White Island, Île Blanche, lies near midstream in St. Lawrence River, north of Rivière-du-Loup and south of the mouth of Saguenay River. White Island Reef extends northward from White Island presenting a dangerous obstacle for mariners.

In 1893, the Department of Marine announced that a lightship would be relocated to mark the reef:

In compliance with the desire of a large number of pilots, masters, ship owners and agents, the gas buoy heretofore maintained off the north-east extremity of White Island Reef in the River St. Lawrence below Quebec, was replaced by the light-ship previously stationed off Manicouagan Shoal, and the maintenance of a light-vessel at the latter place has been abandoned. The light-ship is moored in 8 fathoms of water, is painted red with the words" White Island Reef" in red on each topside and shows a fixed red light from each mast; the light on the foremast is elevated 24 feet, that on the main mast 27 feet above the water. Each light should be visible 10 miles from points of approach.

A steam fog-whistle on the vessel sounds a blast of 8 seconds’ duration followed by a silent interval of 8 seconds, then another blast of 8 seconds’ duration, followed by a silent interval of 2 minutes and 20 seconds.

The removal of this lightship from Manicouagan was not made without carefully weighing the consequences of the change. It was recognized that a useful aid to navigation would be abandoned, but the importance of the Manicouagan lightship has decreased very much in consequence of the great substitution of steam-power for sailing vessels in the River St. Lawrence traffic, and the majority of the steamers keep from the north shore, while every vessel using the river will utilize the light-ship in her new position; moreover, the change in position is part of a scheme to light the channel north of Hare Island, which is much more suitable for the navigation of heavy steamships than the channel south of that island. The Chief Engineer of the Department visited the district last spring and suggested the establishment of a gas buoy on the Middle Ground, of a strong coast light and fog- alarm on Cape Salmon, which, together with the establishment of the White Island Reef light-ship above described, should make the north channel safe for navigation in the darkest and thickest weather.

In 1905, White Island Reef Lightship was fitted with a submarine bell which was tolled the lightship’s number “5” every eighteen seconds as follows: five strokes at intervals of two seconds, followed by ten-second interval of silence.

Each winter, the lightship would be inspected and repairs were typically made to the engine and boiling at a cost of a few hundred dollars. At the opening of navigation in 1906, Lightship No. 15 was stationed at White Island Reef for a few months so extensive repairs could be made to White Island Reef Lightship. During that period, a new boiler and fittings were installed in the lightship, the cabin and crew compartments were repaired, the lower deck and cabin sole planking were lifted, and the vessel was scaled throughout. The bulkhead was also renewed with new steel plates and defective shell rivets were removed. The total cost for this work was $13,927.

In 1954, a structure was designed and a contract was let for White Island Lighthouse that would replace the old lightship. The base, a steel pier designed as an inverted cone placed on top of another cone, was built in Lauzon, and the tug Jospehine II towed it to the reef in 1954. Due to harsh weather and strong currents, the base, which would be weighed down by a 3,000-ton cement block, could not be sunk into place that. Instead, it was moored at Quebec City for the winter months.

On June 3, 1955, the sixty-seven-foot-tall base, which looked like a giant yo-yo, began its 100-mile return trip to White Island Reef, where it was installed on a prepared bed of gravel and rock. Two attempts to settle the base on Saturday, June 4, failed due to rough water, but the following day, the foundation, held in placed by taut tow lines, slowly settled into position as the tide subsided and after crew members inside opened valves to let water flow into the lower compartment.

The top of the foundation projected twenty feet above the surface of the river, and on this level surface a four-storey, square, light tower was built, with attached living quarters. White Island Reef Lighthouse exhibited a flashing white light at a height of seventy-three feet above the river. Two diaphones, sounded alternately, produced a two-second blast every thirty seconds. After the lighthouse was placed in operation, Lightship No. 5 was transferred to nearby Prince Shoal, replacing Lightship No. 7, which was withdrawn from service.

The lighthouse was only accessible by boat until a helipad was installed atop the light tower in 1969. The light was automated in 1982, and then discontinued in August 1995. The lighthouse was subsequently dismantled, and nothing remains of it in the river today.

References

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

No light marks this location today.

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