Indiana Shan: Points East Coastal Drive {PEI}

In one of the Prince Edward Island days, Sam & I traveled the 295 miles of scenic
Points East Coastal Drive.

There was a lot to see along the way! We left Charlottetown and the first stop that morning was the first of eight lighthouses we would see. Being the first lighthouse for us to go inside, we were excited and learned a lot! With 63 lighthouses and range light buildings on the island, PEI averages 1 lighthouse for every 34 square miles, which is believed to be the highest concentration of lighthouses per province/state in North America. Over 40 of them are still active, some open for tours, and some privately owned. We decided to only stop at a handful. The lighthouses each have had a number of Lightkeepers over the years, who either lived inside or near the lighthouse. Typically men, these guys were responsible for manually winding the weight & pulley systems each day that would power the light overnight as well as fog horns used during difficult weather.

Lighthouse #1. Point Prim.

PEI's oldest lighthouse is a 60 foot tall brick conical tower and has been in service since 1845.
This is one of the few round, brick lighthouses. The brick was locally made and is now covered with wooden shingles. The inside still had the lightkeeper's bed and some belongings!

Climbing to the top...

…for a beautiful view.

The next stop was just past the Woods Islands Ferry Terminal & Provincial Park…

Lighthouse #2. Woods Islands.
This lighthouse was built in 1876 and is the second oldest lighthouse with a square structure. 54 feet overall, it has an attached 2-story, 6-room dwelling for the light keeper and family.
Today the lighthouse is a museum!

Lighthouse #3. Cape Bear.

I liked this lighthouse the most because it was here that Thomas Barlett was the first to hear the Titanic's distress signal as it sank off Newfoundland in 1912. This lighthouse was built in 1881. In 1947, the lighthouse was moved back from eroding cliffs and in 1960 the attached dwelling was removed.

With an awesome view of the red cliffs.

Lighthouse #4. Panmure Head.

In 1853, Panmure Head Lighthouse was PEI's first wooden lighthouse built by local shipbuilders using local lumber. 5-story, octagonal, 58 feet tall, the only lighthouse used to guide rafts into 3 rivers. This lighthouse was unique because our tour guide was actually the daughter of one of the previous Lightkeepers. He has since passed, but she was able to tell us what it was light to grow up living on tiny Panmure Island and in the house near the base of the lighthouse. She told us as a kid, when it was getting dark, a light could usually be seen across the water in Georgetown. When the light wasn't visible, she knew it was going to be a night that the fog horn would be used. She also explained the pulley system (shown below) that was used to power the rotation of the magnifying glass around the light and how the weights down the center of the lighthouse were used. Such a fun tour.

She went with us all the way to the top and we finally got a picture TOGETHER!

It was an incredible view!

Lighthouse #5. St. Andrews Pt.

We made it to Georgetown after 1:00 and were hungry!!! We stopped here for lunch at Clam Diggers. It was delicious and inside was fun because they had plenty old photographs, newspaper clippings, and signs to learn a little about the history of Georgetown.

Again we were on our way! We had planned to stop at the Myriad Distillery, but they were closed for the day :( Planning on going back later this week!

Lighthouse #6. Souris East.

Built in 1880, this lighthouse is above the cliff on Knight Point.

I really liked this one because it was the first we could go outside the lantern room!

Around 4:00 we made it to Basin Head which is not only BEAUTIFUL,

but famous for its "Singing Sands". Here, when you walk along the beach, the sand "sings"!

It made more of a squeaking noise, but it was really a fun experience.

Lighthouse #7. East Point.

Cash only lighthouse & fresh out of loonies? Thank goodness for Sam who got us to the top of this one with nothing but his "Southern accent" and charm.

This lighthouse is on the extreme eastern end of PEI where the tides of St. Lawrence and Northumberland Straight meet. 64 feet tall, octagonal, and wooden, this lighthouse was built in 1867 about half a mile from its designated location. In 1882, a British war ship was wrecked because of the position of the light! In 1885, the light was moved by horse to its intended location. But in 1908, the lighthouse was moved again to its current location due to erosion.

Next stop: Hermanville, PEI. Home of the Prince Edward Distillery. This distillery WAS open and we had a tour and tasting! The vodka and majority of the other liquors here are famous because they are made from 100% local PEI potatoes.

Local potatoes are brought to the distillery in crates.

The potatoes are mashed in a meat grinder, then are fermented and put through the distiller.

After aging in the barrels, the liquor is bottled.

We tasted the blueberry vodka, potato vodka, rum, and gin!

Lighthouse #8. Shipwreck Point.

From here, we were headed back to Charlottetown!

We passed St. Peters Bay and saw a little bit of the Mussels farming here.

All the black dots are "socks" that the mussels are attached to. The socks hang down into the ocean and we couldn't believe how many there were! This photo doesn't even begin to capture the sight.

Our final stop was Blooming Point! We met a really nice man the first day in PEI who told us to come out to the beach here. "Best spot on the island," he said! (He also lives here, haha!) It was beautiful.