Goderich Lighthouse

Built in 1847 on the bluffs overlooking Lake Huron on the Canadian coastline, the Goderich Lighthouse stands about 33 feet high and 140 feet above the lake. Square and almost chunky in design, the building contrasts with the usual taller, tapered cylinder look of most lighthouses in the United States.

Ed and I took a day's drive to Canada, specifically to Huron County, Ontario, which is directly east of where our lake house is in Huron County, Michigan, USA. On a clear night we can see the lights of the communications towers and windfarms in Canada, almost 40 miles to the east of Cedar Bluff Lakehouse. We drove up the Canadian coastline to visit Goderich and see the Canadian wind turbines in action.

The Goderich lighthouse is dramatic architecturally. It has stark white lines and surfaces, with red accents trim and roof.

Scottish stonemason Adam MacVicar is credited with building this structure which is now 166 years old and appears to be of stone block construction.

Of course I had to sketch the lighthouse. I started by using graphite pencil and then retraced lines with a fine tip Sharpie pen. A drawing like this would be the beginning of a watercolor painting of the lighthouse.

We spent a pleasant hour or longer on the bluff overlooking the harbor at the site of the lighthouse. With our camp chairs, my sketching supplies, and Ed's reading material, we had a relaxing late afternoon in Goderich, Ontario.

Copyright 2013
Wanda Hayes Eichler