosiers has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm summers and cold, snowy winters.
The average temperature for the whole year is about 3.6 degrees Celsius (38.5 degrees Fahrenheit). July is usually the warmest month, with temperatures around 16.2 degrees Celsius (61.2 degrees Fahrenheit). January is the coldest, averaging about -9.8 degrees Celsius (14.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
The area gets a good amount of rain and snow. On average, about 1195 millimeters (47 inches) of precipitation falls each year. October is usually the wettest month.
See also
In Spanish: Faro de Cap-des-Rosiers para niños
- List of lighthouses in Canada
Gallery
- Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse
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Cap-des-Rosiers Lighthouse & Foghorn Building
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The walls are over seven feet thick at the base, tapering to three feet at the top.
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Looking down from the lantern at the stairs that lead up the tower.
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The light source is now an electric discharge lamp. This is an occulting light, a rhythmic light in which the duration of light in each period is longer than the total duration of darkness, accomplished by this vertical rotating shutter which periodically shades the light from view. In this case, the light shines for 15 seconds, and eclipses (goes dark) for 5 seconds, and repeats.
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The rotating shutter periodically shades the light from view.
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The lamp manufacturer's plaque: L. Sautter & Cie. Constructeurs A Paris.
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The optic in the lantern, with the shoreline of the Gaspé Peninsula in the distance.
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The optic in the lantern, with the shoreline of the Gaspé Peninsula and the St. Lawrence River in the distance.
