Cape Whittle, the western point of Lake Island, is situated along the Quebec coast in the Gulf of St. Lawrence at the location where the coast changes from running in an east-west direction to a northeast direction.

An 1860 report noted that the importance of aiding and facilitating the navigation of both outlets from the St. Lawrence to the Atlantic Ocean. While steamships generally passed through the Strait of Belle Isle and between the north shore of Anticosti Island and the mainland, most sailing vessels used the channel that passed south of both Anticosti Island and Newfoundland. To serve navigation, seventeen lighthouses were proposed and assigned a ranking in order of importance from one to five. A lighthouse on Cormorant Rocks, southeast of Cape Whittle, was given a ranking of one, along with lighthouses at Bird Rocks, Brandy Pots, and Long Pilgrim.

Lighthouses at Bird Rocks, Brandy Pots, and Long Pilgrim would be completed in the decade following the 1860 report, but a lighthouse would not be built on Cormorant Rocks (Rochers au Cormoran) until 1929. A lighthouse, fog alarm, and radiobeacon were all established at Cormorant Rocks to assist mariners. The lighthouse consisted of a white, square, wooden, dwelling surmounted by a red iron lantern room.

M. L’Italien was the first keeper in charge of the station, but he served for less than a year. A. Boudreau took over in 1930 and served through at least 1937.

The original lighthouse appeared on Light Lists under Cape Whittle through at least 1962. A metal, skeletal tower appeared in Lights Lists under Cape Whittle as early as 1977. In 2021, a square, skeletal tower was displaying a flashing white light every fifteen seconds at a height of 15.4 above the rocky island and a height of 24.1 metres above the surrounding water.

Keepers: M. L’Italien (1929 – 1930), A. Boudreau (1930 – at least 1937).

References

1. Annual Report of the Department of Marine, various years.

A skeletal tower exhibits a light at Rochers au Cormoran today.

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