June 16 – Third team of the season
The 3rd team of the season headed out yesterday. Likely some painting & masonry coming soon!
June 7 – Team Update
Cathy, Jen, Linda, Kathy & Sandy arrived Sunday and spent a productive visit performing a variety of grounds-related projects.
May 13 – Recap of May 2024 Opening Trip
After a few delays, the opening team (Linda, Cathy, Marty, Tom, and Jack) arrived at the light station on May 8, 2024, to prepare for the summer season. The excavator arrived the next day…and Marty went to work digging the new pit for the outhouse. Tom and Jack looked for buried treasure (sorry, Captain Kidd did not visit South Fox), and Jack built the framing for the outhouse pit. Cathy suggested attaching boards to the sides so that we could lift and move the outhouse, and it worked! The outhouse, in its new location, showcases a bench, handwashing station, and the daffodils the “fellas” saved!
Meanwhile, the “gals” dismantled the decaying benches at the firepit, organized the summer kitchen, and prepared the meals (except for Tom’s early morning coffee, of course). While the “fellas” were busy with the water system and the excavation, the “gals” concentrated on mowing the lawns, blowing the leaves, and building a simple wooden deck in front of the solar panel.
Quite a welcoming site for visitors to the island! Of course, we ended each day with a bit of relaxation–Jack actually braved the west shore with a bar of soap, but the rest of us were…well… wimps. As usual, Cathy caught me in a typical pose…
Captain Geoff surprised us with an early departure on Monday morning, for which we were all incredibly grateful….
May 12 – Lantern Room Progress
After a number of maintenance projects (water, outhouse, etc.), Marty & Tom are back to researching steps to restore the 1867 lighthouse lantern room.
Organizing tools….backing out screws that have been in place for nearly 160 years is not an easy proposition.
Even getting to the screws is a challenge. When FILA first began rehabbing the station, most of the glass was AWOL from the lantern room. Volunteer Phil von Voigtlander covered openings with plywood nearly 20 years ago to protect the lantern room from further damage.
Tom & Marty are having to work around this plywood (still needed to protect the openings) whilst trying various means to back out screws that hold the frames that originally held the glass.
Another view….
We’re thankful for the many folks who help make this project happen.
May 9 – Update from the opening crew
Arrival! Lots of gear on the beach needing to be carried up to the lighthouse.
The opening crew checked up on the solar system….it weathered the winter well. Thanks again to the Great Lakes Lightkeepers Association for donating major components.
The team also worked to upgrade the lake-water filtering system to be used by volunteer teams.
The team has also done some exploring…things that can only be seen before vegetation takes over. Here are remnants of one of the early pump systems.
The wreck that had been visible since 2021 is still present, though somewhat buried compared to prior years.
All photos courtesy of Marty Rosalik.
May 8 – Season Start
The first team of the 2024 season headed out today.
Thanks to our awesome volunteers!
August 25 – It’s a Wrap
Keith & Ally Lang just returned from another stint of island volunteering.
They helped close up buildings and winterize equipment
…another island season comes to an end!
August 4 – Carpentry in the round
Today’s update includes before and after pictures trimming out the 1867 LH front door.
Before and after photos. Transitioning from the square outer tower to the circular tower interior.
Ben assessing in the “before” image with the second photo showing how they filled out the void between masonry and door frame. The lighthouse screen door was a project from an earlier team. They found it in the basement with derelict screen, fixed it up repurposing hardware sent out for another project and added a brace. Still needs a paint job but we’ve otherwise made a lot of progress in cleaning up the entry this year.
Further up the tower, we’ve been missing one of the door off this compartment so the thought was to bring it back to make a replica. Jim reports “Little curved door removed from lighthouse stairs. We did take measurements for the door needed.” The small door is from one of the clock weight accesses.
Jim adds: “The door is curved. Hinges r curved.”
Yes, that’s why this project is coming back to the mainland. It will take resources far beyond what we can do “on island.”
August 1 – More window installs
Jim reporting in: Found a couple screens in the back of the LH basement for the basement windows. Did get one installed. All windows restored are up and looking good.
Hinged basement window
One of these windows had the original brass hook and eye.
Example of one of the original screens. Needs a paint job but otherwise usable.
July 31 – A great start to the week
Vice President Allchin reporting in from conversations with the island team…
“The carpenters team is back on island and accomplished so much in just one day. Secured the doors on the solar power box, installed restored windows in assistant keepers quarters, and finished the deck off the back of the summer kitchen. We are so grateful for all the volunteers with made such a difference. It has been a very productive season.”
Ben inspecting their work
Finishing up the deck behind the workshop, providing safe access to the newly repaired rear door.
One of the two broken kitchen windows restored
And the second.