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American Lighthouse Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 565
Rockland,
Maine 04841
Phone: 207-594-4174
Fax: 207-596-1091
info@lighthousefoundation.org
The American Lighthouse Foundation is a
Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to the
preservation of America's historic
lighthouses & lightships and
their heritage.
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Keeper Returns to Lighthouse After 32-Year
Absence
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After a 32-year absence from Little River Lighthouse in Cutler, Maine,
former lighthouse keeper Al Vachon returned to the lighthouse last week
to work as a volunteer helping to restore the endangered beacon.
Vachon had not set foot on the remote island since he left the Coast
Guard in 1973 and the return trip |
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Former Keeper Al Vachon returned to
Little River Light after 32 years
in August 2005
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brought back many
wonderful memories of another era when life was very different.
Vachon
came to Little River Lighthouse in March of 1972 to replace Coast Guardsman
Robert Marston who had been transferred to nearby West Quoddy Lighthouse. In
those days, as a young man with lots of energy and thoughts of friends back
home having a social life, his life on the remote island became a challenge,
but one that he now recalls as great memories that will always remain with
him.
Vachon
remembers when the light station was in pristine condition and was amazed by
the deterioration of the light station since the Coast Guard had abandoned
it. Yet at the same time, he was impressed by the amount of work that has
already been done by volunteers to bring the lighthouse back to its glory
days.
Vachon,
now from
New Hampshire,
admitted being somewhat apprehensive about going back after so many years.
That changed |
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Photo by Tim Harrison
(L to R) Al Vachon & Hal Biering take a
break from their work at
the light station
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immediately
however when he met some of the locals, such as Andy Patterson, early in
the morning of his first day back. “They are still as friendly and
helpful as they were 32 years ago,” he said. He also commented that the
small fishing community of Cutler looked almost the same as it did when
he left so many years ago.
On
arriving is Cutler, Vachon immediately hooked up with Hal Biering known
as “Mr. Hal,” the 78-year old retiree from Alabama who has spent the
last three summers working to save and restore the Little River Light
Station. He and “Mr. Hal” soon became fast friends.
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Vachon
remembers that when he was stationed at Little River one of the biggest
thrills in those days was taking the station’s small wooden boat to town and
waiting for the mail truck to arrive. That experience must have had an
impact on him, because after his stint in the Coast Guard, he became a rural
mail carrier for the next 31 years.
He said,
“Going to town in those days was a big deal. He and the other Coast
Guardsmen stationed with him would go to the nearby Naval Station commissary
to get supplies, but they rarely went all the way into Machias, unless it
was for something special.
Vachon’s
biggest thrill this time was being able to sleep in the keeper’s house
again, saying it was as quiet and peaceful as he remembered it. “It was a
real experience, but even more thrilling was being able to climb the tower
again. I took lots of photos to show my family and hopefully they will
accompany me on my next visit. My wife has heard about this place for so
many years, but has never been here.”
Vachon
was stationed at the lighthouse with Engineman John Arrington and Seaman
Gary Sill. In those days they had two pet cats on the |
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island named Tom and
Stubbs. They
also had a pet raccoon who somehow or another became stranded on the
island.
When
Vachon left the island in 1973 he recalled being replaced by BM3 Tony
Weyer. However, the lighthouse was automated shortly after that. The
lens was removed from the tower and a modern optic was placed on a
skeleton pole and the station was closed.
Vachon said he was impressed with the camaraderie, compassion and
dedication of the volunteers of the American Lighthouse Foundation
who
are working to save Cutler’s |
Photo by Bob Trapani, Jr.
Some things never change...
Keeper Al returns to Little River
to do MORE PAINTING!
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lighthouse and
was happy that he was able to return and help to bring the historic Little
River Lighthouse back to its former glory.
To learn
more about the America Lighthouse Foundation’s efforts to restore Little
River Lighthouse and our many other lighthouse projects you can contact us
at
P. O. Box 889,
Wells, Maine 04090 or call them at 207-646-0245. You may also contact us by
email at
info@lighthousefoundation.org
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