Volunteers reached the station on May 20th for a quick, one day opening blitz. In June 2006 the great volunteer vacation team arrived at the lighthouse for a week of painting, repairs, gardening and everything else that needs doing. When our hosts began to arrive in June, they were amazed by the beauty of the place and how everything sparkles and shines! Thank you Finlay Morrison and crew!

The host program for 2006 was completely booked - right into October!

Richard and Peggy Bowes* sold their tour boat business in 2006. The new owners, The Blue Heron Company, agreed to provide transportation for campers and our volunteer lightkeepers.    Thank you to Rick and Jack and the Blue Heron Company for the continued support of the Flowerpot Island Lightstation Program.  Richard and Peggy will miss us, but maybe not that much because they sure are smiling as they relax and enjoy the summer!

*Richard Bowes hasn't left the Friends completely - July and August found him working part-time for the Friends - at The Friends' Ship-Gifts with Purpose.

Friends Artist in Residence Donna Tatton has accepted the task of designing the Friends Visitor Centre at the Flowerpot Island Lightstation. Donna is extremely talented and already has many plans for this space. The Visitor Centre (located in the former diesel shed) will be an opportunity for the Friends to 'toot their own horn'. Donna completed two pieces of art work for the Visitor Centre while she and her family were volunteer lightkeepers this summer.

Thanksgiving Weekend was close up weekend but it wasn't all work - the traditional turkey and all the trimmings were prepared in the kitchen and Gloria Smith successfully brought her homemade pumpkin pie all the way from Owen Sound.  Thanks to Capt. Glen for landing us safely at the lightstation and thus saving us the big carry from Beachy Cove - a much easier way to get a turkey to the light!

Old storm windows were the biggest problem of close down.  These storms have been around for many years and it is starting to show.  Over the years they have shrunk and expanded so many times that the glass is cracking and breaking.  None of the storms fit in 2006 and many hours were spent shaving them down to the correct size.  With all the shrinking and expanding, by 2007, they will likely be too small!  Our handyman Brett Tatton and expert storm window fixer Albert Smith discussed several plans on how to correct the problem and the result is Albert Smith will be designing a brand new system for next fall and these new storms will not have any glass!  So we are saved the task of getting glass panes to the station.

For the first time in ten years, the door was locked for the winter by a group that did not include Garry and Heather!

Time to say thanks to those who contribute so much to
our project at the lightstation

• Capt. Glen Dunham and his crew (Katherine - Kirk - Ron - Tom) who always get us there and home again
• Michael Northcott - always on duty at Beachy Cove.  His support, encouragement and promotion of the lightstation is very important to the Friends. 
• Tara and Charlene - back at the office - always supportive and helpful
• Marilyn - for all your work with the Young Canada Works Program
• Donna Tatton - for the art work
• Finlay Morrison and Volunteer Vacation Crew - Year after year, the station looks amazing! 
• Brett Tatton - our wonderful handyman - and thanks for the new water system! 
• Volunteer Lightkeeper Hosts - an amazing group of people for all over Canada and the United States, who spend part of their summer vacation looking after the Flowerpot Island Lightstation
• Blue Heron Company - without your support of our program, it would be so much harder to succeed
• Parks Canada Management and Staff - for your continuing support