Tanner Island is located east of the entrance to Luenburg Harbour and on the south side of the entrance to Tanner Pass, which leads westward to a small harbour suitable only for small craft with local knowledge. Tanner Pass is quite lengthy, and if you continue west along the pass far enough, you can end up in Back Harbour, the harbour on the north side of Lunenburg.

In 1913, A.L. Mury of West Arichat built a square, pyramidal, wooden tower on Tanner Island at the cost of $728. The lighthouse was equipped with a fifth-order lens, and R.G. Wight was hired as the first keeper of the light. Keeper Wight looked after the light until 1927, and then Harry Knickle took over and served until the light was made unwatched in 1963.

As there was no dwelling on the tiny island, the keeper had to row out each evening to light the light and then return the following morning to extinguish it.

When a solar panel was added to supply power to the light in 1967, the name of the light was changed from Tanner Island Light to Gunning Point Island Light.

In 1986, the present 7.7-metre-tall fibreglass tower replaced the original lighthouse.

Keepers: R.G. Wight (1913 – 1927), Harry Knickle (1927 – 1963).

References

1. Annual Report of the Department of Marine and Fisheries, various years.
2. Lighthouses & Lights of Nova Scotia, E.H. Rip Irwin, 2003.

A white cylindrical tower with a red band displays a flashing white light from Tanner Island.

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