L’Anse Amour, NFL.

February 12, 2016 by Let's CUT the Crap! 73 Comments

L’Anse Amour  (near the Quebec border) is the smallest, most northerly community, and the National Historic Site of Canada.

The HMS_Raleigh ran aground here in 1922, a huge embarrassment to the British. The Davis family (a community of seven) took in the 700 men who survived (11 died) though they had no means of housing and feeding such a large number. The sailors salvaged all they could from the ship even the piano. Men slept on the shore (anywhere and everywhere) and some later stayed for a couple months after the British rescue ship arrived. The British Admiralty granted land to the Davis Family, in perpetuity as well as the cove itself, for their selfless deed.

Flash forward to 2012 and the 90-year-old-wreckage.

Only ten Davises live in L’anse Amour now. This is the Davis Family Graveyard.

Built in 1858, the Point Amour lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada and the second highest in the country. If you’re interested in others or their histories, click here.

The lighthouse has a gift shop on the first floor (of course). The furniture on this floor had been removed to make room for the displays / models  and to accommodate busloads of tourists passing through.

The furnishings of the day as well as sample clothing were displayed on the second floor. This main building had no bathroom facilities though the demand was high. Anyone wanting to use them had to walk a good distance in a blustery wind to another building away from the main attraction.

Below, a model of the lighthouse:

The stairway to the top  wasn’t what I’d expected. A guide led small groups at a time, but how had they fit? Mary and I were last—just us three. The stairs weren’t what I had expected either. They were steep, did not snake, but were vertical and had six landings. The last two levels were ladders, not stairs as the space had gradually became smaller and narrower as we worked our way to the top. Why? I had not thought to ask, but I wonder if it had to do with the lighthouse platform (with the saving light) and the space for it. Cannot find the answer.

Shedding light on a landing in this dark tower along the way up.

The last couple sets of ladder rungs were so tight (and vertical), no way could I turn around if I had to. Legs quaking, we huffed and puffed our way to the top: 132 steps and 109 feet up. What a view! (I had to scrap a number of pictures, which reflected the photographer in the glass).

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More images of L’Anse Amour

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Next on February 19th: About Whales and Fishing and Fish Oil, Oh My! (day 4 continued)

© 2015 Tess @ How the Cookie Crumbles.

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