Gaspé Bay is located on the northeast coast of the Gaspé Peninsula. Just east of the city of Gaspé, Sandy Beach Point stretches more than halfway across the bay, and nearly opposite this point, Peninsula Point makes out from the north shore of the bay. As Gaspé Bay was the headquarters of one of the men of war employed in protecting the fisheries and was considered one of the best places to which vessels in that part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence could run for safety in heavy weather, a call was made in 1868 to mark its hazardous entrance:

The Bay is entered with comparative ease, but about 12 miles up a large sand beach stretches from the south side almost across it and opposite this on the north side is another sand point called Peninsula.

Between these points all vessels must pass to obtain a harbor, and it is on the extremity of this sandy beach that a light-ship is imperatively necessary, as many accidents occur from this point not being marked. Inside this beach the Bay forks into two branches, the one to the south-west forming Gaspé Basin. If in addition to the proposed light-ship there was a lantern on Mr. Joseph Eden’s wharf at the entrance to the Basin, (which would be but a trifling expense) vessels could enter the harbor without difficulty In any case, however, a light-ship moored on the northern extremity of Sandy Beach is most urgently needed.

On July 13, 1871, a lightship was placed off Sandy Beach Point to lead vessels up the channel and keep them from running aground on the bar. The lightship initially displayed a red light from a small dioptric lantern that was suspended between the two masts of the schooner that was hired to serve as the lightship. As the red light could not be seen at a great distance, a white light, displayed six feet above the red one, was added to the lightship in 1872. The cost of hiring the schooner for a season was $278, which included the crew. For many years, John Ascah served as the keeper or captain of the lightship, which was painted red with the words “Light Ship” on its sides in white.

In 1904, a lighthouse was built just off Sandy Beach Point to replace the lightship. The following description of the lighthouse is from the Annual Report of the Department of Marine:

A lighthouse established on the north extremity of Sandy beach point, at the entrance to Gaspe basin, was put in operation on November 25, 1904. The lighthouse stands upon a cribwork pier sunk in 6 feet water carried 4 feet above high water level, and built with a cutwater on its upstream end. The lighthouse is a square wooden building with vertical walls, with a square wooden lantern standing on the apex of its cottage roof. It is painted white with red roof, and is 34 feet high from the pier to the ventilator on the lantern.

The light is a fixed white light, elevated 32 feet above high water mark, and should be visible 10 miles from all points of approach. The illuminating apparatus is dioptric of the seventh order.

The lightship heretofore marking the extremity of the spit at this point has been withdrawn and her maintenance permanently discontinued.

This building was erected under contract by Mr. Sam. Veit, of Gaspe. His contract price was $8,450.

In 1905, the light was changed from a fixed white light to an occulting white light that was alternately visible for six seconds and eclipsed for four seconds.

Thomas Kennedy served as the first keeper of the lighthouse. J.N. Ascah replaced Kennedy in 1911 and served as keeper until 1934, when N.H. Ascah took charge of the light. The lighthouse was still standing through at least 1960. In 2021, a lighted buoy was anchored off the point to serve mariners.

Keepers: Thomas Kennedy (1904 – 1911), J.N. Ascah (1911 – 1934), N.H. Ascah (1934 – at least 1937).

References

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

A buoy was anchored off the point in 2021.

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