Chantry Island was first lit on April 1, 1859. Home to over 10,000 pairs of mating birds, Chantry Island is a Canadian Wildlife Service migratory bird sanctuary. The local Marine Heritage Society offers lighthouse tours. Over 25,000 volunteer hours have brought life back to the recently restored Keeper’s Home and historic gardens. Looking deceptively harmless, Chantry Island lies just over a mile southwest of the mouth of the Saugeen River at Southampton. It stands guard, however, over ragged underwater shoals and rocks extending a mile north and a mile south of the island--a deadly trap for unknowing sailors. One hundred and fifteen narrow steps lead to the lamp room, seven sets of 15 and one set of 10. Today, the lightkeeper's home has been restored, with rubble cleared from the basement, stone walls rebuilt and a roof installed. The island gardens have also been replanted and future plans include installing interpretive centres on each floor of the keeper's house. A federal bird sanctuary, the island is home to many species of rare birds, including cormorants, black-crowned night herons, great blue herons and egrets. |
Over 50 known
shipwrecks surround Chantry Island and its imperial tower, a testament
to the rocky shoals and deadly storms that make this area one of the
most treacherous in the Great Lakes. | Getting
to the Lighthouse Operational Hours History While on Tour Request a Package Lighthouse Home Page |
